Hedgehog
Thousands of spines, and a habit called self anointing where it froths and spreads the foam across them. Nocturnal, and an insect eater by design.
Overview
African pygmy hedgehogs need to be kept warm, and getting that wrong is dangerous rather than merely uncomfortable. Their optimal range is roughly 75 to 85 degrees F, and below it they attempt hibernation or, in heat, estivation. A pet hedgehog going into an attempted hibernation is a medical emergency, because it is not physiologically equipped to see one through.
The other thing everybody notices is self anointing. On finding a new taste or smell, a hedgehog produces frothy saliva and contorts itself to spread it across its spines. It looks alarming, it is sometimes mistaken for rabies, and it is completely normal. It also means topical medication tends to end up everywhere except where it was put.
Temperament
Solitary, nocturnal and defensive by default. A hedgehog that does not know you rolls into a ball with its spines up, and the way through that is patience and scent rather than persistence.
They are not a handling pet in the way a rat is. Some individuals become relaxed with a regular keeper and plenty never do, and that varies by animal rather than by anything you can train. Expect it to be awake and busy at night and asleep all day.
Care and grooming
Insects are the basis of the diet, with a high protein, low fat kibble alongside. Obesity is common and a fat hedgehog cannot roll up properly, which is a good practical way to spot it.
Wobbly hedgehog syndrome is the disease to know about. It is a progressive neurological condition, usually starting before two years old, and the first sign is often that the animal can no longer close into a ball. It progresses to full paralysis and there is no cure, so a hedgehog losing coordination needs seeing quickly rather than watching.
Living and exercise
A solid floored cage with a heat source and a thermostat, not a heat lamp left on hope. The temperature is the husbandry here, more than the cage.
A large solid wheel, because they run a surprising distance at night, and a hide to sleep in through the day. Keep bedding dust free and check feet for threads, since long fibres wrap around toes and cut off circulation.
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