Hedgehogs come in a variety of colors, markings, and masks. To help you better recognize basic hedgehog color groups and mask types,
​we have listed a few gneral categories below with pictures.
For more detailed information on color, please refer to Hedgehog Central's Color Guide.

Colors

Hedgehog Central recognizes 91 different colors in the African Pygmy Hedgehog! Below is a quick summary of some of the color groups and varieties with pictures to help identify them. We will start with the lighter colors and progress toward the darker colors.

Lighter Colors

Apricot

Apricot hedgehogs have light strawberry blonde quills with dark ruby eyes. They have a light tan mask with a tan to pink nose and ears.

Cinnacot

Cinnacot quills are a shade or two darker than apricots. They have a darker mask, dark eyes, and brown nose.

Medium Colors

Cinnamon, Brown, and Chocolate

Welcome to the rich gorgeous browns! They range in color from light brown or cinnamon to a deep rich dark chocolate with a the medium brown in the middle. Below are a group of beautiful brown hedgehogs from light to dark modeling their beautiful quills. Many brown hoglets do not develop their full color until after they complete their first baby quilling (shedding).

Darker Colors

Grey

,Greys have dark banded quills with dark eyes nose, and ears. Like the browns they can range a bit from a lighter grey to nearly black.

Black

Blacks have extensive masks that touch the quill line. Their eyes nose and ears are black and only the tips of their quills are white. Their legs are black and their underbellies are heavily mottled with black.

Color Varieties

Below are a couple of the variations that hedgehogs can have with their base color.

Snowflake

Snowflakes have a mixture of solid white quills and colored quills, like a roan or grey horse. The percentage of solid white quills versus colored quills can vary dramatically. Many "white" hedgehogs are actually high white snowflakes with 80% or more of their quills solid white. They retain their base color at the points: feet, ears, and mask.

Pinto

Pinto hedgehogs have spots! They can come in any color and have any mask type. They can have a lot of white or very little. Some have mismatched ears and/or eyes with one dark ear/eye and one white ear or ruby eye. Below are just a few examples.

Masks

Hedgehog face markings come in a wide variety and many different colors!
Below are some of the many possible types of masks that can appear on most of the above colors.

Standard (Algerian)

This mask is similar to the original wild hedgehog with a colored muzzle that often extends past the eyes and cheeks but does not touch the quill line.

Badger Stripes

A badger stripe is a line of color in the middle of the face that connects the mask to the quill line. The line(s) can be thin or thick depending on the individual.

3/4 Mask

This is a term I use to describe an extensive mask that connects to the quill line from the middle of the face and the corner of the eyes. It gives the appearance of white eyebrows.

Full Mask

A full mask covers the entire face all the way to the quill line and extends past the eyes and cheeks. A few white hairs may appear over the eyes, but the mask is thick and wider than the 3/4 mask.

Pinto Mask

Half masks, blazes, zigzags, and eye patches are all part of what I call pinto masks. Pinto masks are unusual and often unique. Some have mismatched ears or eyes. Each one is a work of art. Here are just a few of the possibilities.