| Species | Small Mammal |
|---|---|
| Origin | Central/East Africa |
| Size Category | Tiny |
| Scientific Name | Atelerix albiventris |
| Category | Insectivore |
| Original Purpose | Companion |
| Husbandry Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Social Needs | Low |
| Weight Range | 0.3–0.6 kg |
|---|---|
| Lifespan | 3–6 years |
| Juvenile Stage Ends | 3 months |
| Senior Age Threshold | 3 years |
| Exercise Needs | High - needs wheel (solid surface, min 30cm) and exploration time nightly |
|---|---|
| Grooming | Low - occasional foot bath (running on wheel dirties feet); nail trims; no quill brushing |
| Annual Exam Focus | Skin/quill condition (mites common), weight (obesity epidemic), oral exam, tumor screening |
| Routine Care | Nightly wheel access; warm environment (24-27°C); insect-based diet; foot baths; regular weight checks |
| Condition | Onset Stage | Risk | Hereditary | Screening |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity | adult | very high | No | N/A |
| Cancer (various types) | senior | very high | Yes | N/A |
| Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome (WHS) | adult | high | Yes | N/A |
| Skin Mites | adult | high | No | N/A |
| Dental Disease | adult | high | No | Recommended |
| Fatty Liver Disease | adult | medium | No | N/A |
| Risk Level | Very High |
|---|---|
| Ideal BCS | 3/9 |
| Visual Cues | Should be able to curl into tight ball; if cannot fully curl = obese; no fat rolls around legs |
| Daily Activity | 40 minutes |
| Caloric Notes | Low-fat cat kibble or hedgehog food (max 15% fat); insects as treats only; strict portion control |
| Litter Size | 2–5 |
|---|---|
| Dystocia Risk | Medium |
| CHIC Required Tests | N/A |
| Recommended DNA Tests | WHS carrier screening (limited availability) |
| Neonatal Weight | 8–18 g |
|---|---|
| Growth Notes | Born with membrane-covered quills; first quilling at 6-8 weeks (grumpy period); adult quills by 12 weeks; mature at 6 months |
| Vaccine/Health Schedule | No standard vaccines |
| Temperature | 24-27°C (75-80°F) CRITICAL - hibernation attempt below 20°C can be fatal in captivity |
|---|---|
| Humidity | 40-60% |
| UVB Requirement | Not required; nocturnal; consistent 12-14 hour light cycle prevents hibernation attempts |
| Diet | Low-fat high-protein kibble (cat food or hedgehog-specific); insects (mealworms, crickets) as treats; occasional fruits/vegetables |
| Common Issues | Obesity (most common), cancer (extremely high rate after age 3), WHS, mites, dental disease, hibernation attempts, fatty liver |
| Anxiety Proneness | High |
|---|---|
| Top Triggers | Bright lights, sudden noises, unfamiliar scents, being woken during day, cold temperatures |
| Separation Anxiety Risk | Low |
| Calming Interventions | Consistent handling routine, warm fleece bonding pouch, familiar scents (worn t-shirt), dim lighting |
| Enrichment Needs | Wheel (essential), tunnels, dig box with fleece strips, foraging for insects, exploration time |
| Cognitive Dysfunction Risk | Low |
| Sociability Score | 3/10 |
| Locomotion | Wheel running (primary exercise), exploring, anointing (self-anointing with new scents/foamy saliva) |
|---|---|
| Social | Solitary species - must be housed alone; tolerates human handling with habituation |
| Comfort | Relaxed quills (flat), exploring with nose down, anointing (positive response to new stimuli) |
| Stress/Displacement | Balling up, hissing, popping/clicking, quill erection, green stress poop |
| Breed-Specific | Self-anointing behavior (unique); nocturnal; solitary; quill defense system; prone to obesity and cancer; "grumpy" during quilling periods |
| Types | Huffing/puffing (annoyance), hissing (threat), popping/clicking (defensive), purring (contentment), screaming (extreme pain) |
|---|---|
| Frequency Range | 500-10,000 Hz |
| Tendency | Low |
| Primary Modality | Quill position primary (flat=relaxed, erect=defensive); body posture (balled=scared); vocalizations secondary |
| Tail/Body Signals | Very short tail - no signaling function |
| Top Problems | Balling up during handling, biting (rare but possible), obesity-related inactivity, hibernation attempts |
|---|---|
| Medical Etiology | WHS causing progressive paralysis; cancer causing lumps/behavioral changes; dental pain causing food refusal |
| Fear/Anxiety Etiology | Balling up (primary defense), hissing, popping quills; rarely bites unless extreme |
| Frustration Etiology | Limited expression; may become more defensive if handling is inconsistent |
| Learned Behavior | Can learn to uncurl for familiar handler; associates handling with warmth/treats; routine-dependent trust |
| Cognitive Dysfunction | WHS mimics cognitive decline; cancer common in elderly; short lifespan limits age-related cognitive issues |
| AI-Trainable Signals | Quill position (flat=calm, semi-raised=cautious, fully erect=defensive), nose activity (sniffing=curious), body curl degree |
|---|---|
| Context-Dependent Vocalizations | Self-anointing (foamy mouth, contorting body) is NORMAL positive behavior, not seizure or illness |
| Interspecies Communication | Bonds with patient handlers through scent familiarity and consistent routine; not affectionate in traditional sense but develops trust |