Common misconceptions about hedgehogs

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A distinctive feature of the hedgehog is usually considered to be its spines. However, there are other animals with spines, while a powerful muscle bag, due to the tension of which the animal takes the form of a ball with needles sticking out in all directions, is really a feature of the hedgehog.

Interesting fact

There are also adult hedgehogs without needles. Such "needleless" hedgehogs are born 1 time in 10,000 hedgehog offspring. But since they have no natural defense against enemies, the animals do not live long.

One of the most common misconceptions is the myth about the immunity of animals to snake venom. It is believed that this property allows them to hunt snakes.

Indeed, these animals are less susceptible to poisons than other animals. So, for example, if we compare it with a guinea pig, equal to it in weight and size, then the resistance of the hedgehog to poisons is 40 times higher. But this does not mean that he is completely insensitive to snake bites.

Jan Žabinski, author of From the Life of Animals, describes a hedgehog's failed attack on a snake:

One hedgehog, a multiple winner of snakes, the next victim, having contrived, nevertheless stung on the cheek. Squeaking plaintively, the hedgehog began to rub his muzzle with his front paws, then curled up into a ball, breathing deeply and heavily and occasionally shuddering. An hour later, one could notice that the bitten place was slightly swollen, the needles lay flat, the hedgehog was unable to lift them, although he was touched and picked up. True, the unfortunate animal drank a bowl of milk in one breath, however, he refused ordinary food. He curled up into a ball again, and one would have thought that he was sleeping, if not for the heavy breathing and the trembling that shook him more and more often. He died 2 hours later.

As studies of scientists have shown, indeed, after a snake bite, a hedgehog lives for about 2 hours. And this is not enough. Indeed, under the same circumstances, a white mouse exists only 1-2 minutes, and a guinea pig – 3-4 minutes.

Common misconceptions about hedgehogs

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Common misconceptions about hedgehogs

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The main tool for protecting the animal from the bites of poisonous snakes is a prickly shell. Here is how the “tactics” of this mammal in the battle with a snake are described by Sergei Kucherenko, candidate of biological sciences: “Without any fear, approaching the snake, and on occasion biting it, the hedgehog calmly assumes a pose for a frontal attack. When the snake rushes at him, he instantly bows his head, and the blow falls not on the forehead, but on a very prickly visor hanging over him. It is not difficult to imagine the pain a snake experiences when closing its jaws on such a prickly object. Enraged, she over and over again unrestrainedly and furiously rushes at the hedgehog, but each time strong and sharp needles appear in her mouth. The snake bleeds its own mouth and freezes in immobility. The hedgehog can only bite the back of her head, and then eat it.

It is often written that hedgehogs eat snakes along with their poison, but I saw how they left the heads of vipers intact: they also do not want to tempt fate once again.

Interesting fact

Hedgehogs are able to improve their natural weapon – needles. The American researcher E. Brody reported that hedgehogs living in those parts of America where poisonous toads are found have learned to make their needles poisonous with their help. To do this, the animal bites the toad, and when it responds to aggression, it lubricates its needles with secretions from its poisonous glands.

Common misconceptions about hedgehogs

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Common misconceptions about hedgehogs

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It is well known that hedgehogs, in addition to snakes, also destroy mice. And therefore, many people think that if you catch this animal and lock it in the cellar (without feeding it), then it will catch all the mice there. In fact, for the animal, this can end in death. After all, a hedgehog is not such a natural and dexterous mouser as a cat. In nature, using his wonderful sense of smell, he finds a mink in which the mouse hid, and, tearing the ground, gets to the victim. The hedgehog has practically no chance to catch a mouse in the cellar.

Some people think that since the animal has such a good defense as a shell of needles, then it has few enemies in nature – who will dare to attack a prickly ball? However, in fact, the hedgehog has enough opponents. This is a fox (she rolls a prickly ball into the water, where he is immediately forced to turn around), and a ferret (sneaks up to the hedgehog when he is sleeping, and grabs with sharp teeth, preventing him from curling into a ball), and large owls, and even crows. And already absolutely no protection is given by thorns from semi-parasitic insects. Conversely, because of the thorns, the hedgehog cannot not only catch fleas or ticks, but even scratch itchy skin.

Interesting fact

The largest representative of the snakes of the viper family – the gyurza, or the Levant viper, which can reach 2 meters in length – often preys on eared hedgehogs. Zoologists who have studied the nutrition of gyurz have repeatedly found the remains of hedgehogs in their stomachs. The needles of this snake are not a hindrance, since it always swallows prey from the head, “along the wool”.

Common misconceptions about hedgehogs

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Common misconceptions about hedgehogs

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It is widely believed that hedgehogs carry apples or mushrooms by pricking them on their quills. This is nothing more than a myth. The author of this misconception is Pliny the Elder, who wrote in Natural History (an encyclopedia of natural and artificial objects and phenomena compiled around 77 AD) the following:

“Hedgehogs also store food for the winter: having rolled over fallen apples, the hedgehogs thus fix them on their backs and, holding another apple in their mouths, transfer them to the hollows of trees.”

Although sometimes hedgehogs carry leaves pricked on needles into their nest.

Finally, we will report that 5 species of hedgehogs are represented in the fauna of Russia:

  • Common hedgehog (or European hedgehog) – in the northern regions of the European part of Russia;
  • Southern hedgehog (or white-breasted hedgehog) – in the southern regions of the European part of Russia and in the North Caucasus;
  • Amur hedgehog (or Far Eastern hedgehog) – in the south of the Far East;
  • Dahurian hedgehog – in Transbaikalia;
  • Eared hedgehog – in the south-east of the European part of Russia (from the Don to the Ob), as well as in Western Siberia, Tuva and the Caucasus.

Common misconceptions about hedgehogs

Common hedgehog | wikimedia.org

Common misconceptions about hedgehogs

Southern hedgehog | wikimedia.org

Common misconceptions about hedgehogs

Eared hedgehog | pixabay.com