Hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, and even rats have long dominated the market as preferred picks for pint-sized pets. But there's another miniature mammal that's starting to gain popularity in the pet ...

If you have you ever stopped your Instagram scroll to admire a particularly cute, pointy, and quill-crowned face, you may have also considered the possibility of getting a pet hedgehog yourself.

Hedgehogs are small nocturnal animals. They have a prickly coat and are naturally found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. They are considered exotic pets and are illegal to own in four states in the U.S.

Hedgehogs have gained popularity as pets in recent decades. Before you add one to your family, Dr. Krista Keller, a veterinarian at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, ...