Eared hedgehog: description and photo. What eats hedgehog eats?

Nature has created unique animals, each of which takes its place in the chain of development and life activity of the whole world. One of the representatives is a long-eared hedgehog. He is considered an important representative of insectivorous animals.

Eared hedgehog: description

This animal refers to mammals, to the family of ezhovyh, but is considered the smallest representative and has a peculiar structure. A distinctive feature is his ears, which go beyond half of the head, thanks to what was given the name. With the help of these ears, the body temperature is adjusted to protect against overheating, since on the surface of the skin at the very tips of the ears is a dense network of capillaries that expand at high temperature and help cool the body. Here is an interesting and unique eared hedgehog, a photo of which can be easily found in encyclopedias.

Small hedgehogs, not more than 20 cm, the length of the needles is about 2.5 cm. The beast has long legs, a short tail and coloring on the sides of the body is rusty-gray, and the belly is bright white. However, in Afghanistan and Pakistan, fur in brown urchins is very rare, albinos are very rare. The color of the needles mainly depends on the area where the hedgehog lives, so that it can get lost among foliage, grass or stones: light brown, straw or black. Another distinguishing feature is that the needles are not located throughout the body, as in ordinary hedgehogs. The sides remain naked, covered with wool. Weight, depending on the place of residence (in nature, in a zoo or as a pet) is different: at will - up to 350 g, and in captivity - up to 600 g.

Dwelling of a long-eared hedgehog

The eared dwarf hedgehog dwells mainly in desert or steppe regions. The main place of residence: Israel, Egypt, Libya, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan. It can also occur in India, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and in Russia in the steppe zones.

African eared hedgehog

Deserted hedgehogs are much more difficult than steppe, as there is very little water and vegetation, which also quickly burns out in the sun. The hedgehogs try to find a wetland, be it a river valley, a wet ravine or an oasis. There are enough beetles in the desert, but even without food, the animal can last a long time. Due to his long ears, he can easily cope with high temperatures, because there is even an Ethiopian hedgehog, who lives in a particularly hot area.

The hedgehogs do not become attached to the site and can travel long distances in search of a better corner. They easily use any tucked up bush or mink as an overnight stay.

Hut food

Contrary to the prevailing opinions and the animated image, which shows that the hedgehog likes apples and berries, it is a predator who prefers meat. This representative of the family is the smallest. But what eats hedgehog eats, except for insects? This issue needs to be considered in more detail. In addition to small insects, hedgehogs also like to taste eggs laid by birds. Also, he can overpower the viper and calmly eat it without poisoning it with poison, as it is resistant to various toxins.

Favorite food of this animal are the following representatives of insects:

• An anteater-reaper who lives deep in the earth, where he builds his holes a few meters deep.
• The June Khrushch got its name due to the fact that it appears just at the end of the month.
• A sand tar, which can live up to 2-3 years, but is very dangerous for cereals, if it appears in the spring or early summer.

In addition to insects, the hedgehog can feast on worms, snails or molluscs, and in some cases even a toad, lizard or small rodent. He hunts very actively and can cover a distance of up to 7 km, along the way creating mink or using holes of gophers and other rodents. Due to excellent hearing, hedgehog quickly finds the source of sound, and with the help of his sense of smell, he easily finds well-hidden insects in the most inaccessible places.

Vegetable food in the diet is rare, but the hedgehog is not averse to trying young flowers, shoots and fruits to get vitamins.

Many are wondering what the eared hedgehog eats in the desert, where there are few insects and there are not so many plants. A representative of the hedgehogs is very gluttonous, but if he does not find anything edible, he actively continues his search and can do without food and water for up to 10 weeks, having developed such an ability. However, this happens rarely, and hedgehogs are well stocked with fat, which is enough for the duration of hibernation.

Hibernation

At the end of October, the long-eared hedgehog begins to remain sluggish, and when the first snow appears, it falls into a hibernation. However, his sleep is not as deep as the hedgehog, and therefore the animal can wake up and even eat. Hibernation lasts until the end of March or even before the beginning of April. The usual place for such a holiday is a small mink at a small angle on a hillside or under a bush no more than 50 cm deep.

For example, in India, hedgehogs can hibernate for three months, and, for example, in the mountains of Pakistan, where it is pretty cool, hibernation can last almost six months - from October to March. In countries with a warm climate, the hedgehog may not fall into hibernation, but if he does not have enough food, then he will prefer to sleep, as he has fat reserves that will last for several months.

Reproduction of a long-eared hedgehog

The breeding season occurs in warm countries in July and lasts until September. In Russia, where the long-eared hedgehog is represented in small numbers and not ubiquitously, reproduction occurs in April. The beginning of mating begins with the characteristic sounds that tell of the readiness. Usually several males fight for one female. They begin to fight among themselves, trying to bite into unprotected places - ears and paws. As a result, only one chooses the female - the most persistent and hardy.

After the pairing takes place, the female chases the male and begins preparing to dig a hole, which can reach a depth of 90 cm, where she will give birth and will feed them for the first time. Pregnancy usually lasts about 40 days, and depending on the habitat, fertilization can occur once or twice a year, and from 3 to 8 hedgehogs appear, but most often 4. Interesting fact: the hedgehogs are born completely naked, blind and deaf. After 2 hours, soft soft needles appear. However, after 15 days they become a well-defined cover with hard needles. After three weeks, the kids can already try the adult food, but the female continues to feed them with milk. When they reach the age of 50 days, they become completely independent and live alone.

Hedgehog eared is listed in the Red Book

In Russia, a representative of the family of ezhovyh is not found everywhere, but only in the steppe regions, in a warmer climate. It is very important for agriculture, as it eats harmful insects that can damage crops. Therefore for Russia the eared hedgehog is very important.

The Red Book includes rare animals that need to be protected and protected in nature. She brought to her lists and this representative in Ukraine, in Bashkortostan, Chelyabinsk region and in the Urals.

Enemies of a long-eared hedgehog

The biggest danger is the eared hedgehog in nature can expect from large predators: foxes, badgers, bears and stray dogs. Usually the fox tries to drag the animal into some pond, because in the water it straightens, becomes almost unprotected, and the fox can very easily grab it by the nose. Badger hedgehog also can not resist, as the predator of the family has very long claws and an excellent scent that the ears can not withstand. In captivity, the hedgehog is best not to meet dogs, but with cats, it is quite compatible.

Lifestyle and benefit for man

The eared hedgehog, like all the representatives of the ezhovy, lives alone and is found only during the breeding season. The greatest activity in these animals begins in the evening or at night, when they go on a hunt. In the afternoon they rest in the shelter. Jerzy easily tolerate heat, they are resistant to overheating and by the fall they gain fat to go into hibernation.

Zverek can live with a man, but only if he was taken at a young age. He easily tamed, but of his own volition rarely approaches the home of people. Once in the house in adulthood, the hedgehog feels bad and can simply refuse food, from which it will die. Do not take these animals from the wild and for the reason that they can be carriers of diseases, although they are resistant to disease and infection. The will for the hedgehog is the best habitat, and in it it is able to bring more benefit to humans by eating insects that harm planted plants.

Domestic eared hedgehogs

Increasingly, people are creating unusual, exotic animals, including a long-eared hedgehog. Photo of the beast must be viewed in advance before buying it. You need to understand how much he is likable to you and whether the child will like it. Dwarf hedgehogs hailing from Africa are unpretentious animals. They quickly adapt to the environment and get used to people. This representative is better to buy in a pet store, because such a hedgehog already born in captivity and easier to adapt to the house.

For a hedgehog simply to care, he needs his own cage or a spacious box, but with high margins, because the animal can easily climb up and get out of the box. The cage should be sawdust or straw, and necessarily of natural origin, which would be better for a hedgehog than a paper or newspaper. The cage needs to be constantly taken care of, cleaned of feces, washed with a bowl of water and food, so that the animal does not catch the infection.

He must often "walk" in the apartment, because he loves freedom. But to associate it with a gentle, affectionate animal will not work, because he is very wayward and can easily bite when he does not like something. It is worth knowing that at night the hedgehog is much more active, at this time he will explore the territory, so you can hear snorting, grinding and rumbling.

Water procedures are not so important for a hedgehog, but once a month it can be bathed, so that it does not go unpleasantly. After bathing, you need to wrap it in a towel, so that the hedgehog is well dried, and that it does not blow. Living with a man, a hedgehog does not fall into a hibernation, because for him a constant temperature regime is maintained, and there is always food.

Life in the natural environment and in the zoo

Eared hedgehog can adapt to any environment. In natural conditions, life expectancy can be 3-4 years. In the zoo, the hedgehog can live from 3 to 6 years, where its diet also includes meat, insects, newborn mice. But you can see it only in the summer, because in winter it falls into a hibernation due to the low temperature on the street, although in warm countries it can stay awake all the time.

Eared hedgehog: interesting facts

A few interesting moments can be told about this small representative of the family of the shrew:

• When looking for food the hedgehog is able to gain decent speed, and it is much higher than that of ordinary hedgehogs. If predators catch up with him, then he does not twist to the end, but only hides his head to jump out and hiss at the enemy, trying to prick with needles.
• If a long-eared hedgehog happened to be in the hands of a man, it's worth knowing that it can not be fed with milk, because this is the beginning of digestive problems.

• An interesting moment is the hedgehog's acquaintance with unknown smells. The animal begins to lick something until a foamy saliva appears, which is usually applied to needles. So hedgehogs can put on their needles and poisonous substances to protect themselves from enemies, which can accidentally lick or touch the paw.
• In nature, except for the usual and eared hedgehog, there is a long-nosed, collar and hollow bellied hedgehog, however the most popular is eared, it is the only one that is found in Russia.
• Hedgehogs are loners in life. If a person starts several hedgehogs in his house, then everyone should have his own cage, otherwise they will not get along and will constantly fight, defending their place.
• In Russia, a long-eared hedgehog can be purchased at a pet store for 3-10 thousand rubles.