West European hedgehog

Activity patterns. The West European Hedgehog is predominantly nocturnal, resting by day under piles of brush or in leaf nests in rocky crevices and burrows. Activity during midday often indicates that an individual is sick, but healthy individuals can be active during the day, particularly in autumn. Some lactating females can be almost as active during day as at night during summer, some individuals tend to emerge before sunset, and some retire to their nest well after dawn. Usual gait is slow, meandering walk that frequently is punctuated by short bursts of speed up to 50 - 120 m / minute. Males usually move at an average speed of 3 - 7 m / minute, females at 2: 2 m / minute, and subadults at 2: 2 m / minute. The West European Hedgehog lives on the surface ofthe ground without extensively burrowing or climbing. It is a good climber, and spines, besides serving as protection from predators, act as a cushion when it falls or drops from a height. It is a good swimmer but might not be able to escape from steepsided garden pools. It hibernates from about October to early April in colder parts ofits distribution, but individuals become active, emerge, and move to another nest 2 - 3 times in winter. Hibernation bouts last 5 - 27 days (average nine days). Some nests are repaired and re-used, and others are abandoned. Nests may be occupied, then abandoned for up to four months, and later re-occupied. Others are empty at first and occupied later, suggesting there are spare nests.