Hi Richard
Unfortunately, the markings on the back of the hedgehog are likely to be where someone has already artificially marked them. The actual spines, whilst they can vary from one hedgehog to another are usually pretty much the same colour all over. (although there are occasionally, for instance, a very few pale spines).
Using other people’s artificial marks. I have found, is not a reliable way to identify hedgehogs. I have found that a marked hedgehog will sometimes turn up with other different marks on it. Some people use some substance which doesn’t seem to show up in normal light (other than in texture – not as easily noticeable) and some hogs have different coloured markings on them, which leads me to believe they may have been marked by more than one person. Also sometimes, possibly re-marked by the same person in a different pattern.
The parts of hedgehogs I have suggested are the areas I have found most reliable for identification, although, sadly, sometimes a hedgehog will arrive with artificial markings on it’s face, and skirt.
Why anyone thinks they have the right to mark a hedgehog is beyond me. If they started marking their neighbours’ cat to differentiate it from the other neighbourhood cats (on their night camera images), there would be an uproar. It’s the same difference – hedgehogs do not belong to that person who has marked them.
