The Hedgehog: Appearance and Behavior

The Hedgehog: Appearance and Behavior exercise

• What are the body parts located on a hedgehog's head?

  Hints

  At the front of the hedgehog's head, there is a pointy snout with a mouth and nose.

  Solution

  These are the body parts located on a hedgehog's head.

• Why does a hedgehog have many pointed teeth in its mouth?

  Hints

  These pointed teeth in the hedgehog's mouth are designed for a specific type of diet.

  Carnivores are animals that eat meat. Think of them as meat-eaters, like lions and tigers.

  Herbivores are animals that eat plants. Picture them as plant-eaters, like cows and rabbits.

  Omnivores are animals that eat both plants and meat. They enjoy a mix of foods, like bears and humans.

  Solution

  A hedgehog has many pointed teeth in its mouth because it is a carnivore, which means it eats other small animals.

• What are hedgehogs covered with and how do they use them?

  Hints

  These protective coverings on the hedgehog's back serve a similar function to the spiky hairs on a porcupine's body.

  They're made of a material also found in your nails, feathers, and horns.

  What substance is that?

  When threatened, the hedgehog's defence mechanism involves creating a round, spiky shape that points these special features outward.

  Solution

  The thick and pointy hairs on the back of a hedgehog are called spines, and they are made of keratin, similar to fingernails.

  When there is danger, the hedgehog will curl up into a ball, which points all of its prickly spines outward to protect itself.

• What is hibernation?

  Hints

  Hibernation is like taking a super-long nap to stay safe and warm until the weather gets better in the spring.

  Hibernation is a way for animals to survive the winter when there's not enough food, and the temperatures are too cold for them to be active.

  Solution

  Hibernation is when some animals, like bears and hedgehogs, sleep for a very long time during the cold winter months.

  During this time, the animal's body slows down a lot, and it doesn't eat or move around much.

  This helps the animal conserve energy because it's too cold outside to find food.

• Imagine you found a hedgehog in your garden during a cold winter. What should you do to help it survive?

  Hints

  Think about what hedgehogs do during the winter to survive the cold.

  Providing food, water, and a safe place can help a hedgehog prepare for its winter rest.

  There are 2 correct answers.

  Solution

  To help the hedgehog survive during a cold winter, you can provide it with food and water as it prepares for hibernation. You should also make sure it has a safe and warm shelter to protect it from the cold weather.

• Fill in the blanks to complete the paragraph.

  Hints

  Just like humans, who are mammals, the baby piglets get milk from their mothers.

  Look for an option that is a number when completing the range of piglets in a litter.

  Solution

  Hedgehogs are mammals, which means the baby piglet gets milk from its mother. Hedgehogs have several babies at once, this is called a litter.

  If a hedgehog litter contains six piglets, having ten piglets in a litter would be considered at the higher end of the typical range.