When you think of a hedgehog, you might imagine them using their unique defense mechanism: curling into a tight, spiky ball.

A tenderhearted animal lover spent an entire night tending to what she thought was a sick baby hedgehog — only to find out it was nothing more than a faux fur pom-pom.

A litter of eight baby hedgehogs will soon be available for adoption at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay after a surprise pregnancy.

The little-known species is hunted for superstitious beliefs about its medicinal use and its grassland habitat is vanishing.