You’ve probably witnessed a hedgehog or two scuttling around the garden at night before, but have you ever seen the adorable animal when it’s so young it is yet to develop its signature spikes?
The internet has completely lost its mind after discovering what a baby hedgehog actually looks like.
Officially known as Erinaceus Europaues, hedgehogs are perhaps the cutest wild animals to roam the woods – and sometimes even our gardens – in the UK. We may not have kangaroos or flamencos or bears, but nobody can take away our tiny spikey friends.
Typically weighing around 1kg and only reaching 25cm long, the hedgehog is easily identified by its prickly back that is covered with brown spines – which are used as a defence from predators like foxes and badges. However, when they are firstborn – they look completely different.
Viral X (formerly Twitter) account Amazing Nature recently caught the attention of millions after posting a heart-warming video of a tiny hedgehog being cared for by a human. “This girl rescued a new-born hedgehog and raised it in her house,” the caption reads.
The tiny creature is completely unrecognisable without its signature needles sticking out. In fact, many said the animal looked more like a fetus than a hedgehog due to its pink skin and curled-up shape. As the hedgehog grows, it starts to develop its iconic snout and needles.
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At the time of writing, the viral video garnered a whopping 17 million views and 157,000 likes. Thousands of viewers flocked to the comments section to applaud the woman for looking after the animal and making sure it was healthy.
“This is genuinely the first time I’m seeing a real-life hedgehog that isn’t a cartoon,” one person wrote. Another agreed, commenting: “Okay, this is surprisingly cute.” A third added: “Great now I want a damn hedgehog.” While a fourth asked: “Wait, so this is what a juvenile hedgehog looks like?”
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