Where Do Hedgehogs Live? Native and Introduced!

Not Many Know Hedgehog Origins and How They Expanded Over the World.

Hedgehogs live in different areas of the world in different climates and habitats, both in the wild and as pets in homes.

I’ll give you an overview of where wild hedgehogs live, as well as how hedgehogs can live in homes as pets.

What Parts of the World are Hedgehogs Found in?

There are around seventeen (17) species of hedgehogs with origins in Africa, Asia, or Europe. As any other wild animal, they were introduced into other countries like New Zealand and the United States.

Hedgehogs are not found in the wild in North America, and the African Pygmy hedgehog was domesticated and brought over to the U.S. as a pet in the 1980s.

There are no records that Hedgehogs have been introduced and kept in Australia, as they are illegal to breed.

Where do Hedgehogs Live in Africa?

In Africa, native hedgehogs can be found in dry climates, all the way across the central and Eastern portions of the continent.

They thrive in areas where there are ample supplies of insects and warm temperatures.

African hedgehogs avoid swamp and dense forest areas and typically stick to grassy, rocky, or woodland areas.

Because of the warm conditions in Africa, these breeds of hedgehogs typically will not need to hibernate during the winter months.

Where do Hedgehogs Live in Europe?

European hedgehogs can be found in several areas of the continent, including the United Kindom, Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, and portions of the Nordic countries.

These “common hedgehogs” are typically found in habitats made of grasslands, woodlands, or meadows, typically closer to border areas near humans rather than in the remote wild.

Hedgehogs are pretty commonly seen in gardens in the United Kingdom.

They’re known as the gardener’s friends because they eat many insects along with snails and slugs that could be harmful to flowers.

These garden hedgehogs may make a home in your yard, creating a nest out of leaves and logs.

It is okay to feed these little friends hedgehog-safe foods and provide them with water if you’d like to keep them coming back to your yard.

Since the climate in Europe gets chilly in the late fall and winter months, they will hibernate in order to survive the cold.

Where do Hedgehogs Live in Asia?

Hedgehogs native to Asia are known as “long-eared hedgehogs” and can be found throughout central Asia and portions of the Middle East.

As a native mammal, they have also been found in countries including China, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, and down through the Middle Eastern countries, including Egypt, Israel, Afghanistan, and Iran, along with several other countries.

These hedgehogs avoid the desserts and mountain terrains found in these areas, favoring moderate climates.

They tend to thrive in areas closer to human civilizations, in grassy areas, near forests, or close to water sources; the reason is because there are more natural food sources in greenspaces or where the soil is disturbed frequently.

How Should Domesticated Hedgehogs Be Kept?

Domesticated hedgehogs, African Pygmy Hedgehogs, come from areas of Africa. They are accustomed to warm climates and should be kept in warm temperatures in your home (around 72-78 degrees Fahrenheit).