Hedgehogs are surprising creations as during evolution the indumentum on their backs turned into the rigid needle bristle protecting from predators. As well as any other animal, hedgehogs fade, but do it slowly and is made in a special way.
Instruction
1. All animals covered with fur enter the molt period sooner or later. At some types the molt lasts all the year round, old hairs die off, and new grow. At other animals a molt to occur seasonally, that is in the spring and in the fall when small animals need to replace a dress before the forthcoming frosts or a summer heat. Among all animals possessing a fur fur coat, in respect of a molt, hedgehogs are of the main interest. Can seem to much that their rigid needles have nothing in common with fluffy fur, but actually, needles of a hedgehog are the thickened and deformed hairs which on the structure bear to the usual hardened wool a strong resemblance. Besides, on a paunch the hedgehog has quite soft hair which has no increased spinosity.
2. The specifics of a molt of hedgehogs are caused by features of their needles. Each needle represents the hollow tubule filled with air. As in a case with strands of wood, each needle has cross compartments, with only that difference that in a case with needles these compartments are expressed more distinctly. Under skin of a needle fasten by means of a special plate, unlike wool which fastens by means of a bulbous form. Thus, it turns out that on a paunch and on a back the hedgehog fades differently. Loss of needles takes place quite traumatic for a hedgehog as the lamellar form which is the hypodermic basis of a needle is fastened to the muscle fiber allowing to lift and lower needles in case of danger.
3. At loss of a needle there is an anguish of muscle fiber, and the needle drops out together with the small site of skin. In the course of healing on the place of the lost needle the new plate, and then and a new needle is formed at first. During natural loss of needles the hedgehogs do not feel any discomfort as the nervous termination in this area loses sensitivity. With the strands of wood which are available on a stomach, paws and a muzzle of a hedgehog everything is far more simply as they fasten in skin on usual hair bulbs which just unlock, then bulbs wake up at the expense of what there is a replacement of the old and injured hairs.
4. The phase of an active molt at hedgehogs teaches for the spring and fall. This process proceeds very slowly as in a year it can be updated only 1 of 3 needles. The new needle grows for the period in 12 - 15 months how the hedgehog well ate. Change of a hair at hedgehogs proceeds much quicker. It was noticed that after awakening from hibernation the hair of hedgehogs becomes more rare as in the summer the warm fur coat is not necessary to hedgehogs. By preparation for hibernation the woolly cover becomes very dense and a large number of longer hairs appears, thus, heatloss of the sleeping animal decreases during cold weather.