What animal is used as a croquet ball in the 1951 film?

A hedgehog is used as a croquet ball in the 1951 film Alice in Wonderland.

The Queen of Hearts’ croquet match turns an ordinary lawn game into Wonderland absurdity. The players use live flamingos as mallets, hedgehogs as balls, and playing-card soldiers as hoops. Because the animals move independently, the game is impossible to control and heavily favors the Queen.

This gag comes directly from Lewis Carroll’s 1865 novel, where the croquet equipment is also alive. In the Disney film, Alice tries to strike a hedgehog with a flamingo, but the animal curls, wanders, and refuses to behave like a ball. The scene also leads to trouble when the Cheshire Cat interferes and the Queen blames Alice.