Immediately following a bath the best time to trim nails as they are softened somewhat by the warm water. Depending on the activity level and temperament of your hedgehog, nail trimming can be quick and painless or may require a vet's assistance. We find this is usually a two-person operation.
Hold your hedgehog right-side up and wait until a foot drops between your fingers, then hold it firmly but gently. The second person can then move in and trim the nails on that foot. Be very careful of the quick, but use a little cornstarch or a styptic pencil if the toe bleeds. Repeat for each foot as needed. We often find that the nails on the front feet wear down quicker than the nails on the back feet and require less frequent trimming.Picture By : thaipetonline.com
Article By : http://hedgies.com/hedgehog_how_to.htm#welcome
Bonding with a hedgehog is quite different than bonding with other animals. The hedgehog has very poor eyesight, and their hearing isn't much better, so they bond using their sense of smell, which is highly developed. Don't use gloves when handling a hedgehog or he won’t know who you are. If you want him to learn to identify your smell as being that of a friend, don't change your odor each day by wearing different perfumes. Spend a great deal of time with your new friend. It is better to spend small amounts of time frequently than large amounts of time infrequently, so that he gets used to having you around. Find an old article of clothing that has no loose threads or holes, wear it for a day, and then place it in his cage so he can adjust to your smell.
A hedgehog can be a special pet for the right person, but they aren’t as cuddly and cute as they look. Many hedgehogs have suffered because of people purchasing them as a fad item and then losing interest, so be sure to do your research first to be sure you are really interested in taking care of a hedgehog. If you are a responsible pet owner, a hedgehog can make a wonderful little pet for you, especially if you have a busy lifestyle or cramped quarters. They can be interesting and entertaining, and best of all, you won’t have to take them for a walk when it’s raining outside!
A utility or kitchen sink works well, filled with two to three inches of warm water. Some hedgehogs enjoy a bath and will even swim in deeper water, but others will struggle and constantly attempt to climb out of the sink. (Common sense note: if your hedgehog does take a fancy to swimming, never, ever, leave them unattended in the water!) Hedgehogs will often poop in the water, so be prepared. 
The more you hold you hedgie the more social he will be. Hogets will go though quilling as a baby and up to 6 months. Quilling is when hedgehogs lose there baby quills and new stronger adult quills are coming through the skin. So it isn't uncommon for your hedgehog to get grumpy off and on until he he completely though quilling. Hedgehogs that are quilling will have some quill loss, you will see a few here and there but you shouldn't see any bold spots. If you look closely at his skin during this time you can see quills coming though the skin. His back will be tender and this is what causes him to be huffier then normal. You will still need to give him plenty of holding time, just be sure to play with him gently so you don't irritate his skin. Bathing your hedgehog in warm water can help with some of the discomfort
You may also notice your aging hedgehog develop what's known as wobbly hedgehog syndrome, where the characteristic gait of a hedgehog becomes wobbly and uncertain. A hedgehog's average domestic lifespan hovers around seven or eight years. To ensure that your hedgehog enjoys the fullest, healthiest possible life, it is your responsibility to find a good veterinarian and schedule occasional check-ups for your hedgehog (perhaps once every couple years). If you notice irregular behavior, loss of appetite, difficulty moving or defecating, eye or nose discharge, or other physical changes (temperature, skin health), consult a veterinarian and schedule an appointment.
A females sex organ is located right next to the anus. If you are unable to get the hedgehog to uncurl in your hand, wait until they uncurl enough to get your hand under their front legs. Then hold them up placing the other hand under their bottom, and then sneak a peak. 
What do you do if, in your quest for a hedgehog, you find a hedgehog or hedgehogs in a pet store that are in poor health, neglected, or otherwise mistreated? Your first instinct might be to purchase the hedgehog and "rescue" him from the situation. This will undoubtedly benefit the hedgehog in the short term but does nothing to deter the pet store from obtaining more hedgehogs and treating them in exactly the same manner.
To truly help, try to break the cycle. Speak to the management about proper care. You can find wonderful care sheets about hedgehogs, and other creatures 
1.) You will need to look for a food that has 30% or more protein, and around 15% fat (20% at the upper end). This is very important to make sure your hedgehog has enough energy and doesn't become overweight. A fat content much lower than 15%, or higher than 20% could possibly lead to an overweight hedgehog or other health issues.
All hedgehogs should get occasional treats from the table. Unspiced chicken, tuna and salmon are big favorites, as are bits of cooked egg and many fruits and vegetables. Cottage cheese and yogurt are okay, but other dairy products should not be given as they can cause an upset stomach. With any new treat give only a small amount to begin with, just in case it doesn't agree with your hedgehogs digestion. Treats of mealworms or crickets are enjoyable, but not necessary, and should never be given in large amounts due to the high fat content. You don't have to feed insects live, but it can be fun watching your hedgie hop around after it's lunch!! Which leads to our next, and possibly most important topic...
Your vet can tell you if the symptoms are consistent with food allergies. Diagnosis is done by feeding the hedgehog a veterinary exclusion diet, which either contains hypoallergenic foodstuffs or an entirely novel protein and carbohydrate source. Knarla's vet prescribed 
Baby hedgehogs grow very quickly for the first month of their life. When they leave their nest, their growth slows as they have to feed themselves. Unlike most animals, the hedgehog does not stop growing once it reaches maturity, but will very slowly continue to get bigger throughout its life.
The babies are born into a nest similar to the one in which the mother hibernates in, except for being larger. It is made mostly of leaves and grass, but may contain anything that the hedgehog may drag back to the site. The nest doesn't include any special lining material, but by treading and turning around the mother produces a soft, comfortable interior. If the nest is disturbed soon after the birth, the mother will either abandon them, or sometimes will eat them. When they are older she may react by transferring them to another nest.
The ritual seems more like a fight as it is an extremely noisy event. The courtship, or 'pre-mating display', is initiated by the male when he comes across a solitary female on his nightly wanderings. He approaches her, snuffling and snorting, and circles closely round and round, trying to claim her attention. The female shows no interest; she twitches violently and repeatedly turns away from him. The male persists and circles closer, snorting louder and louder, sometimes for hours.
Ultimately, however, the female may become receptive and allow the male to mount her. Mating may only last a minute or two, and then the pair separate. The male plays no further part in bringing up the family, and if the hedgehogs ever meet again, it is probably only out of chance.
Hibernation is not always a part of the hedgehog's life cycle. European hedgehogs found in New Zealand generally do not hibernate, and if they do it is only for a few weeks. In contrast, Scandanavian hedgehogs have an extended hibernation period as winters in the region are longer. Hedgehogs will only hibernate for the minimum necessary period as the process is hazardous. Nevertheless, hibernation is a valuable strategy that gives the hedgehog a chance to live through conditions through which it would have no chance of surviving.
The hedgehog's hibernation is more complex than just a lengthy sleep. It involves lowering the energy consumption of the animal by lowering the metabolic rate, slowing down the pumping of blood and lowering its breathing rate so that it may not take a breath for several minutes - making it appear dead. The only observable difference being that it will bristle its spines when touched. The hedgehog's body temperature can be lowered from the usual 35ºC to as low as 4ºC and the heart will only beat around 20 beats per minute. These reductions mean that the energy required to keep it alive is around one fiftieth of its normal energy expenditure. These reductions mean that the hedgehog requires very little energy, but it must survive the whole winter on its fat reserves. It is therefore vitally important that the hedgehog eats well before the winter season - building its weight up to at least 600g. It a hedgehog's weight is much below this threshold, it will probably not survive the freezing winter.
By the beginning of March, the hedgehog's fat reserves which have sustained them through the winter will be almost exhausted. The first mild nights of March see the emergence of the first hungry hedgehogs. During the inter they will have lost a substantial art of their body weight and they must quickly replace it. If cold weather sets in again, they will return to their winter nests. By mid-April all hedgehogs should be out busily feeding on the insects that are once again abundant in gardens and the countryside.
These solitary animals typically couple only for mating. The young born each year, in litters ranging from one to eleven, remain with their mothers for only four to seven weeks before heading out on their own. Among the predators females must guard against during this period are other male hedgehogs, which will sometimes prey upon the young of their species. Hedgehog mothers have also been known to eat their young if the nest is disturbed, though they sometimes simply move them to a new nest.
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