Hedgehog Behavior
Hedgehogs are very defensive by nature and in no way aggressive or offensive. Their only real concern is survival. Naturally they are shy animals that feel threatened when confronting something new or different in their environment. Their main defense is to hide until the danger goes away, not attack. Hedgehogs that are slightly startled or threatened will lower their spines on their forehead to protect their eyes. If they become more upset you may hear huffing, which is a sound used to ward off predators. A hedgehog may also curl up into a ball which is their ultimate defense as their spines now cover their face and vulnerable underbelly. If a hedgehog pops or clicks, this is a way to poke whatever is threatening them that wasn’t fazed by their huffing.
Just remember that hedgehogs are natural hunters and can bite. Their main defense is to hide not bite so if your hedgehog has bitten you it could be for many reasons (see below). When a hedgehog finds food in the wild it will grab onto the insect and hold it in its mouth until the insect stops moving. Because of this technique used never attempt to shake your hedgehog off after it has bitten you or any other animals. There are many different things you can try to release your hedgehogs grip. Keep in mind that everyone has different opinions, so what one person does may seem cruel to the next. Also every hedgehog is different so one technique may work for one but not the next. Here are some ideas:
*Scream as loud as you can. This will hopefully startle your hedgehog enough for it to let go. This method also will have a negative reaction associated with it so it may be also used to prevent bites as stated below.
*Try splashing your hedgehog with water or quickly dunking it under water. The shock of the water will make your hedgehog release his/her grip
*Blowing in the hedgehogs face may also work as well as covering up both nostrils at the same time. You hedgehog will have to let go in order to take a breath.
Reason your hedgehog may bite:
Scent and Taste:
Hedgehogs use their sense of smell since their sight is not very good. Sometimes your hands may have something on them that smells good enough to eat. This is the most common reason for biting and easy to avoid. Wash your hands before holding your hedgehog. Be aware that some soaps and lotions have scents that may still smell enticing to a hedgehog. To fix this behavior just simply move your fingers away when the hedgehog starts to lick or allow him/her to lick the palm of your hand.
Oral Fixation:
Some hedgehogs have an oral fixation that they may or may not grow out of. Allow your hedgehogs safe items to chew on such as fabric, or soft toys. If this is the case, watch what your hedgehog chews on as some items may be very dangerous!
Pain or stress:
Since hedgehogs can’t communicate verbally to humans they will use various behaviors to tell us what they want. If your hedgehog is sick or injured nipping or biting you may be one of the only ways they can alert you that something is wrong. They are more inclined to bite when stressed or in pain.
Exploration:
Most babies will exhibit this behavior as they are exploring their new home. They may tug, pull or bite new objects as a way to get a feel for all the new smells and tastes that are out there. Always allow them to bite new objects that are not harmful as this is a natural behavior and inhibiting that may affect your bonding. I have found that most babies are particularly fond of jewelry and watches.
Territorial:
Some may bite if they feel their territory is threatened or to establish a new territory. Their cage and everything in it are your hedgehogs own space, so remember to respect that. Once taken out of “their space” they should be perfectly fine.
This is just a small list of the many reasons a hedgehog will bite. There are always cases though that a reason can’t be found. Unexplained biting is very rare but can occur. Most breeders will breed for the very nice personalities. If you buy your hedgehog from a reputable breeder you may want to look into all the options stated above and more before jumping to the conclusion your hedgehog is mean or aggressive.
Body Language:
If your hedgehog is completely relaxed you will notice that their spines are flat. Their face won’t be covered up by the spines on their forehead and their ears will be erect. A socialized hedgehog will run around and explore their environment not just sit on the floor in a defensive position. Spines that are up may be a sign of slight irritation or just uncertainty. If the hedgehog is running around and curious yet still has their spines up that may be a sign of some uncertainty. They are ready in a moment’s notice if something was to startle them and they need to protect themselves.
Anointing:
This is a signature hedgehog behavior that I'm sure you will experience owning a hedgehog. Anointing is when a hedgehog encounters a particular scent or taste, bites at the source and then starts accumulating a foamy spit. They will contort their body to lick the foam on their quills. There is an evolutionary explanation as to why they do this. Wild hedgehogs might come across a foul smell such as dead plants or animals. They will bite the object to get that scent in their mouth and then put it on their quills. When a predator walks by and sniffs the hedgehog they smell that scent and leave the hedgehog alone. It’s an old defense mechanism that many still exhibit today.
Hedgehogs are very defensive by nature and in no way aggressive or offensive. Their only real concern is survival. Naturally they are shy animals that feel threatened when confronting something new or different in their environment. Their main defense is to hide until the danger goes away, not attack. Hedgehogs that are slightly startled or threatened will lower their spines on their forehead to protect their eyes. If they become more upset you may hear huffing, which is a sound used to ward off predators. A hedgehog may also curl up into a ball which is their ultimate defense as their spines now cover their face and vulnerable underbelly. If a hedgehog pops or clicks, this is a way to poke whatever is threatening them that wasn’t fazed by their huffing.
Just remember that hedgehogs are natural hunters and can bite. Their main defense is to hide not bite so if your hedgehog has bitten you it could be for many reasons (see below). When a hedgehog finds food in the wild it will grab onto the insect and hold it in its mouth until the insect stops moving. Because of this technique used never attempt to shake your hedgehog off after it has bitten you or any other animals. There are many different things you can try to release your hedgehogs grip. Keep in mind that everyone has different opinions, so what one person does may seem cruel to the next. Also every hedgehog is different so one technique may work for one but not the next. Here are some ideas:
*Scream as loud as you can. This will hopefully startle your hedgehog enough for it to let go. This method also will have a negative reaction associated with it so it may be also used to prevent bites as stated below.
*Try splashing your hedgehog with water or quickly dunking it under water. The shock of the water will make your hedgehog release his/her grip
*Blowing in the hedgehogs face may also work as well as covering up both nostrils at the same time. You hedgehog will have to let go in order to take a breath.
Reason your hedgehog may bite:
Scent and Taste:
Hedgehogs use their sense of smell since their sight is not very good. Sometimes your hands may have something on them that smells good enough to eat. This is the most common reason for biting and easy to avoid. Wash your hands before holding your hedgehog. Be aware that some soaps and lotions have scents that may still smell enticing to a hedgehog. To fix this behavior just simply move your fingers away when the hedgehog starts to lick or allow him/her to lick the palm of your hand.
Oral Fixation:
Some hedgehogs have an oral fixation that they may or may not grow out of. Allow your hedgehogs safe items to chew on such as fabric, or soft toys. If this is the case, watch what your hedgehog chews on as some items may be very dangerous!
Pain or stress:
Since hedgehogs can’t communicate verbally to humans they will use various behaviors to tell us what they want. If your hedgehog is sick or injured nipping or biting you may be one of the only ways they can alert you that something is wrong. They are more inclined to bite when stressed or in pain.
Exploration:
Most babies will exhibit this behavior as they are exploring their new home. They may tug, pull or bite new objects as a way to get a feel for all the new smells and tastes that are out there. Always allow them to bite new objects that are not harmful as this is a natural behavior and inhibiting that may affect your bonding. I have found that most babies are particularly fond of jewelry and watches.
Territorial:
Some may bite if they feel their territory is threatened or to establish a new territory. Their cage and everything in it are your hedgehogs own space, so remember to respect that. Once taken out of “their space” they should be perfectly fine.
This is just a small list of the many reasons a hedgehog will bite. There are always cases though that a reason can’t be found. Unexplained biting is very rare but can occur. Most breeders will breed for the very nice personalities. If you buy your hedgehog from a reputable breeder you may want to look into all the options stated above and more before jumping to the conclusion your hedgehog is mean or aggressive.
Body Language:
If your hedgehog is completely relaxed you will notice that their spines are flat. Their face won’t be covered up by the spines on their forehead and their ears will be erect. A socialized hedgehog will run around and explore their environment not just sit on the floor in a defensive position. Spines that are up may be a sign of slight irritation or just uncertainty. If the hedgehog is running around and curious yet still has their spines up that may be a sign of some uncertainty. They are ready in a moment’s notice if something was to startle them and they need to protect themselves.
Anointing:
This is a signature hedgehog behavior that I'm sure you will experience owning a hedgehog. Anointing is when a hedgehog encounters a particular scent or taste, bites at the source and then starts accumulating a foamy spit. They will contort their body to lick the foam on their quills. There is an evolutionary explanation as to why they do this. Wild hedgehogs might come across a foul smell such as dead plants or animals. They will bite the object to get that scent in their mouth and then put it on their quills. When a predator walks by and sniffs the hedgehog they smell that scent and leave the hedgehog alone. It’s an old defense mechanism that many still exhibit today.
