1/3/2003: Hedgehog threatened
 

http://cellar.org/2003/hedgehog.jpg

This dude is endangered. Not because his population is small, but because it's large.

The Hebrides Islands are planning to systematically kill thousands of the animals, because they believe that the hogs are eating too many of the eggs of some of the birds they like.

http://cellar.org/2003/hedgehog2.jpg

The killing is to be done by a group called "Scottish Natural Heritage", and it'll happen in the spring. Apparently all the beasts are in hibernation right now. Unaware of the terror that awaits them when they wake up: death by lethal injection.

Natural selection at its finest. *cough*

Ouch.

http://portlandporcupine.com/images/porcupine-dog.jpg

(from the rather scary site Portland Porcupine)

Man, you'd think God would do somthing there.

Actually, the porcupine and the hedgehog are quite different animals. And it occurs to me that the above pictures don't really show the true nature of the hedgehog, which is one of the cutest animals known to the land:

http://cellar.org/2003/hh.jpg

Hedgehog quills are about 2 cm long; porkys are more like 10-12 or so. Porkys are smarter and more aggressive; hedgehogs are more defensive, and just roll up into a ball when threatened. Porkys also lack the cute naked face and underbelly,

The real controversy comes over the killing of such a cute animal, always a provocative course of action.

http://cellar.org/2003/hh2.jpg

Don't kill me!

Haven't they become a pet rage? Some Cellarista must have one.

i want one.

~james

Right, I just remembered about dogs quilled by porcupines when I saw this IOTD. Porcupines are very aggressive, but they are somewhat cute, too. Should have posted with a disclaimer ;)

I want a sales-monkey like in the Kia commercial.

Boss: "What is that?!"
Salesman: "It's the sales-monkey..."

Andrea used to have two that looked very much like the two pictured above (one albino, the other brown and white). They're pretty fun animals, and if you get them young enough, they're rather tame and gentle. One cool thing about 'em is that you can let them run around the house, 'cause the cat definitely isn't going after it once they have their first encounter :)

seriously, where does one pick up a pet hedgehog or two? im quite sure ive never seen these guys at my local mall store.

~james

I'm pretty sure Pet Despot had them here. Maybe a special order from a local shop?

hedgehogs are neat. :)
And thanks to Undertoad for clarifying the porcupine/hedgehog thing. The two aren't related at all. Hedgehogs don't normally shed quills unless there's something wrong with them, so you don't need to worry about spikey hands when deciding on a pet hedgehog.

Just by coincidence, I saw this in a sig on another forum:

Bestiality sure is a fun thing to do
But I have to say this as a warning to you:
With almost all animals, you can have ball
But the hedgehog can never be buggered at all

links!
 

hedgehog faq
hedgehog club

i found a couple breeders in the area and sent some emails asking prices, etc. it looks like theyre not too difficult to take care of, and theyre just so damned cute! i read somewhere that the humane society occasionally gets them, so ill call them too.

~james