Hood Petz Hedgehog Colors, Patterns and Facial Patterns

Need help identifying hedgehog variety, color, pattern and facial pattern?
On this page, you'll find detailed descriptions as well as photos.

Variety
When determining whether a hedgehog is an Algerian or White-Belly, the most obvious difference is the eye patches.
However, we have listed a few other characteristics below that will help distinguish the difference.

	White-Belly	Algerian
Eye Patches	There is typically no eye patch.	Pronounced patch of colored fur below the eye that extends toward the quill line.
Quills	The base & tips of the quills are whitest.	The base & tips of the quills are snow-white.
Face, Ears, Other	Typically have smaller ears, a shorter nose and smaller body size.	Typically have larger ears, a longer nose and larger body size.

Color

Color Grouping
Often, when babies are very young, it is impossible to determine color and/or pattern. The following terms are used to provide folks with a general idea of the most likely outcome.

Dark Range:
Algerian Black, Salt & Pepper, Dark Grey, Grey

Medium Range:
Chocolate, Brown, Cinnamon, Dark Cinnicot

Light Range:
Cinnicot, Champagne, Apricot, Pale Apricot, Silver, Leucistic

Albino
This color can be Algerian or White Belly but will always
have a pink nose and sparkling pink eyes.

NOTE: In recent years, we've seen colors that cannot be defined by the list below.
We're currently working to revise this list to more accurately identify new and developing colors.

	Algerian Black Quills are cream, widely banded black, fading to dark rust. Legs and undercarriage are extensively mottled or solid black. Mask and ears are black Nose is black Eyes are black Note: Found only in the Algerian variety
	Salt & Pepper (RARE COLOR) Quills are whitest-white, widely banded black, fading to grey. Legs and undercarriage are extensively mottled or solid black. Mask and ears are black Nose is black Eyes are black Note: Found only in the White-Belly variety. Many people incorrectly label their hedgehogs Salt & Pepper.
	Dark Grey Quills are cream or white (depending on variety), banded by black, fading to light rust. Legs and undercarriage are extensively mottled. Mask and ears are dark grey Nose is black Eyes are black
	Grey Quills are cream or white (depending on variety), narrowly banded by black, fading to light rust. Legs and undercarriage show some mottling. Mask and ears are grey. Nose is black Eyes are black
	Chocolate Quills are cream or white (depending on variety), banded by dark brown. Legs and undercarriage may show some mottling. Mask and ears are medium to light brown Nose is live and may be outlined or show mottling Eyes are black
	Brown Quills are cream or white (depending on variety), banded by light brown. Legs and undercarriage may show minimal mottling. Mask and ears are light brown Nose is chocolate or liver and may show mottling Eyes are black
	Cinnamon Quills are cream or white (depending on variety), banded by deep cinnamon-orange. Legs and undercarriage show little or no mottling. Mask and ears are light brown to tan Nose is liver to pink Eyes may be black, green, or deepest ruby but never pink or bright ruby.
	Dark Cinnicot Quills are cream or white (depending on variety), banded by pale cinnamon. Legs and undercarriage show no mottling. Mask and ears are pale to light brown Nose is liver and may be outlined or show mottling Eyes may be black, green, or deepest ruby but never pink or bright ruby.
	Cinnicot Quills are cream or white (depending on variety), banded by cinnamon and apricot. Legs and undercarriage show no mottling. Mask and ears are pale brown to no color at all Nose is liver or pink and may show mottling Eyes may be black, green, plum or deepest ruby but never pink or bright ruby.
	Champagne Quills are cream or white (depending on variety), banded by pale orange and pale cinnamon. Legs and undercarriage show no mottling. Mask and ears are very pale tan to no color at all Nose is liver or pink and may show light mottling Eyes are typically ruby but may be black, green, blue/lavender, plum or deepest ruby.
	Apricot Quills are cream or white (depending on variety), banded by pale orange to orange-beige. Legs and undercarriage show no mottling. Mask and ears are very pale tan to no coloring at all Nose is pink and may be outlined in liver Eyes are typically ruby but may be black, green, blue/lavender, plum or deepest ruby.
	Pale Apricot Quills are white, banded by pale orange-yellow. Legs and undercarriage show no mottling. Mask and ears show no color at all Nose is pink Eyes are typically ruby but may be black, green, blue/lavender, plum or deepest ruby. Note: Found only in the White-Belly variety
	Silver Quills are white with silvery/pale grey banding. Legs and undercarriage may show pale grey mottling. Mask and ears are pale grey to no coloring at all Nose is pale grey Eyes are black or green. Pictured is an Algerian Silver High Pinto
	Leucistic All quills are white with no banding at all. Legs and undercarriage show no mottling. Mask and ears are show no coloring at all Nose shows no coloring at all Eyes may be black, green, blue/lavender, plum or deep garnet but never pink or bright ruby.
	Albino All quills are white with no banding at all. Legs and undercarriage show no mottling. Mask and ears are pink to no coloring at all Nose is pink Eyes are pale pink. Note: Variety is nearly impossible to determine in albinos. If both parents are Algerian, it is assumed that the babies are as well.
Body Patterns
	Snowflake 30%-55% of the quills are solid white and evenly distributed across the body; with the remainder being banded. Pictured is an Algerian Chocolate Snowflake.
	High White Snowflake 60%-75% of the quills are solid white and evenly distributed across the body; with the remainder being banded. Pictured is an Algerian Chocolate High Snowflake.
	White or Double White 80%-100% of the quills are solid white; with few (or no) quills being banded. The face, ears and limbs may be marked with the base color. Pictured is an Algerian Chocolate White.
	Minimal Pinto Pinto markings on 10%-25% of the body. Pictured is an Algerian Grey Minimal Pinto.
	Average Pinto Average pintos have pinto markings on 30%-45% of the body. Pictured is an Algerian Chocolate Average Pinto.
	High White Pinto Pinto markings on 50%-65% of the body. Pictured is an Algerian Grey High White Pinto.
	Reverse Pinto Pinto markings on 70%-99% of the body. Eyes may be black, green, blue/lavender, plum or deepest ruby but never pink or bright ruby. Pictured is an Algerian Dark Grey Reverse Pinto.
Facial Patterns
	Total Pinto Faced The face is completely marked pinto and there is no base colored mask at all.
	Half-Masked or Split Faced One half of the face is white (or pinto) and the other half is masked with the hedgehog’s base color. Half-Masked refers to hedgehogs with an even (50/50) split.
	Partial Pinto Face or Partial Masked Uneven, broken or small patches of pinto markings across the face that clearly disrupt the normal mask pattern. Pinto or Partial Masked refers to hedgehogs with no less than 10% pinto marking in the mask.
	Partial Blaze The typical mask pattern is broken by a white stripe that extends from the forehead toward the nose, but not to the nose. Partial Blaze must extend at least 20% into the mask and can be slightly off-center.
	Full Blaze The typical mask pattern is completely broken down the center by a white stripe that extends from the forehead to the nose. Can be slightly off-center but must extend fully to the nose.
	Wide Blaze The typical mask pattern is completely broken down the center by a very wide white stripe that extends from the forehead to the nose. Can be slightly off-center but must extend fully to the nose.
	Eye Patch(es) Distinct circle(s) of base coloring around the eye(s) while the remainder (or most) of the face is pinto marked. Eye Patch must be clearly defined and separate from any portion of mask that may be visible.
	Raccoon Eyes Full and complete mask with a clear break between the mask and eye patches. Broken mask with less than 30% pinto is acceptable. Note: Broken mask with more than 30% pinto is Eye Patch category.
	Raccoon Mask Mask is distinct (or only present) across both eyes and the bridge of the muzzle, resembling a blindfold. Fading (or lack of mask) below the eyes and downward toward the nose.
	Badger Stripes Stripes on the forehead extending from the mask into the quill line.