The eight common hedgehog color categories include salt and pepper, white-bellied, white, snowflake, Algerian, black, pinto, and albino hedgehogs.
From jet black to pure white, there’s a hedgehog for everyone.
But what do all of those colors mean? And why do hedgehogs change color anyway?
This guide will answer all of your questions about hedgehog colors and explain what each one means. Whether you’re curious about hedgehogs or thinking about adding a hedgehog to your family, read about the color variations here.
8 Different Hedgehog Color Morphs
Hedgehogs come in many different colors. Some of these colors also include further variations, for a total of 40 different morphs.
Here is a list of some of the most common hedgehog colors:
- Salt and Pepper Hedgehogs
- White-Bellied Hedgehogs
- White Hedgehogs
- Snowflake Hedgehogs
- Algerian Hedgehogs
- Black Hedgehog
- Pinto Hedgehog
- Albino Hedgehog
1. Salt and Pepper Hedgehogs
The Salt and Pepper hedgehog is a popular color morph. As the name suggests, they are primarily black and white in coloration. Salt and Pepper Hedgehogs can also have brown, grey, or red markings.[1]
These hedgehogs are born with their unique coloring and it does not change as they age.
2. White-Bellied Hedgehogs
White-bellied hedgehogs are a coloration of hedgehogs mostly found in Africa. There are many different colors of White-Bellied Hedgehogs, but the most common are white, brown, and black.
Some White-Bellied Hedgehogs have stripes, while others do not. The size of a White-Bellied Hedgehog can range from about eight inches to twelve inches long. They usually weigh between one and two pounds.
Brown Hedgehog
The brown hedgehog is one of the most common colors of hedgehogs. They are characterized by their light-rich brown balance throughout their bodies. This coloration provides good camouflage in a variety of environments.
Cinnamon Hedgehog
Cinnamon white-bellied hedgehogs have a light red nose with a cinnamon accent along with the bands of the spines. This coloration is caused by a recessive gene.
Chocolate Hedgehog
The Chocolate Hedgehog is a darker version of the Cinnamon color. They are rare and not often seen in the wild. Their fur is a dark brown color with black stripes.
Dark Cinnicot Hedgehog
Dark cinnicot hedgehogs have white bellies and pink skin found on their shoulder area. This combination makes them stand out among other hedgehogs.
Black-Eyed Cinnicot Hedgehog
Black-eyed cinnicot hedgehog is characterized by having the same features as the dark cinnicot, with the main exception being the spines. The spines of a Black-Eyed Cinnicot Hedgehog are black, instead of dark cinnicot.
Ruby-Eyed Cinnicot Hedgehog
Ruby-Eyed Cinnicot Hedgehog is almost identical to the Black-Eyed Cinnicot except for the color of its eyes. As the same suggests, they have ruby-colored eyes, instead of black.
Gray Dark-Gray White-Bellied Hedgehog
The Gray-Dark-Gray White-Bellied Hedgehog has dark gray fur and a white belly.
Apricot Hedgehog
Apricot Hedgehogs have a light pink nose that seamlessly transitions to their all-white spines. Apricot Hedgehogs are known to be very friendly and make great pets for people of all ages.
Pale Apricot Hedgehog
The pale apricot hedgehog is a color variation of the common hedgehog. As the name suggests, these hedgehogs have pale apricot fur with significantly lighter spines. These hedgehogs are relatively rare and make great pets due to their friendly nature.
Champagne Hedgehog
Champagne hedgehogs are born with a dark brown or black coat, but as they mature, their quills lighten. The final color is pale champagne, with red eyes. This unique coloring makes them quite sought after by hedgehog enthusiasts.
3. White Hedgehogs
White hedgehogs are one of the most popular hedgehog colors. They are easily identifiable by their white quills and pink skin. They are not albino and often have blue eyes.
They are very friendly and make great pets.
Platinum Hedgehog
Platinum Hedgehog is a very popular color for hedgehogs. Almost all of the spines are white. So is the belly. There can be some barely noticeable grey banding on the spines as well. They have black shoulder skin and a black nose.
This is one of the colors that people think of when they think of a hedgehog. They are very popular as pets and are often seen in movies and TV shows.
Cinnamon White Hedgehog
Cinnamon White Hedgehog is a color variation of the hedgehog, a mix between white and cinnamon. The primary colors are white and cinnamon, with minimal banding.
Cinnamon White Hedgehogs have identical spine coloring to the Platinum hedgehog, but the banding is a more cinnamon shade.
Silver Charcoal White Hedgehog
The Silver Charcoal White Hedgehog is a beautiful and unique coloration of the hedgehog. They are primarily silver-whiteish with light charcoal banding on their spines. It is relatively new to the world of hedgehogs and is becoming more popular as people learn about them.
Charcoal White Hedgehog
The Charcoal White Hedgehog is mostly white with light charcoal banding on the spines. This makes them very striking and eye-catching pets.
Compared to other hedgehog colors, the Charcoal White Hedgehog is quite rare. They are not commonly found in pet stores or breeders.
Brown White Hedgehog
As you can imagine, the brown-white hedgehog is a hybrid of two colors. It is the result of breeding a brown hedgehog with a white one. The results are little creatures with either predominantly white spines with rich brown bands or vice versa.
Chocolate White Hedgehog
Chocolate White hedgehogs have white-colored spines and chocolate bands combined with a very light brown mask. As their name suggests, they are primarily white, but their chocolate bands make them stand out from other hedgehogs.
Dark Cinnicot White Hedgehog
Dark Cinnicot White Hedgehog is a color variation of the White hedgehog. They have white spines and lighter brown bands. Their eyes are brownish red with a white belly but without a mask. This coloration is caused by a mutation in the ivory gene.
Dark Cinnicot White Hedgehogs are very rare and are rarely seen in the wild.
Ruby-Eyed Cinnicot White Hedgehog
The Ruby-Eyed Cinnicot White Hedgehog is a beautiful and unique variation of the White hedgehog. As the name suggests, these hedgehogs have dark red eyes that stand out on their white bodies.
4. Snowflake Hedgehogs
Snowflake hedgehogs get their name from their even mix of banded and non-banded spines. This mix of spine colorations makes it look as if they were sprinkled lightly with snowflakes. Other than that, they are friendly and outgoing hedgehogs.
Charcoal Hedgehog
The Charcoal Hedgehog is a popular color variation of the hedgehog. They are easily recognizable by their black nose and mask, as well as the lighter brown accents on their spines.
Like all hedgehogs, they are shy and nocturnal creatures that make great pets.[2]
Brown Snowflake Hedgehog
The Brown Snowflake hedgehog is a beautiful variety of hedgehogs, characterized by its brown coloring. These hedgehogs are relatively rare, and as such, they are prized by many hedgehog enthusiasts.
Brown Snowflake Hedgehogs have nearly identical coloring to standard snowflakes, although they have enough deep brown band coloration to help you tell the difference.
Silver Snowflake Hedgehog
Silver Snowflake hedgehogs are the most popular type of snowflake hedgehog. They have white spines with black bands, but a fair portion of their spines are entirely white.
Silver hedgehogs are known for being playful and friendly, and they make great pet hedgehogs.
Chocolate Chip Hedgehog
The chocolate chip hedgehog has dark chocolate mixed in with the bands on its spine. This gives them a very distinct and beautiful look.
These hedgehogs are very friendly and make great pets. They are also relatively easy to care for.
Silver Charcoal Hedgehog
The Silver Charcoal Hedgehog is a color variation of the hedgehog. They are primarily white with light grey bands. The Silver Charcoal hedgehog is a very popular color morph. They are easily recognizable by their white spines and light grey bands.
Silver Charcoals are available in both Standard and Mini sizes.
Ruby-Eyed Cinnicot Snowflake Hedgehog
The Ruby-Eyed Cinnicot Snowflake Hedgehog is a beautiful, pink-hued hedgehog that is relatively new to the world of hedgehogs.
Though they are not albino, they are very close. Their quills are primarily white with black tips and their underbellies are creamy white. They have bright ruby eyes and their faces and shoulders are dusted with a soft pink hue.
This color morph is small, averaging around 4-5 inches in length.
Black-Eyed Cinnicot Snowflake Hedgehog
The Black-Eyed Cinnicot Snowflake Hedgehog is a nearly identical morph of the Ruby-Eyed Snowflake Hedgehog. The only difference between the two is that the Black-Eyed Cinnicot has black eyes, while the Ruby-Eyed Snowflake Hedgehog has red eyes.
Both variants are incredibly rare and prized by collectors.
5. Algerian Hedgehogs
Algerian Hedgehogs (also known as North African Hedgehogs) are known for their wide variety of colors. It is a species of hedgehog in the family Erinaceidae. It is found in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. Its natural habitat is Mediterranean-type shrubland.
They are rare compared to other kinds of hedgehogs, as their habitat is limited to flatlands. They have a distinct look and come in a number of color variations and morphs.[3]
Algerian Gray Hedgehog
Algerian gray hedgehogs are gray with white patches on their face and body. They have dark brown stripes on their back.
Algerian Dark Gray Hedgehog
The Algerian dark gray hedgehog is a color variation of the Algerian hedgehog. They are almost identical to the gray hedgehog, but with darker skin and sometimes a darker mask.
The Algerian dark gray hedgehog is found in the wild in Algeria. They are also found in captivity in zoos and as pets.
Algerian Chocolate Hedgehog
Algerian Chocolate Hedgehog is a unique and special hedgehog color. These hedgehogs have a light beige-colored spine with darker brown bands. They are one-of-a-kind pets that stand out in any home.
Algerian Chocolate Hedgehogs make great pets for first-time hedgehog owners and experienced hedgehog enthusiasts alike.
Algerian Black Hedgehog
Algerian Black Hedgehogs have dark black bands on their spines. Their faces are black extending to the eyepatch.
Some people believe that Algerian Black Hedgehog are a cross between an African Pygmy Hedgehog and another species of hedgehog, but this has not been proven.
Algerian Black Hedgehogs are rare and are sought after by many hedgehog enthusiasts. If you are lucky enough to find one, they make a great pet.
Algerian Brown Hedgehog
Algerian Brown Hedgehog is a type of hedgehog with light brown coloration on its spines. It’s also present on their cheeks, mask, and skin. This makes them one of the more unique-looking hedgehogs.
They are a popular pet choice because of their docile nature and how they can be easily trained.
Algerian Cinnamon Hedgehog
The Algerian Cinnamon Hedgehog is, as its name suggests, primarily found in Algeria, but can also be found in other parts of Africa and even some parts of Europe. This hedgehog is brown or tan in color, with a lighter overall tone than the Algerian chocolate hedgehog.
Algerian Cinnicot Hedgehog
The Algerian Cinnicot hedgehog is a popular color morph of the Algerian hedgehog. They have a light orange and beige coloration to their spines and a faint mask. This color is caused by a genetic mutation.
Algerian Cinnicot Hedgehogs are not albino, though they are close.
Algerian Dark Cinnicot Hedgehog
The Algerian Dark Cinnicot hedgehog is characterized by its dark cinnicot coloration. This coloration is similar to that of the standard Algerian Cinnicot hedgehog, but with a slightly darker hue.
Algerian Apricot Hedgehog
The Algerian Apricot Hedgehog is a lightly colored hedgehog with shades of light oranges and beige around its spine and skin area. This coloration is unique among hedgehogs and makes the Algerian Apricot Hedgehog a popular pet.
They are rarer than most hedgehogs.
Algerian Cinnicot Snowflake Hedgehog
The Algerian Cinnicot Snowflake Hedgehog is a mix of cream and cinnamon with some banding. These hedgehogs are known for their beautiful colors.
Snowflakes are the most common type of Algerian Cinnicot Hedgehog. They have black eyes and dark spines. There is also a white version of this hedgehog.
Algerian Chocolate Snowflake Hedgehog
Algerian Chocolate Snowflake Hedgehog is a beautiful, unique hedgehog that is becoming increasingly popular as a pet. They have an even distribution of coloration in their spines of darkish brown and faded white.
They are a small breed of hedgehog, typically weighing between 4-6 ounces.
Algerian Chocolate Snowflake Hedgehogs are known for being gentle and docile, making them great pets for first-time hedgehog owners.
Algerian Gray Snowflake Hedgehog
Algerian Gray Snowflake Hedgehogs are characterized by their even distribution of dark brown and faded white spines.
Algerian Black Snowflake Hedgehog
Algerian Black Snowflake Hedgehog is a rare color morph of the Algerian hedgehog. As their name suggests, they are black with white spines. They have a very striking appearance that makes them stand out from other hedgehogs.
6. Black Hedgehog
The black hedgehog is a color variation of the common hedgehog. Black hedgehogs get their color from a genetic mutation that causes an overproduction of the black pigment eumelanin. This mutation is relatively rare, which is why black hedgehogs are not as common as other colors.
While the black hedgehog is not as common as the brown or white hedgehog, they are becoming increasingly popular as pets.
7. Pinto Hedgehog
The Pinto hedgehog is a very popular color variation of hedgehogs. Pinto hedgehogs have black, white, and brown fur. The combination of these three colors makes Pinto hedgehogs unique.
Pinto hedgehogs are not only popular because of their coloration, but also because they are friendly and outgoing. Pinto Hedgehogs are known to be very social creatures. They love interacting with their caretaker.
8. Albino Hedgehog
The albino hedgehog is one of the most unique and striking. Albino hedgehogs are completely white, with pink eyes. They are rare, and as a result, are often quite expensive. Albino hedgehogs require special care. They are prone to skin problems and are sensitive to light.
Conclusion
There are a total of 40 different hedgehog colorations, split into eight categories: salt and pepper, white-bellied, white, snowflake, Algerian, black, pinto, and albino hedgehogs.
These have different patterns, markings, and colors, making each one unique.
