There are different regulations regarding exotic animals and their possession or breeding. However, outside the veterinary field, people are not usually clear about these rules and in many cases act without being aware of their consequences. Throughout this text we are going to analyze what happens with hedgehogs as pets.
Even so, and beyond the legality, it must be taken into account that these are not domestic animals, but rather that they are wild. That is why they have specific needs that must be covered and the human home is not always the best option for them.
Keep in mind that living with a hedgehog is much more than having it by your side. You have to think about the food, the space to move, the light they need, their burrow, the customs that must be respected… Each animal has specific needs and we should not limit ourselves to thinking about the most basic. But you have to be well informed, and also about the legal situation.
Knowing the hedgehog as a pet
Hedgehogs are mammals that do not usually exceed 15 centimeters and rarely exceed half a kilo in weight. The most common is that the 16 species of hedgehogs are around 10 centimeters and 350 grams.
They can live up to 8 years, as long as they have the right habitat. They sleep during the day and come out of their burrow at night, being mainly nocturnal animals. In more extreme environments they hibernate in winter, although this will depend on the climate and the food available.
Having a hedgehog as a pet can be surprising for its ability to communicate with different sounds, which range from screeches to growls, all of which are very characteristic.
Its spikes are not poisonous or especially sharp, but they can cause pain. They are full of keratin, and they help them to roll up like a ball when they feel in danger.
It is also necessary to know that hedgehogs are solitary animals, but they have a good character. Although they do not live in groups, they are not usually particularly aggressive with other animals or with humans. What can make your character worse is having to live in small spaces that limit movement.
Is it legal to have a hedgehog as a pet?
Before talking about legality, we must be clear that it is not advisable to have wild species as pets. These types of animals need to develop certain behaviors in their natural habitat, and captivity ends with those ideal situations.
If we focus, now yes, on the legal field, we must bear in mind that the Spanish Catalog of Invasive Alien Species lists which are the species that we must not adopt or introduce into the country or they may cause problems among the animal population.
Within this catalog there are two species of hedgehog that are not legal to keep as pets: the African pygmy hedgehog and the Egyptian hedgehog. And it is not allowed to keep endemic species such as the European or the Moorish in captivity.
But it is that, beyond that catalog, there are regulations that do not allow the adoption of wild species, since their freedom is defended and thus the spread of diseases with the cohabitants is prevented.
And you also have to take into account the regulations of the rest of the countries before bringing an animal here, of a foreign species.
However, it must be taken into account that there is no official list of exotic species that are legal as pets in Spain. A tool of this type could make it much easier for users to understand what can and cannot be done. have as a pet.
Why are there people who do have a hedgehog as a pet?
The current regulations are explained above, and even so there are people who live with a hedgehog as a pet at home. You may know someone who still keeps a hedgehog at home.
This occurs with people who had hedgehogs before any regulations came into force, or who adopted them before knowing the law. In these cases, they have had to declare their possession so that the hedgehog is documented. In these cases, the animals must be sterilized so that they do not reproduce and they must always be identified during all visits to the veterinarian. In addition, the owners must sign a responsible statement making it clear that they are not going to release, commercialize, reproduce or assign these animals, being the maximum responsible for any of these actions.
People who do not comply with these requirements can face different sanctions or penalties.
