# Are larger hedgehogs more pokey?



## Harleythehog (Aug 18, 2013)

I know this might seem like a silly question, but when you get poked by the quills of a larger sized hedgehog, does it hurt more than a smaller hedgehog? I am thinking their quills will be longer and thicker than a smaller hedgie. Or, is there not enough of a size difference to matter - for those who have more than one Hedgie of different proportions? And it's not the age difference I am wondering about, more same age, but different sized hedgies.


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## Tongue_Flicker (Jun 11, 2013)

i think (and feel) it's pretty much the same


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Yes you can feel the quills of a larger hedgehog more than small simply because a big hedgehog has more weight to force those quills into your skin. Some hedgehogs have less sharp quills and/or smaller quills, but the size of the hedgehog doesn't really govern quill size and sharpness. Those small fine quills can sometimes hurt more than big ones. 

I've had hedgehogs, big and small, that I swear spent their days sharpening their quills. :lol:

I wouldn't choose a hedgehog based on size thinking the quills may not hurt as much. A great big relaxed hog, is not going to hurt to hold anymore than a small one. :smile:


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## Harleythehog (Aug 18, 2013)

Thanks for the replies. Our Harley is on the bigger side (or at least I think she is compared to her litter mates when we got her. She poked me a good one the other day and she wasn't even puffed up, just stroking her and one caught my finger the wrong way. It got me thinking that she was super pokey because of her size, hence I asked the question. I wouldn't wish her any smaller, however, I prefer a bigger hegdie because to me they are more puppyish rather than rodentish, IYKWIM.


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## Harleythehog (Aug 18, 2013)

P.s. I am however worried about her having bigger teeth:-D

She's bit me on 3 occasions and bit the towel many times. If I have to handle her for nail clippings I wear rubber dish gloves. I know you shouldn't but she will just have to get used to my scent as well as rubber glove scent as she's bit the glove a few times too. (And I have yet been able to clip the nails on her right front paw... I sure have difficulties with that foot! )


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

I find baby-quills way sharper than adult-quills, but that sometimes a quill can stab at just the wrong angle...


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## raurora (Sep 6, 2013)

Annie&Tibbers said:


> I find baby-quills way sharper than adult-quills, but that sometimes a quill can stab at just the wrong angle...


When my vet said that he is going to lose his sharp adolescent quills and the adult ones are less sharp you could hear my boyfriend going "YESSSSSSSSSSSS"


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