Hedgehogs have teeth, and so can bite but are not actually “biting’ pets. However whether they do bite or not depends on the individual hedgehog and how well it has been taught to socialize. This is why you need to know why a hedgehog may bite, and what to do if it does.
Hedgehogs don’t bite that often; and the more it’s socialized, the lesser are the chances of it biting. However remember to not punish your hedgehog if it does bite you as they are not naturally outgoing animals. Unlike puppies and kittens, you need to earn their trust as they don’t have a natural built in trust.
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Reasons for a hedgehog to bite
- Always wash your hands with basic unscented soap and water before and after handling your hedgehog. The scent of anything you’d eaten, or a lotion you’d worn may be mistaken by the hedgehog for a yummy meal and give them a reason to bite. Remember, they have poor eyesight and depend on their incredible sense of smell to detect food!
- Young hedgehogs may give friendly nibbles while learning their way around the world. This, however, won’t happen to hedgehogs already accustomed to their boundaries.
- They may bite in defense when scared. You won’t become the best of friends the day you bring your hedgehog home. You need to build trust, and this takes time.
- Just like you don’t like being bothered when you are sick, hedgehogs too don’t like being bothered when they are sick or hurt. Biting is one way they can communicate their pain, and if you feel your pet is sick, you need to take it to a vet as soon as possible!
What to do if bitten
- Never panic and pull away if your hedgehog bites you as it encourages the hedgehog to hold on tighter. Instead, push into your hedgehog as it surprises them into letting go.
- Giving a gentle blow into the hedgehog’s face helps. However don’t blow too strongly, just a gentle poof to startle the hedgehog or change its direction of thought.
- Sometimes a quick and sharp noise like a No’ and Ouch’ helps. There’s no need to scream, just make a noise with a nice, firm voice.
Does a hedgehog bite hurt?
It’s not that the hedgehog’s bite will be very painful, but it can be more or less uncomfortable, depending on which part of your body it had bitten. It’s said that while a hedgehog’s bite is painful, it’s not as painful as the bite of other popular pets. In fact, bites from rodents like gerbils and hamsters are much more powerful, dangerous and painful!
How to prevent them from biting
Teach them to socialize by holding them every day once they reach ten days of age. This way they get used to and enjoy being held. In fact, you reduce the chances of your getting bitten by them by holding and playing with them every day.
So while hedgehogs don’t bite much, remember that they are pet animals. There’s always a chance of your getting bitten at some point. Don’t get discouraged if they do as it’s just a part of owning a pet!
Hedgehogs have teeth, and so can bite but are not actually “biting’ pets. However whether they do bite or not depends on the individual hedgehog and how well it has been taught to socialize. This is why you need to know why a hedgehog may bite, and what to do if it does.
Hedgehogs don’t bite that often; and the more it’s socialized, the lesser are the chances of it biting. However remember to not punish your hedgehog if it does bite you as they are not naturally outgoing animals. Unlike puppies and kittens, you need to earn their trust as they don’t have a natural built in trust.