Quills or spines? All quills are a form of spine. Confusing, I know. A spine is a word for any hard, pointed, appendage on an animal. For example sea urchins, lizards, fish and hedgehogs can all have spines. The word "quill" is more specific. It describes the type of spine that you are referring to. For example, a porcupine quill.

I've acquired some quills of the North American porcupine, African porcupine and the African pygmy hedgehog and wanted to share some differences between the three.  

All Quills are modified hairs that are made from keratin, the same thing that our fingernails are made from! Hedgehogs have very durable quills that are difficult to break. The quills are all relatively the same length, under 1". Their quills are not easily released, instead they are anchored into the skin with a bulbous follicle. When threatened the hedgehog uses its quills by completely balling up to protect their soft underbelly.  Hedgehogs are also quite resilient to falls, thanks to their quills! 

​Contrary to popular belief, porcupine quills are not poisonous and porcupines cannot shoot their quills. American porcupine quills are 1-3" in length, loosely rooted, easily released and tipped with barbs that get stuck into the skin of their predators. Each individual quill has up to 800 backward facing barbs that act like hooks. The quills are extremely sharp and pierce through skin with only the smallest amount of force. The barbs make it incredibly difficult for the quills to be removed. American porcupine quills lie flat along the back. When threatened, the porcupine will raise its quills to protect themselves from the attacker.

​African porcupines are much larger than American porcupines. They have quills of various lengths, ranging from 1-13" long. The quills are hollow and can break without much force. Their quills are also loosely rooted and easily released, but unlike American porcupines, their quills are smooth and unbarbed.  When threatened by a predator, the African porcupine will run backwards and ram the attacker with the short, thick spines on its rear.

There's a few things to consider when choosing the right cage for your hedgehog. You'll want a cage that is the appropriate size, can be sanitized and is safe for your hedgehog. Bars, platforms and ramps can cause injury and should be avoided.  I've taken some popular cage options and broke them down into pros and cons.

Totes

I always recommend totes for cages. I find that the 105-106 qt totes from Walmart and Home Depot work the best for us. They are by far the safest cages for your hedgehog.

Pros

• Readily available in stores
• Come in various sizes
• Easy to heat
• Easy to clean and sanitize 
• Inexpensive
• No bars, ramps or platforms that could potentially cause injury

Cons

• Not the most appealing to look at
• The lid will need to be altered for the lamp to sit on

The midwest cages are another option if you want something other than a tote. These work great with fleece!

Pros

• Affordable
• Lots of floor space
• Great for people who prefer fleece bedding

Cons

• Will need to purchase the "plus" or the top panel for the lamp to sit on
• Don't work well with bedding other than fleece 
• Harder to heat, may need two lamps
• Has bars (can be lined with coroplast to make it climb-proof)​

C&C Cages

C&C cages can be made with grid storage cubes and coroplast. These are also great cages for people that prefer fleece bedding. Coroplast will need to be 8-10" tall.

Pros

• You can make them yourself and choose the size that you want
• Great for fleece bedding

Cons

• Takes a bit of thought and preparation to make
• Will need to line with coroplast
• Will need to create a secure place for the lamp
• Harder to heat, may need two lamps
• Harder to clean if using bedding other than fleece

Critter Nation Cage

These cages aren't my favorite, but that's just a personal preference. Many people use them and like them. All ramps and platforms need to be removed. Both sections (For a double, singles can be purchased too) need to be lined with coroplast to create two cages. you will need to figure out a way to secure the lamp.

Pros

• Well built and will last forever
• Lots of floor space 
• Can purchase add on cages
• Shelf for storage
• Doors open wide for easy cleaning
  

Cons

• Expensive
• Needs to be lined with coroplast
• Takes a lot of unnecessary space 

​Wooden Cages & Hutches

I don't always recommend these wooden cages, mostly because it takes a lot of effort to make them safe and sanitary. I'm on the fence when it comes to wooden cages.
While these cages are the most appealing to look at, wood is near impossible to sanitize. The the urine will soak into the wood and harvest bacteria. There are several ways to seal the wood but it will take some time and patience. Use a water based polyurethane to seal the wood. The cage will need to air out until there is no odor from the sealant. 
Alternatively, you could line the whole inside of the hutch with coroplast without the risk of using the polyurethane.
You would also need to install a light socket that is rated for the wattage and can withstand the heat from the heat emitter.

Pros

• Looks very nice 
• Spacious
• A double hutch can hold two hedgehogs

Cons

• A lot needs to be done to make it sanitary and safe
• The heat emitter would be a fire hazard 
• Expensive
• Ramps need to be blocked off and removed

. 

Plastic and Wire Cages

I dont recommend these types of cages because they have bars. Hedgehogs are climbers and they can injure themselves on the bars. There have been cases of hedgehogs getting their heads stuck between bars, broken legs, bruising and injuries from falls. There are several different varieties of these cages available. Some also have platforms and ramps which are not suitable for a hedgehog. Hedgehogs have poor eyesight and aren't the most graceful creatures on earth. 

pros

• Easy to clean
• Lamp can sit on top

Cons

• Bars, some have ramps and platforms
• Cant really be altered to make it safe​

Aquariums and terrariums

I do NOT recommend tanks of any kind. Tanks are designed to hold water/humidity and have poor ventilation, both of which will cause respiratory illness in hedgehogs. The cons definitely outweigh the pros on tanks.