Can You Keep a Hedgehog in NZ? Sort Of — But Here's Why You Shouldn't (2026)

Whether you can keep a wild European hedgehog depends on where you live, and the Department of Conservation (DOC) says hedgehogs are "pests, not pets". The popular domesticated "African pygmy hedgehog" seen on overseas social media cannot be imported into New Zealand as a pet under MPI's rules. Meanwhile, the wild European hedgehogs found across New Zealand are listed as an animal pest by DOC and appear in some regional pest management plans. In the Auckland region you must not breed, distribute, release or sell any hedgehog (the rule does not list simply possessing one), and in Otago's site-led pest areas no one may keep or hold a hedgehog at all.

The quick answer: Can you keep a hedgehog in New Zealand?

If you are hoping to buy a pet hedgehog like the ones in overseas videos, note that this species cannot be imported into New Zealand as a pet (see below), and selling any hedgehog is banned in the Auckland region.

The small, docile hedgehogs commonly kept as domestic pets overseas belong to the African pygmy hedgehog species (*Atelerix albiventris*). The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) allows only three species other than cats and dogs to be imported as pets: rabbits and guinea pigs from Australia, and chinchillas from Great Britain. Hedgehogs are not on that list, so there is no pet import pathway for them.

The hedgehogs living wild in New Zealand are European hedgehogs (*Erinaceus europaeus*). The rules differ between regions: in the Auckland region you must not breed, distribute, release or sell any hedgehog, and in Otago's site-led pest areas no one can keep, hold, enclose or otherwise harbour one.

Wild European hedgehogs: An introduced predator

European hedgehogs were introduced to New Zealand by British colonists in the 19th century.

Today, DOC describes hedgehogs as widespread in Aotearoa, living in grassland, braided riverbeds and drier forest, with the highest densities in farmland; they have been recorded up to 2,000 metres above sea level. Auckland Council also lists sand dunes and urban gardens among their habitats.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) lists hedgehogs as an animal pest, and Auckland Council lists them as a pest across its whole region. DOC describes the damage they do:

• Predation on ground-nesting birds: DOC says hedgehogs find much of their prey by smell, and in braided river systems they eat the eggs and chicks of banded dotterels, black-fronted terns and pied oystercatchers. One hedgehog can cause an entire colony of endangered black-fronted terns to abandon their nests.
• Threats to native lizards: DOC says hedgehogs prey on lizards, particularly in cooler periods when lizard activity slows, and that skinks are particularly at risk.
• Threats to rare invertebrates: DOC says hedgehogs eat the rare giant native centipede, wētā and other rare insects, and that beetles are a key prey. They also eat the native snail *Wainuia urnula*, and lowland populations of *Powelliphanta* snails may be severely affected.

Because of this damage, conservation groups and local councils actively trap hedgehogs in high-value biodiversity areas to protect vulnerable native fauna.

Regional council rules: The Auckland RPMP restrictions

Rules for hedgehogs vary between regions, so check your regional council's Regional Pest Management Plan (RPMP).

In the Auckland region, hedgehogs are covered by the Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan 2020–2030. Auckland Council lists them for sustained control across the whole region, and as a site-led pest for the Hauraki Gulf Controlled Area.

Auckland's statutory pest rule states verbatim:

"You must not breed, distribute, release or sell any hedgehog within the Auckland region."

Understanding the Auckland rules

It is critical to interpret this wording with legal precision:

• Possession is not on the list: The Auckland rule covers breeding, distributing, releasing and selling; it does not list simply possessing a hedgehog. Other regions can be stricter (see Otago below).
• Ban on breeding and trade: You must not breed, sell or distribute hedgehogs.
• Strict ban on release: If someone takes in an injured or orphaned hedgehog in Auckland with the intention of nursing it back to health, releasing it back into the wild is illegal under the RPMP release prohibition.

Rules in other regions differ based on local conservation priorities. For example, under Otago's pest plan hedgehogs are classified as a pest only in the site-led areas of Otago Peninsula, West Harbour/Mt Cargill, Quarantine Island and Goat Island. In those areas no one can keep, hold, enclose or otherwise harbour hedgehogs, or bring them into the area. Check your own regional council's RPMP for the rules where you live.

Why you shouldn't keep one

Even where your regional rules do not ban possessing a wild hedgehog, DOC is clear about where hedgehogs stand: its hedgehog page has a section headed "Pests, not pets".

1. Disease: Auckland Council notes that hedgehogs are a vector for a variety of diseases, including bovine TB.

1. DOC stance: DOC says hedgehogs cannot coexist with our endangered species, and that removing them from the environment is an essential step to saving what makes Aotearoa unique.

If you find a sick or injured wild hedgehog, contact the SPCA or a local vet.

Legal small pet alternatives in New Zealand

If you are drawn to small companion animals, these species can be kept as pets in New Zealand:

• Guinea Pigs (Cavies): Friendly, social, vocal, and fully legal across New Zealand. They enjoy interaction with humans and are straightforward to care for indoors. Read our complete guide on guinea pig legal status in New Zealand.
• Chinchillas: For those interested in unique exotic pocket pets, chinchillas are legal to keep in New Zealand and are one of only three species other than cats and dogs that MPI allows to be imported as pets (from Great Britain only). Learn more in our chinchilla legal status guide.
• Domestic Rabbits: Hand-raised domestic rabbit breeds make clean, playful indoor companions when properly desexed and housed.

To review the broader legal classifications of exotic animals in Aotearoa, explore our guide to small pets and exotics care in New Zealand.

Summary

The rules on holding a wild European hedgehog vary by region, and the African pygmy hedgehog kept as a pet overseas cannot be imported into New Zealand as a pet. Wild European hedgehogs are environmental pests: Auckland bans breeding, distributing, releasing or selling them, and parts of Otago ban keeping them at all. Protecting New Zealand's vulnerable native wildlife and respecting animal welfare means leaving wild hedgehogs alone and choosing legal, domestic companion pets instead.

Sources

• Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) — Bringing pets to NZ (other than cats and dogs): https://www.mpi.govt.nz/bring-send-to-nz/pets-travelling-to-nz/bringing-pets-to-nz-other-than-cats-and-dogs
• Auckland Council (Tiaki Tāmaki Makaurau) — Hedgehog: https://www.tiakitamakimakaurau.nz/protect-and-restore-our-environment/pests-in-auckland/pest-search/erieur/
• Department of Conservation (DOC) — Hedgehogs: Animal pests: https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/pests-and-threats/animal-pests-and-threats/hedgehogs/
• Otago Regional Council — Hedgehog: https://www.orc.govt.nz/environment/biosecurity-and-pests/animal-pests/hedgehog/