The exotic African Pygmy Hedgehog, which became popular in zoos in the 1980's, is becoming increasingly more popular as a pet.

The African Pygmy Hedgehog, like all hedgehogs, likes to have privacy so an indoor rabbit cage big enough for a sleeping hut and a little room to run around in will make a great home. Make sure it doesn't have a wire bottom, as this can be hazardous to hedgehogs. The cages should generally be high and smooth walled to prevent potential escapes. Clean up waste everyday, and use natural bedding on the floor. Maintain a constant temperature between 60 and 80 degrees. If the temperature gets too cold the African Pygmy Hedgehog becomes inactive and may start to hibernate. Heating one side of the cage with a heating unit is often recommended. Hedgehogs are insectivores and will enjoy all kinds of bugs, larvae, spiders, slugs, snails and baby frogs. A regular diet of cat food mixed with mealworms and chopped fruit is what they are fed in most cases although there are now available on the market commercial hedgehog foods. Because they are nocturnal the African Hedgehog should be fed at night. The African Hedgehog will generally consume one third of its total body weight each evening. Water should be given in a bottle rather than in a dish, though some love to swim so a small pool might be a nice addition to their tank. Hedgehogs are nocturnal and most active in the evenings. They will use an exercise wheel but hedgehogs don't "play" with toys like other pets. African Pygmy Hedgehogs are solitary animals and it is best to separate them from other hedgehogs except while breeding. If handled regularly while young, hedgehogs will become quite easy to handle, although they may become more resistant as the get older. Females are generally easier to handle then males. In general they are aloof creatures and do not interact with humans like many other pets. Something that potential owners need to be aware of is the African Hedgehogs reaction to new tastes or new objects in their environment. In these instances the African Hedgehog will often taste the new item. After tasting they will begin to salivate excessively producing a foam. They will then anoint themselves with the foam. The reasons for this behavioral adaptation are not clear, but some have suggested that it is used to accumulate toxins on their spines so that they can do more harm to predators. The African Hedgehog has excellent senses of smell and hearing. Their vision is also decent, but their superior senses of hearing and smell allow them to detect prey below ground! Because they have such an acute sense of hearing they do much better in quite environments. These hedgehogs can be quite vocal under the right circumstances. Twittering is common when they are angry or fighting, if they are hurt or scared they will even be known to scream. Under normal circumstances they are known to chuff, chirp, his and sometimes growl. The African Pygmy Hedgehog makes a great apartment pet. He won't mind being left alone for long periods of time in the day, and is generally most active at night when owners are more likely to be home. Another attractive feature of hedgehogs is that they are virtually odorless. The average lifespan of the African Pygmy Hedgehog is 3 to 6 years in captivity.

The African Pygmy Hedgehog, also known as the African Hedgehog, West African Hedgehog, White Bellied Hedgehog, and Four Toed Hedgehog, is roughly the same size as a guinea pig. At maturity they will weigh 12 to 15 ounces on average and measure between six to eight inches (15.3 to 20.3 cm) in length. There can be a great variation in size, the largest recorded individual weighed 32 ounces, and some healthy mature individuals may weigh as little as 4.5 ounces. The most noticeable feature of the African Pygmy Hedgehog are the white-tipped spines which completely cover its back, sides, and the top of its head These spines server to protect them from predators in the wild. It has a long, pointy snout, a short tail, big eyes and ears, and four toes on the back feet and five toes on the front. The coloring of the African Pygmy Hedgehog varies from black, to white, to gray and they have soft white to dark brown or black fur covering the face and underparts. Their cheeks, bellies and brows are generally white. Hedgehogs generally live five to seven years in captivity but can live to be ten years old.

African Pygmy Hedgehogs originate in Africa from Senegal in the western part of Africa to the continents on the eastern edge in southern Somalia and Tanzania. The Hedgehog is found in a wide variety of habitats from deserts to forests, though they are generally found in semi-arid dry areas. They became popularity of Hedgehogs increased in zoos in the 1980's. This rise in popularity was seen in the pet trade as well. Today captive breeding is the only source of obtaining a pet hedgehog. It is not legal to collect them in the wild. A potential owner must recognize that while they are bred in captivity, it does not make them a domestic animal. The African Hedgehog is a wild animal, and is classified as an exotic pet. For this reason they are not always easy to care for and are not for everyone. Before considering purchase of any exotic pet it is important to learn as much as possible about their specific needs.

The African Pygmy Hedgehog may be prone to obesity, parasites, liver problems, neurological disorders (often from being housed in conditions which are too cold), respiratory infections, liver disease/tumors, Spondylosis, Cushing's disease, and dental problems. Regular veterinary examinations will ensure the health of your animal.

If the African Pygmy Hedgehog is allowed to roam freely in your house he may dig carpet and household plants.

It is important to check with the proper organizations to determine if your state requires special permits in order to keep a hedgehog. They are also not available as pets in Arizona and California.

African Pygmy Hedgehogs are solitary and should be separated until you wish to breed. The mating season in the wild is October to March, in captivity they can and often will breed year round. Hedgehogs are sexually mature at about eight weeks. Males will generally initiate mating with a courtship ritual. This ritual will consist of a bunch of vocalizations and circling of the female. The female will respond by allowing the male to mate. After mating the pregnant female undergoes a gestation period of 35 to 39 days. The average litter size is 3 to 4 babies, with a mortality rate of about 33%, based on a study of approximately 1500 litters. Males should be removed from the breeding enclosure before birth.

It should be noted that females might eat their young if they become disturbed or stressed.