Ordinary hedgehog: A brief description for the lesson "The World"

Many could see this funny night guest in the dachas, in the courtyards of private houses, in parks and forests. Prilute and shy, he usually does not allow to stroke himself and carefully examine.

Content

Therefore, let's learn about the heden many interesting details.

Description of an ordinary hedgehog

Employe is an ordinary-mammal animal of small sizes, having needles on the back, and on an elongated muzzle-small black-bass eyes. The hedgehog's nose is dark and quite elongated, there is also a small tail. The front paws are slightly shorter than the rear, and on each of them - 5 fingers each.
The hedgehog has a regular short wool on the abdomen and head, and on the back - hollow thorns (there are about 10 thousand of them), which are interspersed with rare, practical hairs. Together, this gives the animal a colorful color in which brown and beige colors are combined.
Its length can be 10-45 cm, it depends on what kind of hedgehog belongs to. The weight of ordinary hedgehogs is within 800 g, and its brothers of other varieties can weigh 300-1500 g.

Why do ordinary hedgehog need needles?

The back and head of the hedgehog are covered with needles so that the animal could, in danger, curled up and hidden the face, protect the stomach (this is the most vulnerable place for any animal). Then not so much sharp as thorny needles will not let the predator attack a hedgehog.
By the way, an ordinary hedgehog is protected not only with needles. He has quite sharp small teeth (their number-about 40, depending on the species), which the hedgehog is able to apply severe pain to the enemy if for some reason he could not or did not manage to curl up in the ball.

Where do ordinary hedgehogs live?

Most often, hedgehogs equip themselves with minks on clearings, which are located in not very thick forests, arrange them in the roots of trees, and they like shrub thickets, where you can hide from an external threat.
An ordinary hedgehog can also use for housing norawho was abandoned by any other animal from the rodent family.

What lifestyle does an ordinary hedgehog lead?

Hedgehogs lead night lifestyle, and, like any night animal, have poor vision, but excellent smell and hearing. It is at night that they hunt mice and insects - worms, caterpillars. In addition, hedgehogs are happy to eat fruits and berries.
By the way, contrary to a common image of a hedgehog carrying an apple or mushroom on the back, in the life of a hedgehog do not use needles in order to transfer their supplies.
When the cold begins, hedgehogs lay the litter to the bottom of the mink, folded out of fallen leaves. And with the onset of winter, he fits into her in the winter match. The body temperature during sleep in hedgehogs drops to 2 ° C, the rhythm of the heartbeat is reduced. From the hibernation, the hedgehog comes out at a temperature of about 15ºС, and so hungry that it goes to look for food even in the daytime.
Spring or autumn - molting time for ordinary hedgehog, when one out of every 3 needles one changes, and it grows for a very long time-a year and a half. Grounding hedgehogs are land animals, but at the same time swim well. They are most active at a time when it is cloudy on the street. They do not move very quickly, developing speed up to 3-4 km per hour. These animals can live about 10 years, if they do not become prey of predatory animals (foxes, wolves, owls, etc.).

What are ordinary hedgehogs?

As already mentioned, the food for hedgehogs are primarily all kinds of insects, from bugs-fouches to locusts and slugs. Their prey often become toads, bird eggs, and sometimes chicks, lizards. Even poisonous reptiles and spiders are used for food, because their body is able to perceive any poison or toxin. Therefore, they also eat bees and OS, absolutely without fear and without reacting to their bites.
Carrion, food waste - The fact that an ordinary hedgehog finds near human housing finds. In the forest, animals eat acorns, mushrooms, moss, berries, as well as cereal seeds. They eat a lot - a hedgehog is able to eat the amount of food per day, comparable to the third part of the weight of the animal itself. But this is justified, because the more fat a hedgehog will gain over the summer and autumn, the easier it will transfer winter hibernation.

What is the benefit and what harm does an ordinary person bring?

Hedgehogs destroy pests of fields and crops, eating them. Caterpillars, weevils, May beetles and their larvae - these and many other harmful insects to the taste of hedgehogs. But at the same time, a hedgehog can destroy eggs or chicks of poultry.
Hedgehog can be carrier of various dangerous diseases, such as salmonellosis, rabies, cutting lichen, encephalitis, skin diseases. Also, from the hedgehog, you can become infected with worms, subjected to bites of fleas or ticks. Therefore, having met a hedgehog on a walk, it is better not to touch it, but simply from a distance to admire. Do not allow pets close to pets - dogs and cats.
In addition, on the hedgehogs of ordinary in large quantities are found fleas and ticksAnd therefore, these animals can be carriers of dangerous diseases such as tularemia, tick -borne encephalitis, yellow fever, salmonellosis and leptospirosis, dermatomycosis, rabies.

What are the types of hedgehogs?

Hedgehogs are found in almost all the corners of our planet. But at the same time, in Russia there are regions where hedgehogs were listed in the Red Book.
In addition to ordinary (or European) hedgehogs, the most common in Russia, there are also eared (are found mainly in the Volga region), east European (habitat - Ural), dwarf (live mainly in Africa countries, therefore it is also called African), long -nasty (mainly in the Asian part of the world), ethiopian and many other species.

Is it possible to contain an ordinary hedgehog at home?

An ordinary hedgehog may well be kept in the apartment. The main condition is not to select an animal in the forest in order to avoid the risk of infections, but to purchase it from professional breeders who breed rocks that are already well adapted to the conditions of detention in captivity.

For convenience, the animal needs a cell (it can be both metal and wooden), the bottom of which is lined with straw or sawdust. Make sure that the pet is always filled with food, and especially with water. The hedgehog eats meat, fish, vegetables and fruits (best carrots and apples).
If you decide to release a hedgehog out of the cage, then you must definitely monitor his movements so that he does not begin to bite things or wires, not confused in them. And do not forget to clean the cage, otherwise an unpleasant odor will appear in the apartment.

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