Controversy surrounding this incomprehensible behavior was set. Pliny the Elder described in the Encyclopedia 'natural history' hedgehog as a real suicide. According to him, hedgehog filled hole sour apples and died. Probably from delight: so many apples! However, in the story came to us from the I century BC, there is a rational core. It's something apple tart. Hedgehog in the relentless loitering in search of food, unwittingly, schesyvaet his 'brush' a great many mites. By the way, that's another argument in favor of that at a meeting with a hedgehog is best to go their separate ways, leaving prickly wanderer same opportunity! Parasitology in natural foci of tularemia and encephalitis sometimes rely in their calculations on the 'hedgehog-case'. This – the number of ticks collected involuntarily hedgehog hour jog in the woods.
Parasites (here the word is suitable in both meanings) hedgehog are pleased beyond measure: the table and shelter, and transportation to their services. And what is a hedgehog? Paw for ear not pocheshesh. That's why a hedgehog on a picture and catches an apple tart to acid, poison the blood-suckers. In captivity, hedgehogs to disinfect strove to sink thorn in any acute smelling of rags and even dropped by someone cigarettes. Therefore, the message of one American researcher that hedgehogs some species increase their needle-piercing action, lubricating them with poison from the parotid glands of toads, is questionable. Not that hedgehogs bite unhappy frogs their cancer.
And that they, like the Indians on the warpath, enjoy abie 'curare' for military purposes. Jerzy, of course, are fighting, but with the ticks and fleas! Although the Who, hedgehogs, will decide that they are a solid mystery. It would seem that a hedgehog, in order to hygiene, water is essential as air. Nothing like that. However, without water for drinking hedgehogs can not live, but swimming is for them – a terrible punishment. AE Brehm tells how the fox is straightened with a hedgehog: wheel it to any pool. When a hedgehog water crushes the fox seizes his teeth into his soft belly: a hedgehog without needles, powerless. And what are ezhinye needles? In fact, they – the mutated coat, so their structure much in common with the structure hair. Old needles, a few pieces a day, fall, and in their place, grow new ones. All urchin needles are hollow, so as not to carry an excessive burden on his back, but for the strength they are equipped with internal baffles. Needles are not only protection, but also a convenient device for different occasions. Hedgehog will be able to climb on the table, resting his feet at his feet, and needles into the wall. And if a hedgehog falls, then rolled into a ball, and needle play the role of shock absorber. Needles have many urchin: about 15 per square centimeter. The only pity is not needles always help: owls, for example, eat urchins directly with them. That in the hedgehog the most surprising is its omnivorous about this ezhinoy inclinations already mentioned, but from the word 'poison'. Snake hedgehog can eat all whole, together with poisonous glands. Jerzy calmly devours beetles blister beetles, causing the other animals gastritis or deadly inflammation of the kidneys. And the bee stings them uneasy. Therefore, in the old days believed that ezhinoe meat and ash from burnt animal may help in case of poisoning or internal medicine. But then the healers left urchins alone: ezhinye 'capacity' for people not to transfer, and hedgehogs in any way with the disease is not helped.