![]() And that’s quite a feat for small animals like hedgehogs.Īs the dusk falls, hedgehogs come out of their hiding places in the wild. Some research has shown that they can easily do over five or six miles each night. When they live in the open nature, hedgehogs use the nighttime for foraging. This is why hedgehogs will act deep down as though they are still in the wild. We have had much less contact as cohabiting animals. For example, unlike dogs, hedgehogs haven’t gotten used to our daily rhythms that much. We need to trace their roots to answer this question. They need the natural, regular change of light for maintaining the circadian rhythm. No dark closets, rooms, or other spaces that lack the cycles of day and night. NEVER keep your hedgehog in a dark place. Since hedgehogs have weak eyesight, the other senses compensate for this sensory restriction.Īnd here’s an important clue for good pet keeping rules. Instead, they become active when there’s less light available in their surrounding environment. Namely, hedgies’ activity levels won’t depend on the time of the day. Their body starts sending signals for becoming more active when the light levels are very low or completely off. Many biologists have the opinion that hedgehog senses are fine-tuned for night activities. ![]() How are they adapted for the night?īeing nocturnal signals unique adaptations for the dark time. Overall, you could say that they are active during the night with a potential for extending over the transition time periods. But this is not a reason to get lost in definitions. Also, there are cases when hedgehogs show significant crepuscular activity. So, when people say that hedgehogs aren’t diurnal, it’s just another way to put that they are nocturnal. Crepuscular: the animal is mostly awake during early mornings and late evenings.Nocturnal: the animal is awake during the night.Diurnal: the animal is awake during the day.Scientists have created three classes of animal activity and behavior based on the particular times of the day. I read somewhere that they aren’t diurnal. Generally, hedgehogs are nocturnal as their most active time coincides with our typical sleeping times. This term is reserved for animals who are awake during late evenings and early mornings. However, sometimes they show traits that are defined as crepuscular. In other words, they are active at night and rest during the daytime. ![]() The bottom line: are hedgehogs nocturnal?.What if my hedgie is naturally awake during the day?.How much time can I spend with my hedgie during the daytime?.How can I make daytime handling easier for hedgies?.Nocturnal means no handling during the daytime?.What should I know about circadian rhythms?.I read somewhere that they aren’t diurnal. ![]()
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