What ARE hedgehogs?

Many people, especially those in the U.S., are confused between hedgehogs and porcupines, as porcupines are the only native animals with spines in North America. However, the porcupine and the hedgehog are unrelated, and are very different, besides the fact that they both have spines. Hedgehogs are also unrelated to the echidna, an animal with spines that lives only in Australia, which is related to the platypus. An example of the relation between these animals and the hedgehog is the relationship between pigs and elephants. They both have tusks, but aren't related.

Hedghogs are rather small, spined animals, classified as insectivores, as they eat insects. They are related to animals such as shrews. They are native to Asia, Europe, and Africa. However, in Europe, hedgehogs are illegal to catch or harm. Most hedgehogs kept as pets today are descendants of hedgehogs that were imported from Africa before such importation was outlawed, of fear that they would carry disease. For more information, check out Hedgehog Species at Hedgies.com.