Do all reptiles have spines

Although hedgehogs may curl up into balls in an act of defense, they have been known to bite.

If you happen to be the recipient of a hedgehog bite, it will be painful and the main bodily regions affected are the hand, arm, foot, ankle or leg. Basically, whatever part of your body is in the way at the time it is alarmed!

Possible reasons:

• It smells something interesting - this "bite" is actually more of a nibble. They're trying to self anoint to the scent or taste of you, perfume, etc
• It is acting in defense

Never, EVER, punish your hedgehog cause they didn't know it was wrong. If they do bite, it's a failure on your part as an owner - both because you either aren't handling the hedgie correctly or you haven't socialized them well enough (could also be a failure on the part of the breeder). Better handling and socialization will most likely resolve the problem.