| Class: |
Mammalia |
| Order: |
Erinacemorpha |
| Family: |
Erinacedae |
| Genus: |
Atelerix |
| Species: |
albiventris |
| Life span: |
3 to 4 years in the wild; 8 to 10 years under human care |
| Gestation: |
35 days |
| Number of young at birth: |
Between 2 and 10 but 4 or 5 is average |
| Age of maturity: |
Around 3 months |
| Size: |
7 to 9 in long |
| Weight: |
Between 0.5 and 1.25 lbs |
| Size at birth: |
0.4 oz |
| Description: |
Oval shaped body and short legs. Upper part of the body is covered with short, sharp spines that are brown or grey with cream tips. The underside is covered with soft white fur. |
Barb is an animal ambassador and not usually on exhibit.
Facts:
- When the hedgehog feels threatened, it contracts a series of strong muscles and curls itself into a tight ball with the quills sticking out in all directions.
- African hedgehogs typically breed once or twice a year when conditions are right and when they come across a potential mate.
- Nocturnal and mainly solitary – African hedgehogs maintain a distance between each other.
- When the temperature range is 75-85 degrees, the hedgehogs can enter a state of inactivity similar to hibernation
- They produce copious amounts of frothy saliva that they spread across their body for a purpose that is not understood
- Feed on insects, earthworms, snails and slugs in the wild
- Range includes West Africa, Central Africa and East Africa
