Considering adopting a hedgehog? Here are some tips on choosing a healthy hedgehog. There are no guarantees, of course, but avoiding hedgehogs with obvious signs of illness can save you a lot of heartache later on.
You'll also want to find one with a good temperament. Hedgehogs are a bit nervous so often roll into a ball when picked up (especially by a stranger), but an outgoing, tame hedgehog will unroll fairly quickly and lower its quills. Shy hedgehogs naturally take a bit longer to let down their defenses and are a bit more of a challenge but can still make good pets. You will probably want to avoid hedgehogs that seem really fearful and won't unroll for you at all, though (or overtly aggressive hedgehogs, which are pretty rare). I have seen some pretty unfriendly, older hedgehogs in the pet stores here, and I imagine they are not all that rewarding if you want a pet with which you can interact. If you are looking for a hedgehog, do your best to find one that is young and has been handled lots, as I think you will get much more enjoyment out of an easily tamed hedgehog. I had Genie back in the 1990s and got her from a small local breeder, and got her young so she was quite tame and easily handled. I still think hedgehogs are one of the cutest small animal pets, and Genie was really a wonderful pet!
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