The upper parts, except for the front of the head and ears, are covered with short spines. The spines are mainly white at the base and at the tips and have a central band that is dark brown or black. This band varies in width geographically and imparts a darker or lighter appearance to the animals in different areas. The face, limbs, and tail are covered with dark brown or grayish brown hair, and the underparts vary in color from white to black.
Females have three pairs of mammae.
A general requirement is the presence of dry shelter where the animals can rest and bear their young. They are predominantly nocturnal and rest by day, curled up like a ball, under matted grass or in leaf litter, a rocky crevice, or a hole in the ground. Such refuges are changed on a daily basis unless they are being used to rear young or as a hibernation site. During the warm and rainy season, when food is abundant, the hedgehogs gain weight, and they enter torpor when the weather is cool and dry. In southern Africa, such hibernation takes place from about June to September, with the animals remaining torpid for periods of up to six weeks but emerging during warm intervals.