Baby hedgehogs have a trick to protect their mothers from their quills.

Hedgehogs are known for the sharp spines they raise when threatened, but nature gives newborns a softer start to protect their mother. Depending on the hedgehog species, a mother typically gives birth to between four and seven babies (called hoglets) each born with its first spines safely concealed beneath a swollen, fluid-filled membrane so they don’t injure her during birth. Within hours, the swelling subsides and soft white spines begin to emerge, followed by darker, stronger ones over the next several days.

Hoglets spend their first weeks tucked in the nest, nursing and relying on their mother for protection. Their eyes open at around 2 weeks, and by about 3 to 4 weeks they begin venturing outside the nest with mom and learning to forage. By then, their spines have hardened, so they can  develop the classic hedgehog defense of raising their spines and curling into a tight ball to make themselves a painful mouthful for predators.