<Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichophyton erinacei</Emphasis> Infection from a Hedgehog: A Case Report from Taiwan

Trichophyton erinacei is a fungus affecting hedgehogs. As these animals have become popular as exotic pets, human infections with this organism have been documented in many countries. In Taiwan, a 36-year-old woman developed tinea lesions at multiple sites after carrying a sick hedgehog. The animal subsequently lost its quills and died. On culture of the patient’s skin scrapings, the pathogen was identified mycologically as Trichophyton erinacei, which was confirmed by sequencing of the internal transcribed spacers of the fungal nuclear ribosomal DNA. The same fungus was isolated from the sawdust bed previously used by the diseased hedgehog. A careful contact history is important for identifying this emerging zoonosis.     

Cryptosporidium erinacei and C. parvum in a group of overwintering hedgehogs

This study describes cryptosporidiosis in an overwintering group of 15 European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus), comprising 3 adults and 12 juveniles. Four juvenile hedgehogs were hospitalised with anorexia, malodorous diarrhoea and dehydration. Immediate parasitological examinations revealed the presence of Cryptosporidium sp. in these animals and also in 5 other juveniles. All hedgehogs were coproscopically monitored for 4 months over the winter season. Shedding of Cryptosporidium oocysts persisted from 6 to 70 days. Repeated shedding of Cryptosporidium oocysts occurred in 3 animals after 4 months subsequent to the first outbreak. Clinical signs were observed only at the beginning of the outbreak (apathy, anorexia, general weakness, mild dehydration, and malodorous faeces with changed consistence – soft/diarrhoea) in the 4 hospitalised juveniles. Overall 11 hedgehogs were Cryptosporidium-positive, both microscopically and by PCR methods. Sequence analyses of SSU rRNA and gp60 genes revealed the presence of C. parvum IIdA18G1 subtype in all positive hedgehogs. Moreover, 3 hedgehogs had a mixed infection of the zoonotic C. parvum and C. erinacei XIIIaA19R13 subtype. Cryptosporidium infections can be rapidly spread among debilitated animals and the positive hedgehogs released back into the wild can be a source of the infection for individuals weakened after hibernation.     

Self-anointing by wild hedgehogs, Erinaceus Europaeus, in New Zealand

Of 929 wild hedgehogs examined, nineteen bore signs of recent self-anointing. The spittle deposited on the hedgehogs' backs usually gave off a sharp smell, clearly detectable some metres down-wind. Nestling animals anointed themselves when removed from their nests, possibly as a means of advertising their whereabouts to their mothers. The habit was not detected among newly-independent young animals nor among sub-adults. Among adult hedgehogs, self-anointing was confined to the breeding season, and on five occasions was elicited in the presence of other hedgehogs of the opposite sex. In this context self-anointing may serve as a form of sexual signal. When brought into captivity the self-anointing reflex is triggered by novel objects or odours and, in this unnatural context, it is argued that the behaviour falls into the category of a displacement activity, being inappropriate to the situation and seemingly purposeless.     

The Arthroderma benhamiae hydrophobin HypA mediates hydrophobicity and influences recognition by human immune effector cells

Dermatophytes are the most common cause of superficial mycoses in humans and animals. They can coexist with their hosts for many years without causing significant symptoms but also cause highly inflammatory diseases. To identify mechanisms involved in the modulation of the host response during infection caused by the zoophilic dermatophyte Arthroderma benhamiae, cell wall-associated surface proteins were studied. By two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, we found that a hydrophobin protein designated HypA was the dominant cell surface protein. HypA was also detected in the supernatant during the growth and conidiation of the fungus. The A. benhamiae genome harbors only a single hydrophobin gene, designated hypA. A hypA deletion mutant was generated, as was a complemented hypA mutant strain (hypA(C)). In contrast to the wild type and the complemented strain, the hypA deletion mutant exhibited "easily wettable" mycelia and conidia, indicating the loss of surface hydrophobicity of both morphotypes. Compared with the wild type, the hypA deletion mutant triggered an increased activation of human neutrophil granulocytes and dendritic cells, characterized by an increased release of the immune mediators interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). For the first time, we observed the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps against dermatophytes, whose level of formation was increased by the ΔhypA mutant compared with the wild type. Furthermore, conidia of the ΔhypA strain were killed more effectively by neutrophils. Our data suggest that the recognition of A. benhamiae by the cellular immune defense system is notably influenced by the presence of the surface rodlet layer formed by the hydrophobin HypA.     

Targeted gene deletion and in vivo analysis of putative virulence gene function in the pathogenic dermatophyte Arthroderma benhamiae

Dermatophytes cause the majority of superficial mycoses in humans and animals. However, little is known about the pathogenicity of this specialized group of filamentous fungi, for which molecular research has been limited thus far. During experimental infection of guinea pigs by the human pathogenic dermatophyte Arthroderma benhamiae, we recently detected the activation of the fungal gene encoding malate synthase AcuE, a key enzyme of the glyoxylate cycle. By the establishment of the first genetic system for A. benhamiae, specific ΔacuE mutants were constructed in a wild-type strain and, in addition, in a derivative in which we inactivated the nonhomologous end-joining pathway by deletion of the A. benhamiae KU70 gene. The absence of AbenKU70 resulted in an increased frequency of the targeted insertion of linear DNA by homologous recombination, without notably altering the monitored in vitro growth abilities of the fungus or its virulence in a guinea pig infection model. Phenotypic analyses of ΔacuE mutants and complemented strains depicted that malate synthase is required for the growth of A. benhamiae on lipids, major constituents of the skin. However, mutant analysis did not reveal a pathogenic role of the A. benhamiae enzyme in guinea pig dermatophytosis or during epidermal invasion of the fungus in an in vitro model of reconstituted human epidermis. The presented efficient system for targeted genetic manipulation in A. benhamiae, paired with the analyzed infection models, will advance the functional characterization of putative virulence determinants in medically important dermatophytes.     

Non-invasive methods of separating hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) age classes and an investigation into the age structure of road kill

The separation of animals into age classes is often fraught with difficulties, but is essential for the interpretation of survival rates and population structure. This study investigated both live hedgehogs and road kill in order to develop techniques that could be utilised to separate age classes in the field. Body measurements were taken from 24 live hedgehogs caught at a site in County Cork, Ireland over a three year period. Additionally, carcasses from around Ireland were collected and measured. There was a significant correlation between the weight and hind foot length of both live and dead hedgehogs. The weight of individuals was also significantly correlated with the body length and jaw length of hedgehogs. In all of these correlations, the sample clustered clearly into two groups with ‘juveniles’ meeting all of the following criteria: a hind foot length of <3.6 cm, a body length of <?16 cm and a jaw length of below 4.5 cm. It is suggested that these parameters, combined with the presence of growing spines, could provide a way of separating age classes in the field. This would be of particular benefit to short term studies, allowing the population structure to be accurately assessed and the reproductive success and sustainability of a population to be investigated. Road kill were also aged using the dentary bone in order to investigate the age profiles of hedgehogs killed on the road. Amongst those killed, 54 % of hedgehogs were 1-year-old or less. The majority of hedgehogs (87 %) were between 0–3-years-old, the oldest females were nine (n?=?2), and the oldest males were eight years old (n?=?2), respectively. Road kill hedgehogs had an average longevity of 1.94 years, and the mean age of females was higher (2.10 years) than males (1.87 years).     

Protein and lipid utilization during fasting with shallow and deep hypothermia in the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus)

We investigated whether the relative contributions of body protein and lipid reserves differ according to the level of energy expenditure in fasting animals. Protein and lipid utilization was therefore quantified and compared in hedgehogs which fasted with shallow and deep hypothermia, i.e. by exposure at 5 or 20 °C ambient temperature. Body composition was determined for every 150-g decrease in mass throughout the experiment, allowing the calculation of regression lines between body mass (independent variable, x) and body composition (dependent variable, y: water, protein, neutral lipids, phospholipids and cholesterol). There were highly significant (P<0.001) linear decreases in all body components with decreasing body mass in both groups of hedgehogs. Neutral lipids were the main component of the total body mass loss (54%) in fasted animals with shallow and deep hypothermia, percentages of water (26–30%) and protein (10–11%) being lower, and those of phospholipid and cholesterol negligible (<0.5%). In spite of different levels in energy expenditure (2.54 and 1.07 W·kg^-1 in shallow-and deep-hypothermal fasting hedgehogs, respectively), the energy sources were identical in both groups, neutral lipid being the main fuel (91–92%) and body protein accounting for the remainder (8–9%). Prolonged fasting with shallow and deep hypothermia were marked by low alaninemia and glycemia, while plasma free fatty acids and -hydroxybutyrate were elevated. These data therefore indicate that the relative contribution of lipid and protein is similar during prolonged fasting with shallow and deep hypothermia, i.e. there is no specific effect of deep hypothermia on body fuel utilization. The tolerance of a much longer fast in deep-hypothermal hedgehogs can simply be attributed to the lower rates of lipid and protein utilization as a result of the lower level of energy expenditure.Abbreviations bm body mass     

Changes in plasma cortisol during acute cold exposure in euthermic European hedgehogs: thermoregulatory role of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis

Summary During acute cold exposure regulatory heat production of European hedgehogs was significantly increased with a simultaneous rise in the plasma cortisol level. Soon after cold exposure, at the time when standard metabolic rate was measured, the plasma cortisol level was reduced again. This finding indicates a highly reactive hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in euthermic hedgehogs exposed to a cold environment.Two effects of the adrenocorticostatic agent metopirone ditartrate were observed: (1) A metopirone-induced increase in nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) starting 18 min after application, reaching a maximum after 43 min and disappearing after 90 min (Fig. 1, Table 1). Simultaneously a profound long lasting hyperglycemia was observed (Fig. 2). (2) In contrast to untreated hedgehogs, animals which were given metopirone did not show an increase in the plasma cortisol level, when exposed to cold within 2 to 3 h (Fig. 6).When animals were pretreated with dexamethasone the metopirone-induced NST was suppressed, indicating that the effect of metopirone is mediated by the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal system (Fig. 4).The effect of metopirone at doses used in this study was reversible.It is suggested that a combined action of corticosteroids and catecholamines is involved in the control of regulatory heat production.Abbreviations SMR standard metabolic rate - NST nonshivering thermogenesis Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Wu 63/5     

Design of a GPS backpack to track European hedgehogs <Emphasis Type="Italic">Erinaceus europaeus</Emphasis>

We report on the design and construction of a Global Positioning System (GPS) backpack to collect positional data of European hedgehogs Erinaceus europaeus. The device consisted of a microGPS unit plus a VHF transmitter to facilitate unit recovery. It was constructed to articulate when the animal rolled up and to prevent snagging on objects or nests. Backpacks were fitted to 28 hedgehogs with eight reattachments at different seasons (N = 36 samples). Units fixed hedgehog positions at high rate for an average of 5 days to address our study on spatial ecology at fine scale. We recorded the normal execution of defensive rolling behaviour, impediments on natural movements across vegetation and nest occupancy, and also changes in body mass. We could not discern any negative effect associated with the backpack for attachments up to 8 days; hence, we consider this design to be appropriate for tracking European hedgehogs over this length of time.     

Distribution,bioclimatic niche and sympatry of two Erinaceidae in Tunisia

Numerous mammalian species of North Africa have an enigmatic distribution between the Mediterranean and Saharan area. In order to study the distribution of hedgehogs in Tunisia, field data were collected from several protected areas and various natural and peri-urban environments during 4 years 2015–2018 covering the all bioclimatic zones present in the country. The present work provides a detailed geographical and ecological distribution of hedgehogs with a total of 168 occurrence data of Atelerix algirus and Paraechinus aethiopicus. Atelerix algirus showed a wide distribution range from north to south being absent only in the extreme Saharan environment. Paraechinus aethiopicus has been recorded in the centre and the south with a specialisation in the arid and Saharan environment. A parapatry distribution is also shown with a sympatric area between arid and Saharan bioclimates. Our results improve knowledge of the bioclimatic niche and habitat characteristic of these taxa not clearly defined in previous research. The presence of the two hedgehogs on Djerba Island (A. algirus and P. aethiopicus) is also confirmed.     

Long‐term wildlife road‐kill counts in New Zealand

Abstract

We compare the number of medium‐sized animals (between rat and dog‐size) killed on repeated counts along the same 1660 km of North Island highways in 1984, 1994 and 2005 with other counts going back to 1949. Elevenmammal and 14 bird species were recorded, but Australian possums (Trichosurus vulpecula), hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) and rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) predominated, and pukekos (Porphyrio porphyrio), mynas (Acridotheres tristis), and Australian magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen) were the most common birds. Counts of possums, hedgehogs and rabbits ranged between 0.7 and 89 corpses/100 km, and changed dramatically over six decades. The possum count rose 80% between 1984 and 1994, but declined 60% by 2005. A possible irruption of hedgehogs is reported in 1988–89, followed by an 82% decline in their numbers between 1994 and 2005. Although rabbit hemorrhagic disease was introduced to New Zealand in 1997, rabbit road‐kill increased 59% between 1994 and 2005. The relationship between road‐kill and traffic volume indicates that roads carrying more than 3000 vehicles per day act as barriers to larger mammals, while vehicles on less busy roads are more dangerous for crossing animals. We suggest that regular counts taken at annual intervals over the same roads is a useful method for gathering information about the changing distribution and relative abundance of certain animals on a provincial or national scale and over long periods of time. Regular counts at seasonal, monthly or weekly intervals are also a rich source of information.     

The effect of seasonal food restriction on activity, metabolism and torpor in the South African hedgehog (Atelerix frontalis)

Twelve South African hedgehogs (Atelerix frontalis) were subjected to nine-week experimental protocol comprising four weeks of simulated summer conditions (14L: 10D and 25 °C), and transition week followed by four weeks of simulated winter conditions (10L: 14D and 15 °C).
Six control hedgehogs, with access to food ad libitum throughout the experiment, did not increase their energy intake during winter yet retained stable body mass. Six experimental hedgehogs, of similar body size, experienced restricted diet during the last three weeks of each season. These hedgehogs displayed significantly lower energy intake than controls during food restriction and lost approximately 7% of their body weight in both seasons, although this weight loss was not significant.
Both groups displayed lower digestive efficiencies in winter, together with decline in activity. However, there remained no significant effect of food restriction on these parameters.
Neither control nor experimental hedgehogs displayed torpor during summer and, whilst both groups became torpid in winter, the duration of torpor was significantly longer in experimental hedgehogs following food restriction.
Analysis of fluctuations in body mass suggest that experimental hedgehogs supplemented their restricted diet with energy derived from body reserves during both seasons. However, the ability of this species to modify the duration of torpor in response to additional energetic stress indicates that A. frontalis can control its energetic expenditure in order to limit the depletion of body reserves.     

Ventricular fibrillation in hibernators and nonhibernators

Previous studies have shown that there are differences between hibernators and nonhibernators in the susceptibility to ventricular fibrillation. In an attempt to clarify these differences ventricular fibrillation was induced in isolated hearts of the hibernator, the woodchuck, Marmota monax by cooling, warming, puncture, and by norepinephrine administration. It was shown that the hearts of the winter animals were completely resistant toward the ventricular fibrillation inducing agents, which was not the case for the hearts from summer, active animals. Further, the hearts of another hibernator, the hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeus, and guinea pig, Cavia porcellus, were studied electrophysiologically in anesthetized animals with open chests and with bipolar electrodes attached to the epicardium. During pacing it was shown that the hedgehog had a higher stimulus threshold and a lower maximal following frequency than the guinea pig. The summer hedgehogs showed resistance toward both ventricular premature beats and ventricular fibrillation. Sixty percent of the summer hedgehogs and 100 percent of the winter hedgehogs and guinea pigs developed ventricular fibrillation. The threshold for ventricular fibrillation was highest for summer hedgehogs. The effective refractory period of papillary muscle of summer hedgehogs was shorter than that of guinea pigs. The force frequency relationship of the isolated papillary muscle showed a greater degree of independence in the hedgehog than in the guinea pig. Consequently, the results show that the heart of the hibernator is more arrhythmia resistant than the heart of the nonhibernator, although there are seasonal differences.     

A geographically extensive survey of hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) in England

A hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) survey was conducted in four regions of west and south-west England during the summer of 2006. In each region, surveys were conducted in a series of 15–18 survey areas each of which contained 1–4 paired amenity grassland (recreation ground, sports field, and village green) and permanent pasture survey sites. Each pair of survey sites was surveyed for hedgehogs using night-time lamped searches during two separate survey periods. Located hedgehogs were sexed, weighed, and aged. The density of hedgehogs on individual sites was based on the maximum number of hedgehogs recorded during any one of the two surveys. The occurrence of hedgehogs on pasture (2 % of fields) was much lower than that on amenity grassland (26 % of fields), resulting in mean densities of hedgehogs that were significantly greater on amenity grassland than on pasture in all four regions. The density of hedgehogs was 0.47?±?0.09 ha^?1 on amenity grassland and 0.04?±?0.02 ha^?1 on pasture (mean?±?standard error). This study represents a geographically extensive and locally intensive hedgehog field survey in England and produces results that are spatially and temporally concurrent with wildlife surveys of another ecologically linked species, the badger (Meles meles).     

Regulatory Effect of Exogenous Vasopressinon Autonomous Functions and Higher Nervous Activity in Hedgehogs Erinateus auritus under Conditions of High Environmental Temperatures

The role of vasopressin (arginine–vasopressin) in animal adaptation to the effect of high environmental temperatures as well as a possibility to prevent development of thermal stress by use of vasopressin was studied under conditions of chronic experiments in hedgehogs. The experiments were carried out on a model of feeding behavior with objective recording of motor and autonomous components of the higher nervous activity and body temperature as well as the basal gas exchange. It is established that exposure of hedgehogs to a heat chamber at 40°C for 35 min is accompanied by a disturbance of autonomous functions and suppression of conditional reflex activity of the brain. The body temperature and oxygen consumption rise considerably on the background of the heat exposure. A preliminary injection of vasopressin at low dosages was found to prevent functional disorders and disturbances of the higher nervous activity in the hedgehogs exposed to high temperatures and to promote a better adaptation to heat exposure. The question of vasopressin as a specific antipyretic agent and of its possible clinical use is discussed.     

Efficacy of a Vaccine Formula against Tuberculosis in Cattle

“Test-and-slaughter” has been successful in industrialized countries to control and eradicate tuberculosis from cattle; however, this strategy is too expensive for developing nations, where the prevalence is especially high. Vaccination with the Calmette-Guérin (BCG) strain has been shown to protect against the development of lesions in vaccinated animals: mouse, cattle and wildlife species. In this study, the immune response and the pathology of vaccinated (BCG-prime and BCG prime-CFP-boosted) and unvaccinated (controls) calves were evaluated under experimental settings. A 10⁶ CFU dose of the BCG strain was inoculated subcutaneously on the neck to two groups of ten animas each. Thirty days after vaccination, one of the vaccinated groups was boosted with an M. bovis culture filtrate protein (CFP). Three months after vaccination, the three groups of animals were challenged with 5×10⁵ CFU via intranasal by aerosol with a field strain of M. bovis. The immune response was monitored throughout the study. Protection was assessed based on immune response (IFN-g release) prechallenge, presence of visible lesions in lymph nodes and lungs at slaughter, and presence of bacilli in lymph nodes and lung samples in histological analysis. Vaccinated cattle, either with the BCG alone or with BCG and boosted with CFP showed higher IFN-g response, fewer lesions, and fewer bacilli per lesion than unvaccinated controls after challenge. Animals with low levels of IFN-g postvaccine-prechallenge showed more lesions than animals with high levels. Results from this study support the argument that vaccination could be incorporated into control programs to reduce the incidence of TB in cattle in countries with high prevalence.     

Circannual changes in blood coagulation factors and the effect of warfarin on the hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus

Levels of blood coagulation factors were measured monthly in hedgehogs kept at 20 degrees C under a natural-light schedule for 1 yr using prothrombin time and the P & P method. Hedgehogs display a circannual cycle of blood coagulation factors in the absence of temperature cues, with high levels corresponding to the active period and low levels corresponding to the hibernation period. Ten hedgehogs and ten guinea pigs were treated with clinical doses of warfarin and blood coagulation factors measured. Warfarin caused a similar decrease in vitamin K-dependent blood coagulation factors in both species.     

Partial arousals from hibernation in hedgehogs in outdoor hibernacula

Summary Thermal properties of hibernacula and sequences of arousals have been studied in four adult hedgehogs for seven months starting in October. Departures and entries to the nesting chamber were continuously monitored together with ambient temperature and the temperature in the hibernacula.During the two first months of the experimental period nest departures were intermittently recorded, predominantly in the two females which also occasionally foraged. The longest periods spent continuously in the hibernaculum ranged from 129 to 178 days. The natural hibernation season for Danish hedgehogs was found to comprise the six months from October onwards when there is little shelter where hedgehogs normally roam.Ambient temperatures recorded were —11 to +13° C being subzero for half the total time measured. The nest temperatures generally were higher, and above 0° C during 78–99% of total time, most commonly ranging from 0° to 4° C and thus reflecting deep hibernation.Between December and May spontaneous increases in nest temperatures amounting to 7–26° C (average 18° C) and bringing these temperatures to 10–29.5° C were recorded in 58 cases. Fiftyfour arousals did not involve departure from the hibernaculum (partial arousals). In the remaining cases (full arousals) the preceding rewarming lasted 4 1/2–6 1/2 h and nest departures amounted to 10,2 and 5 min in one female hedgehog and 90 min in another.The hedgehogs showed 12–18 arousals, the mean duration of which was 34–44 h. The high energy expenditure associated with arousals however, was found to last on average 21 h during each arousal. It is hypothesized that the body temperature during arousals chiefly was below 35–37° C.The time between arousals was 3–15 days. Periods in hibernation averaged 7–8 days in the females and 9–10 days in the heavier males, being generally longest in January-February. Neither arousals nor re-entries into deep hibernation occurred at any particular time of the day. It is suggested that for undisturbed hedgehogs arousals are induced and controlled by endogenous factors. In conclusion it is stressed that future studies on hibernation should recognize the importance of individual variability in the response pattern and focus interest on the endogenous factors which govern this important process.     

Molecular detection and characterization of Theileria sp. from hedgehogs (Paraechinus aethiopicus) in Saudi Arabia

In this study, we conducted molecular detection and characterization of piroplasms that infect the Ethiopian or desert hedgehogs (Paraechinus aethiopicus) in Saudi Arabia. Blood samples from 112 (68 males and 44 females) desert hedgehogs from Unaizah, Central Saudi Arabia were screened for Theileria/Babesia DNA using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) employing specific primers amplifying the partial 18S small subunit rRNA gene. Theileria DNA was detected in 51 samples (45·5%), giving a prevalence of 45·5%. Theileria DNA was found in 33 (48·5%) males and 18 (40·9%) females, and there was no significant difference (P > 0·05) in the prevalence between males and females. Similarly, there was no significant difference (P > 0·05) in the prevalence between juveniles (40%) and adults (46·7%). There was a significant difference in the prevalence of Theileria in hedgehogs collected from May to September and the period from October to April (P = 0·003). Four haplotypes of Theileria sp. in hedgehogs were detected and designated as H1–H4. H1 was the predominant haplotype and found in 80·8% of the positive individuals. Partial sequences of the 18S rRNA of Theileria sp. from hedgehogs grouped with Theileria spp. that are benign. This study is the first report of the occurrence of Theileria spp. in Saudi Arabian desert hedgehogs.     

An easy,flexible solution to attach devices to hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) enables long‐term high‐resolution studies

Bio‐logging is an essential tool for the investigation of behavior, ecology, and physiology of wildlife. This burgeoning field enables the improvement of population monitoring and conservation efforts, particularly for small, elusive animals where data collection is difficult. Device attachment usually requires species‐specific solutions to ensure that data loggers exert minimal influence on the animal’s behavior and physiology, and ensure high reliability of data capture. External features or peculiar body shapes often make securing devices difficult for long‐term monitoring, as in the case with small spiny mammals. Here, we present a method that enables high‐resolution, long‐term investigations of European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) via GPS and acceleration loggers. We collected data from 17 wild hedgehogs with devices attached between 9 and 42 days. Our results showed that hedgehogs behaved naturally; as individuals curled, moved through dense vegetation, slipped under fences and built regular day nests without any indication of impediment. Our novel method makes it possible to not only attach high‐precision devices for substantially longer than previous efforts, but enables detachment and reattachment of devices to the same individual. This makes it possible to quickly respond to unforeseen events and exchange devices, and overcomes the issue of short battery life common to many lightweight loggers.