You have probably see cartoon hedgehogs on everything from coffee mugs to pajama pants to ties, but hedgehogs are much more than just cute little prickly creatures. Hedgehogs, which are naturally found in Africa, Asia, and parts of Europe, are small, spiny mammals distantly related to shrews. Their spines are made for self-protection, and they can curl up into a ball to protect their belly and throat. They don’t have many predators because of this, but the one creature they tend to worry about is the badger. Assuming they are not eaten by a badger, or they don’t meet their demise through disease or misfortune, hedgehogs generally live four to seven years out in the wild. In captivity, they can live up to ten years. A hedgehogs gestation period is anywhere between 35-58 days, and they generally have three to four babies, which are referred to as kits, pups, piglets, or just babies. A group of hedgehogs is called an array. Their diets consistdiet consists of fruits, such as berries and melons, grass-roots, and also small animals, such as insects, snails, and frogs. Some fun facts about hedgehogs are: theyThey make lots of noise like grunts and squeals, they are nocturnal, it is illegal to own a pet hedgehog in Italy, and they have some natural immunity against snake venom (Omori-Satoha), which is rare among mammals.