Hedgehogs are very interesting creatures. Not many people are versed in the many aspects there are to owning one. People love seeing the cute videos on Facebook of them dressed up. I will admit I love seeing them too, even after becoming an owner of a hedgehog myself!

I joined a community on Facebook for owners to ask questions and show off their babies right before I got Ava, my one and a half year old baby. I listed some of the most insane questions I have been asked since owning her. Many of the people on this group agreed and added a few that I had forgotten to mention!

Below are the most common, as well as a brief lesson for anyone who might be thinking of owning one of their very own!

1. If she pokes me, will it hurt?

Not really! They have spines to protect themselves in the wild. Most of the people that have seen Ava usually see her bad side. She is a rescue and the people that had her before me didn’t handle her that much, so she is very introverted, like myself. She doesn’t like being handled at first but give her a few minutes and she will warm right up to you! They are very curious creatures and they love exploring! The worst you’ll get from their quills are prickling sensations.

2. Did you name it Sonic?

This has got to be one of the most asked questions! The answer is no! I named my baby Ava, as I mentioned above, but many people take the cliche way out and slap a name like Sonic on their critters. While some people come up regular names, others use spin-offs of hedgehog inspired names. Names like Prickles, Quilliam, and Hog are a few cute ones I have seen.

3. Does she bite?

One of the most annoying questions out there! I always tell everyone the same thing. Anything with teeth can bite. Hedgehogs have interesting teeth, they almost look like little fangs! They can bite, but aren’t likely to. The biggest cause for biting is because the person holding them smells good, or has the smell of food on their hands. I always tell the people meeting Ava to wash their hands before and after handling so that there is a less likely chance of getting bitten.

4. What do they eat?

Of course, when adopting any kind of animal, this is one of the most important facts to know! Usually hedgehogs require a diet of cat food and meal worms. They like many types of bugs, but some fruits are okay for them to eat. Some people even give them baby food! It would have to be a meat kind, of course. They don’t need much food. The name hedgehog is true to its word. They are all little piggies and will eat as much as you’ll give them, so be careful!

5. Are they hard to care for?

Hedgehogs are no harder to care for than a rat or rabbit. They have a few differences, but most of the time it is very similar to the way you would care for one of those types of animals. The best thing to do is research before getting one to better understand what you’ll be getting yourself into.

6. Why is she sleeping?

Most of the time, when I ask friends over to see my hedgehog, she is usually sleeping! Hedgehogs are nocturnal animals and they prefer to sleep in the day and play at night. This is also good to know when placing their cage in a specific area! Ava stays in my room, so that I can properly care for her. If you are a heavy sleeper, you won’t have to worry. If you aren’t a heavy sleeper, you may want to consider putting your hedgehog in a different area than your room.

7. Is it the same as a porcupine?

No! The biggest difference I can note is that a porcupine’s spines are poisonous, while a hedgehog’s are not. The second big difference is that porcupines are herbivores and hedgehogs are omnivores.

Whether or not you decide to own one, there are many interesting facts about hedgehogs! They make great companions when handled correctly. They also do well if you can’t handle them every day, like myself!

What are some questions you have about hedgehogs?