High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The most common species of domesticated hedgehog is the African pygmy hedgehog, a hybrid of the white-bellied or four-toed hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris) and the Algerian hedgehog (A. algirus). It is smaller than the European hedgehog, and thus is sometimes called African pygmy hedgehog. Other species kept as pets are the Egyptian long-eared hedgehog (Hemiechinus auritus auritus) and the Indian long-eared hedgehog (Hemiechinus collaris).