Do Hedgehogs Shoot Quills? (5 Interesting Sharp Quill Facts)

Do hedgehogs have quills? Of many animals we know, such as porcupines and others, hedgehogs are the ones having quills.

Do hedgehogs shoot quills? Hedgehogs are very calm pets. But when these pets are scared, they eject some needle-like objects. These are visible like bristles on their fur, calling them quills. Almost 5000 – 6000 quills are present on a hedgehog.

In this blog post, we will discuss do hedgehogs have quills, how many quills on hedgehogs, and why and when they spray these quills.

Do Hedgehogs Have Quills?

Some animals in nature possess sharp spines, and hedgehogs are one of those lucky animals that use these spines to defend themselves from any predator.

But these spines that we know as quills are not very dangerous when the hedgehogs are calm and relaxed. They will only become sharp when these hedgehogs are either triggered or threatened. And sometimes, they spray these quills on the person trying to threaten them.

Hedgehogs As Pets – Do Hedgehogs Shoot Out Their Quills?

Many people choose hedgehogs as their pets, but not all people are happy to keep them. The main problem with hedgehogs is their quills.

You may think that these pets don’t require much maintenance, but you will know that’s not an easy thing once you adopt them. The only difficult thing is to relax them so the sharp quills won’t hurt you in any way.

So do pet hedgehogs shoot quills? We can explain this phenomenon by the human example. The hair follicles are raised whenever a human is excited, threatened, or feeling hot or cold. This [process is known as Goosebumps in humans.

Similarly, hedgehogs will raise their quills that symbolize whether these pets have been threatened or excited about something.

Heat and cold season can also cause the quills to become active and sharp. You better spend some time with your hedgehog and make it feel calm and unstressed. This way, your hedgehog will not eject its quills.

Why Do Hedgehogs Spray Quills?

As we have explained earlier, the hedgehogs have many reasons to raise their spines and shoot out their quills. The main reason that cause hedgehogs spray the quills are:

• Stress
• Cold and heated suddenly
• Threat from predators
• Strange persons around that are fishy
• Your hedgehog is ill and needs treatment

Can Hedgehogs Eject Spikes?

No, hedgehogs can’t eject the spikes attached to their end of the skin. Spikes are made of a similar keratin protein mainly found in human hair and nails.

So, it would help if you were very careful while petting a hedgehog, as they can eject those 4000-5000 spikes on their body fur when you contact them.

Do The Quills On A Hedgehog Hurt?

Do hedgehogs have quills that hurt anyone? You may see the spikes at the hedgehogs like several thousand knives attached to the skin.

These spikes or quills are not dangerous or hurtful all the time. When the hedgehogs are sad or angry, their quills will rise and sharply eject out, causing them to be hurt.

Otherwise, the normal and calm hedgehogs are fun and very pleasing that you can play with. Their spines are also very soft at that time.

What Happens If A Hedgehog Pricks You?

Why do hedgehogs have quills, and what if I can a prick from hedgehog?

Well, hedgehog pricks aren’t deadly or affect you in any way. Rather than panicking, you need to go to a doctor and get those quills out of your body.

Don’t try to pick up the quills yourself, as they can be very hurting. So, always go to a vet for the excellent advice.

Can Hedgehog Quills Hurt You?

Do hedgehogs have quills that can hurt me? The short answer is no!

These quills only cause short term pain but aren’t lethal. This means you only have to carefully take the quill out of your body and ensure you don’t break any quills.

If the quills break inside the skim, they cause infection and swelling at that skin site.

Do Hedgehogs Shoot Their Quills?

Do hedgehogs shoot quills? Yes, any hedgehog that feels unsafe and unloved will behave badly towards all people near him.

If you are teasing your hedgehog and not accompanying him, he will raise the quills and might shoot them in some cases. Also, they can’t eject the quills in fear.

Do Hedgehogs Have Feeling In Their Quills?

Yes, the feelings of a hedgehog are very important, and we can determine it using its behaviour. Whenever you see a hedgehog rolling into a shape of a ball, it means the hedgehog isn’t normal.

It will also raise the quills sharply and make everybody scared around it that means the hedgie’s mood isn’t good.

Do Hedgehogs Regrow Quills?

Yes, re-growing the quills by hedgehogs is an obvious thing. But all you need to do is to check for the quill-regrow cycle.

Normally, the quills are replaced every 6 months. If your hedgehog doesn’t grow the quills within 1-2 weeks after losing the spines, take it to a vet immediately.

How Sharp Are Hedgehog Quills?

The Hedgehog quill is very sharp. You are very lucky if the quills save you at any time.

Because these quills can cause some serious infections in the body after they are not being removed from the body, so yes, the quills on the hedgehog body fur are very sharp.

Are Hedgehog Quills Sharp?

So do hedgehogs have quills that are sharp? Yes, hedgies have very sharp quills, and we must refrain from threatening or making them angry at any cost.

An angry or sad hedgehog has sharp knives-like quills that can be very disturbing. So, avoid getting these quills to be in contact with you.

What Animal Can Shoot Quills?

Many animals can shoot out quills. The most famous cartoon character that kids know is the porcupine.

The porcupines have very sharp quills, and if you try to tease them, you may get those ejected quills on your body.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Do Hedgehogs Shoot Quills?

How do hedgehogs have quills, and do they shoot them? Yes, the hedgehogs will be giving you quills by rolling themselves into a ball-like structure.

That ball-like structure has quills all around it, and any person that comes in close association with that ball will get the picky quills.

Do Hedgehog Spikes Hurt?

Yes, the hedgehog spikes hurt when they are picked into the skin. Many pet owners can relate to this, as hedgehogs are very hard to handle. You have to become a hedgies parent to see how hard their petting is.

You have to be very conscious while caring for them, as they will not be adapted to new homes very quickly, and it takes time. And releasing their stress will only be the option to lower their quills and also reduce the stress to softened the spikes that you can touch after.

Do Hedgehogs Have Sharp Quills?

Yes, their quills are very sharp. You have to be very conscious in handling these hedgies. Only love and complete care will reduce their anxiety and help reduce the sharpness of their quills.

Do Hedgehogs Shoot Quills Often?

Shooting the quills isn’t a thing that we commonly see in the hedgehogs. But if any animals trying to prey on hedgehogs come near them, they will become a spiny ball rolling here and there.

That quill ball is very dangerous and will cause serious infections if the quill isn’t taken out of the skin.

Final Verdict – Do Hedgehogs Shoot Quills

Hedgehogs have spiked, and their spikes are known as quills. But do hedgehogs shoot quills that are very sharp and can hurt you?

Yes, their quills are very dangerous, and if you have picked up the quill, it will cause infection. You have to be quick in getting your quill out of the skin.

That was all about do hedgehogs shoot quills. Comment and share on this blog post, and keep supporting us!

As a pet lover, make sure to learn about pet more and give your pet hedgehogs 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! ❤️