▁l itter ▁which ▁typically ▁numbers ▁between ▁four ▁and ▁six , ▁though ▁can ▁range ▁from ▁two ▁to ▁ten . ▁Studies ▁have ▁indicated ▁that ▁l itter ▁size ▁may ▁increase ▁in ▁more ▁northern ▁cl imes . ▁The ▁young ▁are ▁born ▁blind ▁with ▁a ▁covering ▁of ▁small ▁sp ines . ▁By ▁the ▁time ▁they ▁are ▁ 3 6 ▁hours ▁old , ▁the ▁second , ▁outer ▁coat ▁of ▁sp ines ▁begins ▁to ▁spr out . ▁By ▁ 1 1 ▁days ▁they ▁can ▁roll ▁into ▁a ▁ball . ▁We an ing ▁occurs ▁at ▁four ▁to ▁six ▁weeks ▁of ▁age . ▁ ▁L on ge vity ▁and ▁mort ality ▁European ▁h edge h ogs ▁may ▁live ▁to ▁ten ▁years ▁of ▁age , ▁although ▁the ▁average ▁life ▁expect ancy ▁is ▁three ▁years . ▁Star v ation ▁is ▁the ▁most ▁common ▁cause ▁of ▁death , ▁usually ▁occurr ing ▁during ▁hi bern ation . ▁If ▁al ar med , ▁the ▁animal ▁will ▁roll ▁into ▁a ▁ball ▁to ▁protect ▁itself . ▁Many ▁potential ▁pred ators ▁are ▁rep elled ▁by ▁its ▁sp ines , ▁but ▁pred ation ▁does ▁occur . ▁Rem ains ▁of ▁h edge h ogs ▁have ▁been ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁st om ach s ▁of ▁European ▁bad gers ▁( M eles ▁m eles ), ▁red ▁fo xes ▁( V ul pes ▁vul pes ) ▁and ▁p ine ▁mart ens ▁( Mart es ▁mart es ). ▁A ▁large ▁portion ▁of ▁these ▁may ▁be ▁from ▁h edge h og ▁car c ass es , ▁especially ▁road - kill . ▁However , ▁h edge h ogs