Which of these is a colloquial name for hedgehog's spines?

A hedgehog is any of the spiny mammals of the subfamily 'Erinaceinae', in the family 'Erinaceidae'. There are seventeen species of hedgehog in five genera found through parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and in New Zealand by introduction. There are no hedgehogs native to Australia and no living species native to the Americas (the extinct genus 'Amphechinus' was once present in North America).

If a hedgehog falls toward the ground, it keeps itself safe by rolling into a ball to surround itself with “spines” that absorb the impact. It’s an effective method of protection. Hedgehog spines are colloquially referred to as "quills".

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18 Comments

Rafi Manory

The question was "colloquial name" and "needles" fit just fine.

Player

I've never heard of hedgehog spines being called quills except on QC

Char

I love the one in Sing when shes a rock star letting them go everywhere..

Wyla Reedy

Porcupines are worse. Their quills have "barbs".

Pat Wells

Thanks for a good question and answers. Great information too.

Kat

Which area is this colloquialism from? My English relatives all called them "prickles".

deborahpmercer

How do hedgehogs make love? Cautiously! Yup I know it's an old one, but if it's good enough for Sir David, it's good enough for me!

tbear

Darlene Davidson, 👍😊

tbear

Joseph A. Robitaille, 👍😊

tbear

Lynne Cage, 👍😊

Richard G Schwartz

What ever they both hurt.

Kathryn Cavanagh

Australia may not have Hedgehogs but we do have Echidnas which are pretty much the same to look at, and they too have "quills" or Needles or spines or spikes, whatever you choose to call them, they are sharp and spiky.