I don’t understand…
…why some people have so much trouble figuring out the difference between hedgehogs and porcupines.
This is a porcupine.
It is a part of the Rodent family, it is much larger than the average hedgehog and is very commonly found in North America. Its long fur conceals two-inch long, barbed spines that are easily detached from the skin and will pierce and embed themselves in the skin of a predator when threatened. These spines are very hard to remove due to the fact that they somehow manage to slowly bury themselves deeper over time. For this reason, they are almost never kept as pets. Their diet consists mainly of vegetation, though they have a craving for salt and enjoy gnawing on various objects.
This is a hedgehog.
It is one of the only members of the Erinaceidae family, the only other members being gymnures and moonrats. It is common in Europe, with its African cousins being the ones mainly kept as pets due to their smaller size. European hedgehogs have 1-inch quills that cannot be removed from its skin, and therefore its main line of defence is to roll into a ball, allowing themselves to be protected from predators who may try to hurt or eat it. They eat mainly insects and worms, but occasionally will also consume seeds and fruits. Both of these animals are, for the most part, nocturnal.
