Mary Allen
Ethiopian hedgehogs look very similar to our native hedgehogs. However, they are adapted to life on the edge of the desert.
Characteristics
What do Ethiopian desert hedgehogs look like?
Ethiopian hedgehogs belong to the genus of desert hedgehogs and, like our hedgehogs, to the real hedgehog family and thus to the insectivores. They also look very similar to European hedgehogs:
Ethiopian desert hedgehogs have a dense black, white and yellow-banded spine coat. However, the cheeks and belly are lighter in color than our hedgehogs and are almost white. The snout is pointed. Ethiopian hedgehogs have a very typical feature: the spikes on their heads are parted. Ethiopian desert hedgehogs are about 14 to 23 centimeters long. The tail is only one to four centimeters long.
They weigh between 400 and 700 grams. Compared to our hedgehogs, they appear a bit clumsier and their legs are a bit shorter.
Where do Ethiopian desert hedgehogs live?
Ethiopian hedgehogs live in North Africa on the southern edge of the Atlas Mountains from Morocco to Algeria to the Middle East and Iraq. Ethiopian hedgehogs are mostly found in non-agricultural regions. They live on the edge of the desert in barren regions that are only covered by bushes and thornbushes.
Which (Ethiopian) desert hedgehog species are there?
There are several subspecies of the Ethiopian hedgehog itself, all of which live in the arid regions of North Africa, Arabia, and Iraq. Next relatives are the other desert hedgehogs. These include the Indian hedgehog, which – as the name suggests – lives in India, and Brandt’s hedgehog, which occurs from Arabia to Asia Minor to southern Russia.
The desert hedgehog and the Ethiopian hedgehog are also related to our native hedgehog. They belong to the same family but form a separate genus. Other relatives are the four-toed hedgehogs from Africa and the eared hedgehogs, which are also at home in North Africa as well as in the Middle East and Central Asia, and in Southeast Europe. The desert hedgehogs are not related to the porcupines, even if they look a bit like them because of their quills.
How old do Ethiopian desert hedgehogs get?
How long desert hedgehogs live is not exactly known. But presumably, they can live up to 13 years.
Behave
How do Ethiopian desert hedgehogs live?
Not much is known about the Ethiopian hedgehog. However, we know that, like our hedgehogs, they are loners and nocturnal animals. Therefore, their auricles are very flexible. So you can hear all the noises around you at night.
During the day they hide in crevices and in burrows 40 to 50 centimeters deep, which they create under bushes and underbrush and which only have one exit. At night they roam around, preying on insects and small vertebrates.
Friends and foes of the Ethiopian desert hedgehog
Because the Ethiopian hedgehogs, like all hedgehogs, are so well protected by their dense coat of spines, they hardly have any enemies. When threatened, they roll up into a ball and raise their spikes. Hardly any predator then manages to penetrate this spiked ball. If you touch them, desert hedgehogs can also bite hard.
How do Ethiopian desert hedgehogs reproduce?
All desert hedgehogs reproduce between July and September. A female desert hedgehog gives birth to up to five young. Small desert hedgehogs still need a lot of care: They are born blind and helpless. They only open their eyes about 22 days after birth. For the first six weeks, they are exclusively suckled by their mother. Then they start eating solid food. However, the mother continues to nurse them until they are 8 weeks old.
How do Ethiopian desert hedgehogs communicate?
When excited, urchins make noises that sound like a cough.
Care
What do Ethiopian desert hedgehogs eat?
Ethiopian hedgehogs are small predators. They feed on insects, but also on small vertebrates. They especially like scorpions. Sometimes they also plunder bird nests and eat eggs and young birds. They seem to despise plant food altogether.
Husbandry of Ethiopian Desert Hedgehogs
Sometimes desert hedgehogs are kept as pets. However, this is not recommended because they are not cuddly animals at all and do not like being touched. They can hardly be kept in a species-appropriate manner and are not easy to feed.