A hedgehog as a pet can be found much less often than an ordinary dog or cat. The more significant event is the situation when the hedgehog brings offspring: after all, little hedgehogs look rather unusual.
Newborn hedgehogs
Newborn hedgehogs are born completely different from adults: they do not yet have thorns that could protect them, and they look completely helpless. Once born, hedgehogs have a length of 5-10 centimeters, and their weight ranges from 5 to 25 grams. They have a light pink body color, which lacks not only thorns, but also any hairline, that is, hedgehogs are born completely naked. Nevertheless, almost immediately after birth, it is already possible to clearly distinguish white spots on their backs, each of which will subsequently turn into a real hedgehog thorn.
Immediately after birth, hedgehogs are blind, and will remain so for several days: usually their eyes open only after the tenth day from the moment they were born. In addition, their hearing is also practically undeveloped in the first few days. At the same time, like other babies, hedgehogs require frequent feeding: on average, they eat milk every three hours.
Hedgehog development
However, like other animals in the wild, hedgehogs develop very quickly: otherwise it would be quite difficult for them to survive in harsh conditions. Three days after birth, hedgehogs are still blind and deaf, but spines are already beginning to break through on their backs, which are dark brown in color, but have white tips, unlike an adult hedgehog.
Already a week after birth, the weight of the hedgehog increases 2-4 times, reaching 25-60 grams. After two weeks, their light pink skin gradually turns brownish or grayish, acquiring a shade close to that of their parents. At the same time, on some parts of the body, for example, the muzzle, a hairline begins to break through, consisting of rather short hairs of gray or brown color.
After two weeks from the moment of birth, about 15-16 days from that moment, the hedgehogs finally open their eyes and begin to see the world around them. A few days after that, they also develop hearing. After reaching three weeks of age, the hedgehogs have erupting teeth, and after a few days they will be able to eat solid food with their help. From this moment on, newly born hedgehogs acquire almost the full range of capabilities that an adult hedgehog has. However, in order to become a full-fledged member of the animal community and adapt to the world around him, the little hedgehog, of course, must acquire his own life experience.
