The Life of Animals | Hedgehog | Hedgehogs are easily Recognized by Their spines, the which are hollow hairs made stiff with keratin. Their spines are not poisonous or barbed and, unlike the quills of a Porcupine, can not easily be removed from the hedgehog. However, spines normally come out a hedgehog sheds baby spines and replaces Them with adult spines. This is called "quilling." When under extreme stress or During sickness, a hedgehog can also lose spines. A defense That all species of hedgehogs possess is the ability to roll into a tight ball, Causing all of the spines to point outwards. This results in a different number of predators for different species: while forest hedgehogs have Relatively few, primarily birds (ESPECIALLY Owls) and ferrets, Smaller species like the Long-eared Hedgehog are preyed on by foxes, wolves and mongooses.
