The hedgehog as a pet can be met much less than an ordinary dog or a cat. Especially a significant event is the situation when the hedgehog brings posterity: little hedgehoglets look quite unusually.
Newborn hedgehoglets
Newborn hedgehoglets are born not so similar to adults: they have yet no prickles which could protect them, and look absolutely helpless. Only having been born, hedgehoglets have length within 5-10 centimeters, and their weight is from 5 to 25 grams. They have light pink color of a body on which there are no prickles not only, but also any indumentum, that is hedgehoglets are born absolutely naked. Nevertheless, practically right after the birth on their backs it is already possible to distinguish clearly white specks, each of which will turn into the real ezhiny prickle subsequently.
Right after the birth the hedgehoglets are blind people, and will remain such within several days: usually eyes open at them only after the tenth day since that moment as they were born. Besides, their hearing in the first few days also is almost not developed. At the same time, as well as other babies, hedgehoglets demand frequent feeding: on average they eat milk each three hours.
Development of hedgehoglets
However, as well as other animals in the wild nature, hedgehoglets develop very quickly: otherwise it would be rather difficult to survive in severe conditions to them. In three days after the birth the hedgehoglets still remain blind people and deafs, however on their backs already I begin to make the way prickles which have dark brown coloring, but are supplied with white tips, unlike an adult hedgehog.
In a week after birth the weight of hedgehoglets increases by 2-4 times, reaching 25-60 grams. In two weeks their skin their light pink gradually becomes brownish or grayish, getting the shade close to skin color of their parents. At the same time on some parts of a body, for example, to a muzzle, the indumentum consisting from rather short a hair of gray or brown color begins to make the way. After two weeks from the moment of the birth, approximately for 15-16 days from this point, hedgehoglets at last open eyes and begin to see the world around. In several days after that at them appears as well hearing. On reaching three-week age at hedgehoglets teeth are cut through, and in several days they will be able already to eat firm food with their help. From this point recently born hedgehoglets get almost full range of potential which the adult hedgehog has. However to become the full member of animal community and to adapt to the world around, the little hedgehoglet, of course, has to gain own life experience.