Are Hedgehogs Spiky? (9 Interesting Hedgie Facts)

Hedgehogs are truly wonderful animals. Their exotic quills make them unique and one of a kind. A hedgehog is often considered a dangerous animal due to its quills but in reality, the story is completely different. Hedgehogs are very loving animals, though, owners have to be very careful with their quills but otherwise, hedgehogs are very loving animals.

Because their quills are a little intimidating, the new owners of hedgehogs often ask this question.

Are hedgehogs spiky? Yes, hedgehogs are spiky. The body of a hedgehog is covered completely with quills but that doesn’t mean that owners can’t hold their pets. A hedgehog will raise its quills only when they are stressed or anxious. Raised quills can hurt the owner but a relaxed hedgehog won’t do any hurt, the relaxed hedgehog would just feel like holding straws or a bundle of hay.

Are Hedgehogs Spiky?

Are pet hedgehogs spiky? Yes, the hedgehog’s body is covered with stiff quills. It is considered that there are as many as 4000-5000 quills on the body of a hedgehog.

These spikes are sharp and these spikes are sophisticatedly relaxed and erected by muscles present in the skin of quills. These quills work automatically, they are automatically raised when a hedgehog will feel threatened.

When a hedgehog is relaxed, they will keep their quills relaxed and flat. These quills are used by hedgehogs to safeguard themselves from predators or anything they feel insecure about.

A hedgehog will also curve themselves in a ball when they feel threatened to keep their vulnerable belly safe. The owner should note that they should never touch the raised quills as these quills can harm the owners.

Are Hedgehogs Spiky To Touch?

Are hedgehogs spiky? Yes, sometimes hedgehogs are spiky to touch. When a hedgehog isn’t feeling safe or when a hedgehog is scared, they may raise their quills.

When a hedgehog has raised its quills, it is best to not touch it to avoid any injury because many owners often get hurt when trying to poke the hedgehog’s quills. 

Are hedgehogs spiky all the time? No, when hedgehogs are relaxed, they won’t be harmful to touch because their quills would be touchable and owners can touch their quills during this time without getting injured.

With utter care, the owner can also pet their hedgehog without getting hurt, however, the owner should be very careful.

Can Hedgehog Spikes Hurt You?

Are hedgehogs spikes dangerous? Yes, spikes of hedgehog can hurt owners. Many owners have even complained of getting hurt from their hedgehog. There is a time when an owner should touch and avoid touching their pet.

The owner needs to be very careful when petting the hedgehog and to avoid getting hurt by spikes, the owner should pick up or touch the hedgehog only when it is in a relaxed state.

When a hedgehog isn’t relaxed and has its quills raised, it should not be touched at that time.

Are Hedgehogs Spines Sharp?

Do hedgehogs have spikes that are sharp? Yes, when hedgehog spines are raised they are very sharp and these quills carry the potential to harm the person or animal who touches them.

Quills are natural protective measures that hedgehogs get to safeguard themselves from any predators or external aggressors.

If the owner has adopted the hedgehog, they must make sure that they are holding their hedgehog very carefully.

When a hedgehog is tense or scared, they will raise their quills, the rest of the time, their quills stay relaxed and can be petted from head to tail.

Furthermore, even if owners are petting a relaxed hedgehog, they should not pet their hedgehog from tail to head, as it may also cause injury.

When Are Hedgehogs Spiky? 

When are hedgehogs spiky? A hedgehog will raise its quills when they are scared or anxious. They can get anxious due to stress from predators, fear of the owner, poor environment etc.

If the owner feels that their pet is feeling scared, or anxious, they should try to make them comfortable and eliminate the problem they might be having.

If the hedgehog is anxious or scared of the owner, the owner shouldn’t force their pet. It will worsen the situation. The owner should give time to their pet to get used to them.

Will A Pet Hedgehog Poke You?

A hedgehog may poke the owner when they are not comfortable with the owners. It happens most often when an owner has just adopted a pet hedgehog.

If the owner is facing the issue of getting comfortable around a hedgehog or making a hedgehog-like them, the owner can follow some steps.

First, it would be natural for a hedgehog to get scared of the new owner, so owners should try to give some space to their pet. The owner can use gloves that can safeguard the hands of the owner from spikes of the owner.

After Putting on the gloves, the owner should hit the hedgehogs rather than reach them instantly. The owner should wait for their hedgehog pet to come to them.

When a hedgehog comes to the owner, they should carefully pet their hedgehog.

When petting a new hedgehog, the owner should be very careful and they should keep in mind that the hedgehog may raise their quills anytime.

What Happens If A Hedgehog Pricks You?

In a normal situation, an owner getting injured by a hedgehog won’t get that hurt. A little blood may come out but it would be fine with an antibiotic.

In an extraordinary condition, where owners are allergic may get hives. So owners should double-check about their allergies before handling a hedgehog.

Do Hedgehog Spikes Hurt?

Yes, the spikes of hedgehogs are sharp enough to hurt the skin of humans. Though when they are relaxed there may not be any risk of getting hurt except for touching something very dry.

Sometimes hedgehog spikes can hurt, though if an owner is cautious, they may not get hurt still it is recommended to always wear gloves when holding or touching the hedgehog.

How Do Hedgehogs Feel To The Touch?

An owner may find it a little rough and dry, it may feel like petting a bunch of straws or a hairbrush to pet a hedgehog. The back of the hedgehog is not soft.

However, the quills of hedgehogs are very sophisticated and owners are required to handle their pets with care.

Are Hedgehogs Soft Or Too Prickly to Hold?

Are hedgehogs spiky or soft? A relaxed hedgehog has more tingling skin which feels very dry. It can be like a hairbrush or straws. It is fine to hold a relaxed hedgehog without getting hurt.

The relaxed spikes wouldn’t hurt unless the owner is petting them from back to their mouth because the sharp quills are laid to the back.

Are Hedgehogs Spiky When Born?

Are hedgehogs actually spiky when born? Yes, baby hedgehogs are born with their spikes though they are not as they become when they get adults.

When hedgehogs are born these spikes are covered with a membrane that is filled with fluid so that the mother’s belly doesn’t get hurt when baby Hedgehogs are still inside the mother.

After they are born, within 1-2 days that membrane would start shrinking, further dries up and eventually vanishes to give around 100-200 white spikes.

Are Pygmy Hedgehogs Spiky?

Are hedgehogs prickly? Yes, pygmy hedgehogs, just like any other hedgehog, are spiky and their whole body is covered with spikes. Just like any other hedgehog, these spikes work according to the mood of the hedgehog.

What Are The Spiky Things On Hedgehogs Called?

The spiky things on hedgehogs have various names including spikes, quills, hedgehog hairs etc. But these are most commonly known as hedgehog spikes.

These spikes are natural protective hairs that protect the hedgehog from external aggressors like predators and cold.

Though these spikes are hollow from the inside, they are very effective in saving a hedgehog.

Are African Pygmy Hedgehogs Spiky?

Are all hedgehogs spiky? Yes, African pygmy hedgehogs, just like any other hedgehog, are also spiky. Their spikes would also work as similarly as any other normal hedgehog which is to raise when they are tensed or scared.

These quills are the natural protection that protects them from predators. When a predator is nearby, their quills will raise, making it difficult for a predator to swallow the hedgehogs.

Final Verdict – Are Hedgehogs Spiky

Yes, hedgehogs are spiky. The body of a hedgehog is completely covered with quills. A hedgehog can raise their quills when they are anxious or scared. These raised quills can hurt the owner.

However, if the owner is careful, a relaxed hedgehog won’t hurt the owner. These spikes are a natural protective gear for hedgehogs to save themselves from predators.

If the hedgehog is friendly with their owner, they will never raise their quills around their owner and never hurt them.

If the owner feels that their pet hedgehog is raising its quills when the owner is nearby, it probably means that the hedgehog isn’t comfortable around the owner.

In such situations, the owner should give some space to their pet for some time.

As a pet lover, make sure to learn about pet more and give your pet hedgehog a good and comfortable life!

Rajkumar Ravichandran

Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️