Phin's Christmas

Well Phinneus, despite being Jewish, received another Christmas present! Matt's mother gave him [me] a $10 gift card to Pet Supermarket! $10 to spend on pure joy for the little fella. He deserves something nice after the antibiotics which are inflicted on him twice a day; after all, nobody likes having a syringe full of nasty pink medicine forcibly shoved in their mouths.

Post Vet Visit and The Eve of Christmas

Phin's vet visit, I am happy to report, went very well! He behaved himself quite nicely even though we had a long sit in the exam room before the vet came in. During this time he busied himself with my shirt, which he licked and nibbled and tugged, and then anointed himself with. Good Phin, I definitely want the vet to see you with spit all over your back. But I digress. Phinneus behaved himself very admirably for someone who was being poked and prodded and having cold metal instruments pressed against them. The vet reported that Phin's was the best hedgehog heartbeat he had ever heard! Then he said Phin's lungs sounded good and he looked healthy, but just in case the runny nose were to turn into a more serious condition, he prescribed a round of antibiotics to be given twice daily for five days. Let me tell you, trying to syringe 7.5 ML of sticky pink medicine into a uncooperative hedgehog is a major battle. It always ends up in his eyes, stuck to his forehead, or dribbling down his chest. Good grief, my guinea pig Yossarian had the same round of antibiotics and loved it. Yossi is now a veritable drug fiend. Phinneus, why can't you love drugs as much as your step-different-species brother Yossi?

Well today is also Christmas Eve- yay! I do love Christmas time more than any other time of the year. It really is the most wonderful. Even though Phinneus is Jewish and has had his holiday, I still plan to lavish him with mealworms tonight as a little feat. Matt brought Pherb with him when he came, and Pherb shall be lavished with treats also! Shoot, I just realized that I forgot to get Pherb some Christmas presents! Oh well, I am sure a nice square or two of toilet paper and some fruits will be plenty for him. He's a nice, simple boy...unlike some I know.

Pre Vet Visit

Tomorrow Phinneus has a vet visit. We are not at school, and so we have a different vet, but he has done wonders with my guinea pigs in the past, and has knowledge of hedgehogs. Phin hasn't been wheeling in weeks! He also has a drippy nose, and seems to have a decreased appetite. I want to get to the bottom of this if I can, so off to the vet! My mother is coming too, so it will be almost like a little outing. I hope Phin behaves himself. In the past he has done well with vets and no on has had to get out gloves or anything like that. He has also *knock on wood* been behaving himself.

Party

Here is Phin's impression of Rudolph.

Last night was my birthday party and both hedgehogs and Phinneus made an appearance. My mother got me a set of wooden hedgehog pieces in all their spikey glory; they are made to be stacked up into a tower in any way the stacker can concieve of. It is a game of skill and imagination. I was trying it last night but certain family members thought it would be hilarious to bang on the table and knock it over.

Later in the night Phinneus himself came down, wrapped in his towel. He was cooed and cautiously petted by just about everyone, especially the three little nieces. Everyone marvels over the dry sound of his spikes when they are rubbed together. It really is quite a remarkable sound you wouldn't expect from a living animal. It sounds exactly like dry grains of rice being shaken.

Phin was a good sport and didn't make a stinky mess like he usually does in public. He consented to entertain and disgust by loudly crunching on some mealworms (which his grandma graciously bought as a Hanukkah present). Then he anointed with the rug some- he really loves that rug- and settled down to sleep. A typical evening for the little guy.
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Preparations

Today, after my exam, I will finish my preparations for winter break, and then Phinneus (and possibly the newts) and I will embark for home. Phinneus has been to Cedarburg before but never for so long. He will have his cage and familiar things, CHE setup, and light timer to give his life normalcy. Lately he has been on another wheel strike I and so far I haven't been able to figure out the cause.

Luckily for us, Phin is good at road trips.

Blizzard Birthday

So...all the birthday preparations I had in place for weeks were ground to a halt as Wisconsin decided the time was ripe to blast a blizzard through. Luckily, Phinneus and Pherb were tucked up cozily with Matt and I, and one of my good old friends braved the weather to come and celebrate with us. Phin remains grumpy, and I remain an optimistic birthday girl. Screw you winter weather hazards, I will have a 21st birthday!

On The Eve of Birthday

Today is the eve of my birthday and Phin's 9 month birthday. We are going to Matt's tonight for some quality celebration with some quality people. I certainly hope Phin's Bad Mood will pass, as he bit me for the first time ever last night, and I hope spare out guests the same uncomfortable fate. The bite was not necessarily malicious; he was licking zealously and then moved in for the chomp. Then again, with him, it could have been ferocious warning licks leading up to a bite.

In other news, since the Festival of Lights, aka Hanukkah, has passed all of Target's Hanukkah stuff was on sale for 75% off so I snagged some cute window sticks for Phin's cage. It is now emblazoned with several Star of Davids, a dreidel, and a Menorah complete with little sticky flames. I figure Phinneus, being a hedgehog, won't care if the decorations are a bit late. At least he got a Hanukkah present, right?

In Memory of Suzie, the Lost Hamster

Not too long ago I bought myself a hamster as an early holiday present. I didn't mean to- that is, I saw her and learned her background, and just couldn't leave her. Suzie was a white Teddy bear hamster who was born without eyes. She was very soft, very sweet, and very adventurous. She had the most perfect pink feet and delicate little ears. Sadly, yesterday (Wednesday) I noticed signs of illness in her which pointed to the dread Wet Tail, which is a form of serious diarrhea. When I first noticed I did not realize what a dire situation she was in, and since I was booked solid for the day with classes, projects, and work I did not have time to take her to the vet. Matt offered to pick up some medicine, syringe her water, and monitor her on some fresh, clean bedding in a hamster "ICU". He was an excellent nurse and cared for her while I was away at work. Unfortunately it was too much for little Suzie and she passed away around 5.20 in the evening while Matt was holding her.

We didn't have Suzie for very long, but while we did she was a wonderful and benign little ball of fuzz who loved her wheel and loved to be taken out of her cage to explore. She was named by my friend Emily after the main character in the play 'Wait Until Dark' who is blind and who ends up saving the day.

Suzie will be greatly missed.

Hark! The Herald Hedgehog...pees?

I have entered Phinneus in the Carolina Storm Christmas Hedgehog Photo Contest. Here is the link! You will have to scroll down to #39 to see a familiar hedgie face. There are tons of cute and clever photos though, so I'm sure you won't mind seeing all the other holiday hedgehogs.

Getting Phin to pose for a Christmas photo (he's Jewish, perhaps that explains some of the reluctance?) was NOT an easy task. I prepared a warm bath with Aveeno oatmeal powder which he attempted to drown himself in, and then I sat with him wrapped in his towel on my lap so that he could dry off and stay warm. I sacrificed homework time for this- which at this time of year for a college student is quite a thing to do. Next I attempted Round #1 of photo shoot. This did not go well. I ended throwing my hands up in exasperation and putting Phin back in his bin for a while. I was ready to attempt the next round many hours later, and this one went better...although I caught the wee rascal trying to secretly pee in my hat. I got him out just in time! One of the photos showed a distinct yellow puddle around his back legs. I got a good amount of quality holiday photos despite this, which I will be sharing on my blog posts throughout the month of December. Did I mention that December is the best month of the year? My birthday is on the 12th, and on the same day Phinneus will be 9 months old. My little hoglet is growing up! Phinneus also gets to celebrate the festival of lights, and I get to go all out getting ready for Christmas. Pherb decided not to be Jewish, and instead will be agnostic and celebrate X-mas. What a cheery holiday bunch we are!

Anyway, be sure to check out the Christmas Photo Contest. I don't need to a win a Carolina Storm Wheel ( I already have one) but I wanted to submit a photo purely because I like to show off my little grumpus.

Tasty New Dish

I have begun the long slow process of adding a new food to Phinneus's diet. My hog is on the small side- he doesn't over eat, and he runs quite a bit on his wheel. His weight hovers around 300 grams (give or take a large poo). I decided that it couldn't hurt to introduce a food that wasn't weight loss, since he certainly isn't in need of weight loss. I picked up a bag of Wellness Indoor Cat food; because he loves his Wellness Kitten food so much, I thought another type of Wellness would suite him. Right now Phin's kibble mix consists of Solid Gold Katz-n-Flocken (the original food he was on when I got him- a lamb based mixture), Wellness Kitten food (chicken), Blue Buffalo Spa Select (chicken), and now Wellness Indoor Cat (also chicken). When switching or adding a new food to a hedgehog's diet you must do it very slowly so as not to upset their digestion. I only add three-five kibbles pieces per day. So far Phin eats about half of these, which is a good sign. It means that he might actually like the food which means that I didn't just waste $13 on a bag of cat food. Hooray!

*Hisssss* No Light!

It turns out that Phinneus would not wheel because there was a tiny glow from the streetlamp (though the closed blinds, mind you) that bothered him. Once I shut him up in the closet he wheeled to his hearts content and left a big, huge, stinky mess for me to clean up.

He went home to Cedarburg to visit his grandparents (and scored some new fleece that my mom will make into cute new liners!) and meet new people. On Saturday night I had him out to visit with some of my friends and he discovered a patch of carpet with he was *very* interested in. He anointed like crazy over and over again! He was so into it that we could gently push him over with a finger tip without him caring! We even put the PVC tube around him, which bothered him not at all. Lick, spit rub, repeat.

Now we are back in Madison and settling in to the school routine again. Tonight he came to another theatre rehearsal with me and was the hit of the night, as usual.

New Place, No Wheels

Phinneus has been living in his C&C cage at Matt's since the weekend. This cage is much more spacious (even though it is only a temporary home) and has room for the igloo, PVC pipe, Carolina Storm Wheel, food and water dishes, and litter pan with room to spare. I have the CHE hooked up and towels wrapped around the outside of the cage to contain heat, as the room Phin is in gets pretty chilly. The problem is this: Phinneus hasn't wheeled since before we moved him. I checked his "vital signs" so to speak; food and water intake, excrement levels, interest in treats...all fine. He also doesn't seem to have any mobility issues. However he always crawls under the liner in the exact same spot, and from what I can tell, remains there except for when I pull him out for cuddles, and when he emerges to feed and drink from his dishes. I checked his nails, thinking perhaps they were too long for his comfort. Trimmed them. No reaction. Last night I pulled him out and put him in the kitchen to explore and get some exercise. He was zooming around like a tiny quilly jet engine! No lack of energy there. He had a healthy appetite for treats (mealworms) afterwards too. Now I wonder if perhaps the light leaking in through the blinds from the street lamps outside is bothering him? More experiments shall continue.

Also, since Thanksgiving is approaching, Matt and I will be making the rounds to family get-togethers. This means Matt, Phinneus, Pherb, and myself will be going back to my home (roughly 90 miles away) so that means a long car trip for the critters. Luckily both Phinneus and Pherb are good travelers, being contained and quiet animals. The cat, along with the other odd assorted animals Matt and I possess, will remain at Matt's place and be checked on by his parents.

Tunnel

I finally bought a piece of PVC pipe for Phinneus as a sturdy, washable, spacious tunnel. I believe it is the 4'' variety, and in my terminology is a "bendy piece" meanin it is slightly curved. It cost around $4 from Menard's, but I'm sure you could find it at any hardware store. Apparently there are different types of PVC for varying prices. I washed it thoroughly in hot water when I got home and placed a scrap of Phin's fleece in the pipe to make it more welcoming. The I placed it against the wall in Phin's cage and woke him up to show him. At first he was just confused and slightly annoyed at being woken up in the middle of the afternoon. The he noticed to new addition and came over to investigate. He walked inside, through to the end, and whaadyaknow there was a food dish right in front of him! Tonight will be his first night with the pipe. Will it be soiled and well crawled in tomorrow? Some people post on HHC that their hedgies like to fall asleep in their PVC pipes. Phinneus tends to be a liner diver, so I doubt that he would actually sleep in the PVC pipe, but he might camp out in there. Especially if I can scrape together some more fleece scraps as bedding.

Softly Dimly

Sometimes I forget important things. Like the fact that hedgehogs are nocturnal and so naturally prefer less light when they are *gasp* exposed. When I have Phinneus out for cuddles and exploring he is much more active when the normal lights are off and only my strings of Christmas lights are lit. This way I can still see him, but he feels much more comfortable. He also likes it when I put him in the bathroom with the lights off and let him run around. He can mess all he likes in there without getting it on the carpet :)

In other news, I am still waiting for the November/December issue of the Hedgehog Welfare Society newletter to be posted to their website. If you remember a few months back I submitted a story to them called Burberry and the Fox which they emailed back to me saying it would appear in said issue. It is now officially half way through the month and no November/December issue. Maybe they are waiting until December? I don't know, but I check their site every day just in case.

Some Helpful Breeder Info

After doing research potential hedgehog owners will no doubt come across the "Buy from a breeder" pitch, which is a good one. Especially for first time owners. These little hedgie may be expensive, but they are healthy, happy, and ready to go home. Good breeders will provide food for the new owners, as well as support and care information. The breeders also will take the animal back at any time in order to keep track of where the babies go. Now, I am all about adopting animals, but often the hedgehogs in shelters and in rehoming programs require more skill in socializing, or have health problems. Females can be pregnant, which is a nightmare for first time owners when they are suddenly landed with a whole family of hedgepigs! I am in no way discouraging people from the noble act of providing a forever home for a hedgehog in need, but I am advocating that potential owners think about which route would be best to take. To make this decision easier here are some helpful links.

• Hedgehog Breeder Alliance - This website can help you find a reputable breeder. Make sure the breeder you buy from is REPUTABLE AND WELL KNOWN! Backyard breeders can produce babies with health problems and who are at risk for hereditary diseased like the fatal WHS. Reputable breeders make sure that they know the pedigree of their breeding stock and that the babies will be healthy.
• Here are some places to adopt from! Hedgehog Welfare Society , Petfinder.com , Classifieds at Hedgehogcentral.com
• You can also check your local shelters and Craigslist. Just beware, Craigslist and other similar sites are not as reliable as a shelter or rescue organization. All of these can yield wonderful results however!

All's Well That End's Well

Well Phin's irascible curmudgeonly phase finally broke the night before last, and Mr. Spikey Pants is now back to being sweet and cuddly. Last night he had a grand adventure exploring Matt's kitchen and eating some delicious chicken. His weekend getaway, as I like to think of it, at Matt's is quite spacious and he just loves to utilize his extra habitat land by liner diving. As my dad said, he is Mr. Personality.

Etsy

I don't know how many people are familiar with Etsy.com but this is a wonderful website which is made up of individual artists selling their craftwork. You can find just about anything, and then ten variations of it besides. I, personally, spend long stretches of time browsing through all the hedgehog things. There are stuffed animals, jewelry, t-shirts, prints, etc, and there are always new things. Why am I writing about Etsy? Well, if I'm being honest with myself, it's probably because I am lusting after so much stuff on that website, and this is my way of dealing with being financially handicapped.

Busy Bee

Whew, with a show at my college in tech rehearsals and the homework piling up I have been quite the busy bee...although not busy enough because I am still not quite on top of all my work. Everybody has times where a million different things pile up at once and life seems to become more like a maze with the exit sign offering a faint hope of rest and relaxation. It's during these times that I simply love to come home to a hedgehog. Right now Phinneus is in one of his pissy stages, and it has lasted for several days, but too bad for him his quills don't deter me at all from wanted to cuddle and squeeze him. Last night his bad mood earned him a bath (which he so richly deserved- he reeked of urine). There's nothing like watching a little ball of spikes equipped with a twitchy nose, tiny twig legs, and big ears scooting around the floor searching madly for a mealworm. I saw all of Phin's teeth last night as I was holding him when he lunged out of his fleece at my finger in order to madly like me...I suspect he does this manic licking because of the hand lotion (completely unscented) I put on. I think tonight I will let him loose in the bathroom so he can burn off excess energy and perhaps become a little sweeter.

Treats! Treats!

This is Phinneus. He is waving. I wanted to share this fine hedgehoggy moment with you.

I have learned, since getting up the nerve to feed like mealworms to Phin, that he becomes quite a pleasant little fellow once he has had his treats. Phin is a young adult male, and he goes through phases every once in while were he will be nothing but a hissing, sharp, angry, grumpus. The best way to deal with this situation is not to simply let him be (you must not let the hedgehog think that she/he can get away with this, or they will become progressively more aggresive) but to coax him out of his bad mood by feeding him mealworms. With other hedgies the treat of choice may be a piece of chicken, or some watermelon, etc. I typically give Phin three or four worms every night (it is important that mealworms remain treats, not a staple part of your hedgehog's diet), and after this he becomes a charming angel. Many owners struggle with taking care of a grumpy hedgehog. They assume the animal does not like them, and so they opt to leave the hedgehog alone. Instead, why not try to entice your hedgehog out? Make him or her curious? Give the little prickles a good reason to crawl around on you. This will build a much stronger relationship between you and your hedgie, and will help you to gain their trust. One they do trust you, it's like you are "in the club".

Halloween Hedgehog

Happy Halloween from Hedgehog Town!

*Note: This is not Phinneus.

Home Away From Home

Matt moved into his new apartment last week and this weekend I am bringing Phinneus to stay...sort of a trial run. I set up a cage out of grids and laid down a couple of pieces of fleece, and then added in Phin's spare wheel and an igloo to complete the home away from home ensemble. Now my worry is that Phin will liner dive (burrow under the fleece) and get his little stick legs stuck in the grids. I am going to try and devise a solid base for under the liners out of cardboard. Luckily Matt has a lot of boxes lying around from the move yet. The trick with the compilation cardboard base is to make sure that Phin can't get at the tape holding it together, because the little weirdo loves to eat tape and tape residue. That just can't be healthy for him.

Tis The Season

As a wise hedgehog owner on HHC wrote, tis the season for...hibernation. Hibernation is dangerous for pet hedgehogs as their bodies are not equipped for it. THEY WILL DIE IF NOT GIVEN HELP. It is important to be aware of the hibernation issue and take preventative measures. But first of all, what causes hibernation attempts? Cool temperatures (most people agree that anything below 75 degrees Fahrenheit is too cold) and lack of light. Less daylight signifies the shorter days of winter, as do low temperatures. If you come home one day and your hedgehog isn't moving and feels cold, pick her up. Feel her belly. If it's cold then that is a sure indicator of hibernation. The best thing to do is to steadily warm her up. DO NOT place your hedgehog in hot water as this shocks their system and could cause drowning. Nancy on HHC has a great post (which in turn inspired this post) about how to deal with a hibernation attempt. Here is the link.

A good, reliable heat set up is important. This fall I have invested in one of my own, and while it was a chunk of money, it is required equipment for hedgie ownership. I have a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) in a porcelain lamp fixture clamped to Phin's cage. This is connected with a thermostat (graciously purchased for me by Matt) which controls the temperature. It is set to 79 degrees, and shuts off when the temperature gets too hot. On the cage itself is a thermometer. There is also a lamp with a daylight spectrum bulb plugged into a timer to make sure Phinneus (and Pherb) have twelves hours of daylight and twelve hours of night. Here is an informative how-to of heating your hedgehog's cage. I read this over carefully several times before investing in my setup, and it's working great!

So remember, houses are drafty, and your hedgehog is more sensitive to temperature flux than you would think. Better to take precautions than end up with a hibernation situation on your hands.

An Impostor and A Grateful Owner

This is another Lol Hedgie photo I found, thanks to a friend who sent me the bumper sticker version. It turns out, there's a fair number of these little gems floating around.

I am a very grateful owner. My hedgehog can cuddle like you wouldn't believe. He is quite entertaining to watch- especially when it comes to feeding him mealworms. He had stayed pretty healthy and happy, and doesn't seem to be in any danger of getting overweight no matter how much I spoil him with treats. And finally, he doesn't make noise. I love cats and dogs, but when you are rudely woken out of a blissful sleep on the morning of a rather important and daunting test in comm and civ by the yowling of a relentless cat, the last thing you think is, "Gee, I'm so glad my companion is the mild mannered feline."

I have two cats back home myself, but while I am away at school I rarely see them. It just so happens that I seem to be the biggest cat lover in my household (besides a brother who has long since moved out) as my parents love to complain about the cats. And let's face it, I do too sometimes. Sometimes they deserve it for yowling, barfing, unlawful killing of wildlife and small pets, etc.

My main point is this: I love cats, but I love my silent hedgehog more on morning like this.

Man About Town

I found this photo (apparently there are a whole hash of lol hogs on the internet) and had to share!

Phinneus is becoming a man about town. Or rather, a hog about town. He accompanies me regularly to rehearsals for my theater class, and today he came to see the final product of my first foray into directing. Granted, it was only scene, but I spent considerable time and effort on it, and my actors were putting their all into it, so I thought Phin could wish them to break a leg. He arrived in class in secret; Matt bundeled him against the chilly fall day in layers of fleece and inside a bag. Then he oh-so-casually passed the bag to me, where it sat warm on my lap. Quilly friends always make the day go much more smoothly.

Tattoo Friends

I have been in contact with Hugh Warwick (notable hedgehog expert, and author of 'The Hedgehog's Dilemma) via email and he asked for some photos of my hedgehog tattoo to post on his blog. A few days later his post, containing me!, appreared, and here it is. Mr. Warwick is happy to be at the starting end of what is becoming a trend in people getting hedgehog tattoos. I say, all of us should get together and have photos taken of our tattoos "meeting" each other...where appropriate, of course.

I am just giddy about appearing on Mr. Warwick's blog post and we having been sharing emails back and forth for several days. It seems that a new book is taking shape in his mind, this time about people who have a great love of animals, like himself and the hedgehog, except with different critters. From this, he hopes to choose another suitable animal tattoo.

On to more domestic matters, I arrived home from San Francisco late last night and had a happy reunion with Phinneus. He was extra curious and lively last night, exploring every book and cranny of the floor area he could find. While in California I did my usual search for hedgehog souvenirs and came up with a delightful set of three playful hoglets made by Schleich. I carried them around in my pocket while I explored the city (which, by the way, is the most beautiful city I have ever seen) and took some silly photos of them "visiting" Alcatraz. This is the photo at the top of the post, of course.

Far and Away

this weekend i am far and away from my hedgecreepie. i flew to san francisco on friday (and what a long and trying day that was) and am supporting my mother in her first ever half marathon. phinneus is at home with hedgie daddy, matt, and seems to be in fine form. i was showing off his photo today to the relatives who have also come down for the race...most people show off pictures of their kids, i show off pictures of my hedgehog. i also spent some time searching for what has become my "costumary" hedgie souvenir. this time i found it at a toy store in the mission district call 'the ark'. it's a great place! anyway. i bought a little sleich model of three rolly polly baby hedgehogs. you must forgive all the lower case letters and typos- i am writing this on my phone and for some unknown reason it won't let me use upper case. so for now, good night and wish my mother well. miss you matt and phin phin!

Hedgehog Pajamas

This weekend I was away from my little hedgepig for the second time ever. Matt had the plumb role of hedgeiedaddy and took care of Phinneus, Pherb, and the other assorted creatures that we have (newts, frogs, fish, snails). Anyway, my mother and I went to Target as is tradition and we spotted the most adorable hedgehog pajama pants! How often does one come across hedgehog printed anything, so needless to say we snatched pair. They are cotton and quite cozy. Here is a link to the Target page. Soon I will take some photos while wearing them and having Phinneus sitting nearby. As I type this he is rootling around in a liner on my lap and nearly fell off onto the floor, so clueless is he.

Phinneus was extra charming last night when I returned home. He didn't anoint like mad this time (as he did when I returned from vacation earlier this summer) but then this was only a few days, and last time it was a week. I will be leaving him with Matt again in a few days as I run off to San Francisco. Good thing Matt and Phinneus are so darn cute or else I might not come back...

Spud

Meet Spud, a spineless hedgehog who was found wandering around in March. He was brought in to St. Tiggywinkles since it was obvious that he would not survive long on his own. The kindly staff there were puzzled over Spud's massive quill and hair loss, but did everything they could think of to not only relieve this skin malady, but also help him to recover what he lost. A hedgehog with no quills is completely defenseless and would be very cold without their fur. Luckily for Spud and St. Tiggywinkles, Spud's quills are growing in again! In the second photo you can see what a great recovery this little guy has been making. We can only hope that this progress continues so that he can be released and go about his hedgehoggy business once again.

I, for one, thing he is adorable, and I am so glad he was rescued in time to save him. Good luck Spud!

A Warm Gooey Moment

As I write this Phinneus is in his towel in my lap. Matt fed him his favorite treat- giant mealworms (live)- and now he has been snuggling in this warm spot for a good 45 minutes or so. Basically, he is like puddy. Just now his rear end became visible and his little hind leg stuck out for a stretch and gently kicked my middle. It tickled! Anyway, this warm gooey moment is brought to you by mealworms, towels, and and the Hallmark channel.

Catching Up

This lovely photo was sent to me by a good friend. I have been very busy all week what with work and school and was cracking up under the pressure. Luckily, this relieved it somewhat. Where do I even begin with this? Hedgehogs riding roosters? Hedgehogs in kilts with bagpipes? I must say, hedgehogs have been known to make quite a lot of noise. Look here if you want to hear the evidence. Just be warned: make sure your computer's volume is turned down!

In other news, Phinneus will soon be making the rounds to rehearsal with me for my theater classes yet again. He made himself famous with the last one, and now there's a whole new group. He is so very popular.

Speech

I haven't posted for a few days because I have been outrageously busy (not a hard thing to be, for a college student) and I am currently preparing to give an informative speech on hedgehogs tomorrow for my speech class. I have stressed about this for a while now. Speaking in front of people doesn't fash me as much as dealing with all those gosh darn picky details that go with the assignment and can knock a perfectly good presentation down to a lower grade.

The speech is on how [wild] hedgehogs and humans have interacted through the centuries. I mention pet hedgehogs only once, and that briefly at the end. I also wrote a small plug for proper care of said pets, so that people don't get the idea to go buy one on a whim. I *may* add a photo of Phinneus at the end of my slideshow. After all, how could I resist? Who wouldn't want to see his face?

I Like Cuddles

Sometimes when there is too much homework looming, too many responsibilities, and a lot of stress the best thing is a hedgehog snoozing and oozing into your lap.

Wheeling and Dealing

Last week I convinced myself that Phinneus had a URI (upper respiratory infection) because he stopped wheeling. The evidence of this, of course, was the distinct lack of filth usually left behind on the wheel, which also serves as his toilet. Phin stopped wheeling from Friday to Monday, and I was quite worried. Why a URI of all things? Because his breathing sounded a little more scummy than usual, like when someone has a lot of gunk in their lungs. However, his breathing didn't seem to get worse and his water and food intake remained the same. I discovered a disgusting pile of poo in the corner, so I knew he wasn't back up. What then was the problem? My next thought was the wheel. I wondered if I hadn't rinsed it properly and he could smell some residue soap which was bothering him. I rinsed and re-rinsed the wheel, but that didn't do the trick, so then I started adjusting the angle of the wheel. Still nothing.

Finally I realized what was the likely culprit. Not a URI, not soap scum; nails. Matt and I had both noticed that when he was out for floor time his nails kept getting stuck in the carpet. I keep a pretty watchful eye on his back toenails because they get long fast, but I guess I had forgotten to check his front nails and they had become much too long, which caused him discomfort when he wheeled, hence the no wheeling. But a problem discovered is not a problem solved. I tried to trim Phin's nails, but he became extremely sensitive to the area and would ball up and put up a great fuss each time I tried. I am much too afraid of hurting him to get the job done, I guess, because Matt waited until I was in class and then got down to business on Phinneus. When I returned Phin's nails were neat and trim and Matt said only, "I wasn't very gentle."

Now Phinneus wheels and deals and I don't mind scrubbing his filthy wheel every day because I am grateful that there wasn't a more serious problem. Good thing Matt is willing to lay down the law! Maybe I will just stick to spoiling my little hedgepiggy and leave the dirty work to him...

Story Submission

A week or two ago I submitted a story I wrote to the Hedgehog Welfare Society newsletter. Yesterday I got conformation that they are going to run it in the November/December issue! I have some changes to make, and I have asked my extremely talented artistic friend Kelsey to sketch a few illustrations. Be sure to check out the newsletter! Here is a link. You can subscribe to the newsletter for a small fee, or read it online for no cost. It is full of interesting articles, anecdotes, and art work.

Everybody Loves Chocolate

I don't know why it took me so long to ask the experts at HHC what Phinneus's official color was, but I finally did. I have been curious for a while, and I scanned the color guide they have, but for the life of me I just couldn't figure it out. So here's the verdict: Phinneus is an Algerian chocolate pinto. I had a beloved dog once named Hershey...so chocolate seems to be a reoccurring theme in my pets :)

Now to a new topic. In yet another confirmed act of weirdness, Phinneus loves to eat masking tape. When he has floor time he inevitably goes over to Pherb's cage, which has a piece of masking tape on it from when I originally bought it at a garage sale. On the other side were two pieces of tape which I used to securing close the lid on Pherb's exercise ball. Phin always sniffs out the masking tape and begins licking, and if I don't notice and stop him in time, goes on to chew on it. Luckily I usually catch him, but he's a persistent little guy. Why? Why masking tape? As usually I am left to the conclusion that my darling little hedgehog is just a weirdo.

At First...

I can't see this without going into hysterics, so I thought I would share it.

Trials and Tribulations

Today was cleaning day for Phin's cage. I removed everything and was preparing to rinse the inside of the bin to remove smells, urine, and pieces of litter. I suddenly had a "great" idea. Why not add some Listerine mouthwash to the water in the squirt bottle I use? It would be extra cleaning and germ killing power without being too full of chemicals. Well it turns out that Listerine leaves behind a strong smell that multiple scrubbings do not remove. I thought of leaving the tub to air out...but it would have taken far too long, and I couldn't expect Phin to stay asleep in his towel forever. So I ended putting the tub in the shower and rinsing it thoroughly, and then drying it. The moral of this story is: Use water and soap! Don't get ideas!

I gave the wheel the same treatment, without any unexpected complications, and now all is well again. If only Phinneus understood what goes into creating a happy, clean, and fresh environment for him...

This is a story that has nothing to do with cleaning. I dreamt that the little albino hedgie girl I saw (and became attached to) at a pet store had given birth to five or so tiny babies. In her cramped and smelly cage were two bigs males! Needless to say I rushed to the store clerk and warned him about the dangers posed to mom and babies, and that if the two males weren't moved and mom put into isolation the babies would be eaten. I was laughed at and turned away. I felt horrible when I woke up. What if this really happens? I am going to go to that pet store ASAP and see if the albino girl is even still there. Somehow I need to be reassured that there aren't headless babies lying around a distraught mother.

The Hedgehog Welfare Society

The Hedgehog Welfare Society has officially welcomed me as a new member! They sent me a welcoming letter (with color photos!) and the best part, a laminated card proclaiming me as a member of HWS. I can't wait till I find a reason to pull it out and show somebody.

Phinneus is currently sleeping in my lap (he had an eventful visit from his grandmother today) and I'm sure that deep down he is excited.

Cuddle Sessions Are Bonding Sessions

The most important thing you can do to have the best pet relationship with you hedgie (besides cleaning and feeding) is to cuddle him. Every night I scoop Phinneus out and coax him out of his ball. Then we spend time cuddling, exploring, or watch movies together. I have a towel set aside just for him that he recognizes by scent and which he can crawl in and fall asleep. This allows me to have him with me, but stationary, so that I can shift and move while on the computer, watching movies, etc.

Hedgehogs like to smell things, and they are much happier when they recognize what they smell. That's why it's important to have a towel Phin knows, or some fleece in his travel cage that he feels comfortable with.

Bonding may take a long time, or it may not. I was lucky, and Phinneus warmed up fairly quickly. He is a little explorer most of the time, but some nights he just likes to crawl into the crook of my arm and settle down for a snooze. Being in my lap is another favorite of his, and so buried deep in the towel and firmly wedged in my lap is where he is usually to be found during our movie watching nights. It is just so very pleasant to watch scary movies with a cute little critter next to you. It reminds me how lucky I am to be out here while those poor people are in that movie.

On a final note, Phinneus took to his new CSW with no trouble whatsover. It is covered in poo each morning :)

Arrival of the Long Awaited Carolina Storm Wheel

Today the mail brought me some glorious (and some rather mundane) things! The mundane was a textbook, but that's not the point. I received the Carolina Storm Wheel from a generous individual who sold it to me for a good price because she no longer needed it. The wheels are handmade by Larry of Carolina Storm hedgehogs. Here is a link to the page with the wheel. The rest of his site it interesting too, and he is a great breeder.

This wheel is not only silent it is completely adjustable in terms of height and angle. I put Phin on it briefly just to introduce him to it...and he promptly fell off. Hopefully tonight he will explore it and work up the nerve to try it. The thing is, it's so silent I won't know if he's actually on it or not! I guess the only sure way to tell is if it is covered in poo in the morning. Poo Poo Kachoo.

New Things!

Going home this past weekend turned out to be akin to Christmas for Phinneus. Yay, his first Christmas!...in September. My mother made him a tent/pouch out of fleece scraps and eight tidy fleece liners. I am going to install the first of these tomorrow! Okay, so this may be more exciting for me than for him, but that's because it makes my life easier (cleaning will go so much more smoothly and efficiently) and I get to scoop him up in the pouch!

Hog Interrupted

In earlier posts I have mentioned how finicky Phin is about his night time conditions. He will not wheel if there is sound or any light. Apparently he will also not wheel if he feels he has been interrupted during his routine. Last night Matt was up in the wee hours of the morning tending to his fish tank, which took him in and out of the bathroom. Phinneus was not pleased and is staging a boycott of his wheel. Clean wheel today...but undoubtedly an extra messy and disgusting one tomorrow. Ugh.

Finding Fleece, Eating Worms, and Growing Up

As I've mentioned before I bed my hedgehog on fleece liners instead of shavings or pellets. Fleece is safe (no loose threads), soft, and inexpensive. It also comes in a variety of colors and patterns. Light colors are the best to use because that way you can keep an eye out for unpleasantness such as blood, diarrhea, and discolored urine.

Anyway, I am slowly building up my stock of fleece, which means that I don't have to do laundry quite so often, and that Phinneus (not that he cares in the least) has prettier patterns in his cage. Yesterday I found two fleece throws at St. Vinny's which had obviously been baby blankets in another life. One said, "Just Hatched". Matt sweetly purchased them for me and I took them home and promptly cut off the hemming (to avoid the dangers of loose threads) and gave them to Phin. He loves them. I found him burrowed deep between the top layer and the bottom; snug as a bug in a rug, you might say. This is one way to find inexpensive fleece. Another, more obvious way, is to find it on sale at fabric stores. Today I read an HHC forum post about this unusual money saving fleece solution: buying a Snuggie *shudder* and cutting it up. I am not sure of the size of the forum poster's cage, but apparently the Snuggie produced two liners. The pockets can be cut up into strips and put in a box or other shelter to make a cozy snoozing place for a hedgie. Snuggies run in the neighborhood of $4.99 so this is quite the deal! Now I just have to bring myself to buy a Snuggie....

First time owners usually buy a supply of mealworms with which to spoil their hedgehog. On every hedgie website and in every forum there are tons of owners talking about "mealies are the best treats" and "my hedgehog cannot get enough mealworms!", and so the new owners expect to win their pet's trust with some tasty worm treats. This is not the case, oftentimes. Phinneus would completely ignore his mealworms for months! I thought the things had died in the refrigerator from being in there so long. Not the case! (We put a "dead" worm in Phin's bowl and left it, hoping he would find it and feast. Instead I found a live worm crawling around and went to pieces). So to new owners, you must just have some patience. Your hedgehog will come around...eventually. If you keep offering the worms then one of these days the little insectivore will take a taste and then a gobble and then look for more. Now Phinneus loves his mealies! Even when he is grumpiest and feeling dangerous he will be civil enough the eat some worms :)

Finally, I think my hedgehog is going through his teenage years? He will have dramatic mood swings from night to night. One night he will be sweet and cuddly. The next he will be a vicious little thing, just waiting for my fingers to draw too close to his jaws. He will pop and hiss and make touching him a dangerous thing. Sometimes this angry stage lasts for days and I am convinced that he hates me! Then, like this morning, I wake up and find my little baby back again. Ah if only the old saying could be applied to him, "May you one day be blessed with teenagers of your own." But I hear hedgehogs make poor fathers.

Party Animal

Phineus's wheel has become unbearably loud. To deal with this (and in order to sleep) I have moved his bin into another room at night. I guess this gave him license to really party it up. When I went in to check on him this morning I found the poopy wheel, litter scattered everywhere except in the litter pan, poop in the food dish, and a grumpus in the fleece. He seems to be suffering some sort of hangover as he is quite irate this evening and cuddle time has turned into towel prison because I won't let him go and he won't let me pet him. So, he sits grumpily in a towel. Oh well.

Gummy Grin

I snapped this photo yesterday when I took Phinneus to the park. I was feeding him some of his favorite treats, mealworms, and I ended up with this ridiculously adorable photo! I just wanted to share his gummy grin with everyone :)

Weight and Size

Since there has been a thread going on the HHC forums about the weight and size of everyone's hedgehogs, I thought I might as well share mine on here too. There isn't a set average size for hedgehogs because, like people, each one is different. They have assorted diets and food preferences, exercise, mobility, and access to space. However it is important that they can ball up all the way and that they can move unassisted. Here are Phinneus's stats:

Age: 5 months

Weight: 293 grams

Diet: Solid Gold Katz-n-Flocken, Blue Spa Select Mature, Wellness Kitten Food, and treats such as chicken, mealies, and fish.

Notes: Phin loves to run on his wheel every night. He is also an avid explorer and get his workout running around the floor.

Fiend

Phinneus is a fiend. He always knows just how to wedge himself into tight places I cannot easily reach and cop a squat. He knows just how to ball up so that I literally have to drag him out and then hurriedly clean up the icky mess. He also knows how to win me back by existing as a prince among hedgehogs.

Manic Panic

So the night before last Phinneus was without a wheel. Circumstances involving me not being at home and his wheel being forgotten....*sigh*. I was worried when I realized that he didn't have it and I wondered what kind of havoc he would wreak in it's absence. Then when I got home from work yesterday evening it seemed that all was well. Phin was under his liner again, but there wasn't the mass destruction I had envisaged. I have heard of other people's hedgehogs throwing tantrums and behaving strangely when their precious wheels are taken away; these are energetic creatures who need their exercise during their nightly activities.

But, as I say, I saw no damage. Then I took Phinneus out and realized that he was going to take his frustration out on me. He was in a dangerous mood. He popped and quilled up whenever I tried to touch his fur, any sound or movement caused him to ball up, and he seemed...well...bitey. He has never bitten me before (he had a few exploratory nibbles in the past, but they were harmless and there was no aggressiveness) but I could tell that he would now if I made one wrong move. I put him in his towel hoping he would calm down, but no cigar. Cuddle time was short. This morning he was less bitey and aggressive, but he scuttled around at top speed like a maniac. He wouldn't stand for petting and just wanted to run and hide in a dark place. I hope he calms down.

I had hoped to feed him some baby food via syringing it into his mouth in order to get him more nutrition. I went to target looking for syringes and lo and behold I explained to the pharmacy girl what I needed (something to feed baby food to a critter is what I said) and she gave me varying sizes of syringes for FREE! I love Target. But, seeing as Phin is in a dangerous mood, I figured it would be poor timing for me to hold him down and force food down his throat.

What A Weirdo

Hedgehogs are known to do strange things. Usually Phinneus conks out after an eventful night under his fleece blankies, next to his hidey-log. In the past, when he was at Matt's apartment and the temperature was scorching, he would crawl under his fleece liner to lie against the cool plastic. Well last night he did that too, except for he went one step further and made himself deeply and hopelessly embedded in the paper towel lining. I had to dig to find him and then tear at the paper towel in order to pick him up. Needless to say, he was not best pleased.

In other news, I have fallen for a teeny tiny albino girl from a pet store. This is forbidden love, as I promised myself not to buy another hedgehog from a pet store. However...this little sweetheart is way too young to be separated from her mother, is sporting wounds on her front legs, and seems to have a smelly case of the runs. She is housed with a male, so that worries me too. There is a good chance that this itty bitty girl is pregnant, and if so she faces complications due to her youth. She seems very sweet for all that, and I would love to bring her home and show her the TLC she deserves. My sensible half knows that this is highly irresponsible, and too much of a financial burden. I also lack the space to house her properly. I love my Phinneus, and I wouldn't want to take any love or resources away from him. That said, I still spend half my waking hours on the verge of marching into the pet store and scooping the little hoglet girl right up. She needs help!

Constant Vigilance

This is an important reminder for all hedgehog owners: Hedgehogs have poor eyesight, depth perception, and spacial awareness! They will wander to the edge of "cliffs" (cabinets, boxes, furniture, etc) and fall right off not even having known they were in danger. Even a short fall can cause internal damage, so should your hedgehog be unfortunate enough to take tumble be sure to watch for warning signs like lethargy, bloody stools, bruising, and lack of appetite. Everyone makes mistakes with their pets, but in order to avoid this one just keep you hedgie on the ground, or be hyper vigilant when s/he is around the edges of things. In the wise words of Mad Eye Moody, "CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

In Phinneus news, Phin has been super cuddly, which leads me to wonder if he's buttering me up for something...

Badass Hedgehog

I stumbled on this clip of a badass hedgehog vs. scorpion fight that was apperently part of the Speed of Life series. This along the same lines as Blue Planet and Planet Earth. It's nice to see the hedgehog featured as a serious animal for once. They're not huge and clawed like lions, but to scorpions they represent death and doom. Now to me, a scorpion represents death a doom, but for a hedgehog they are just tasty morsels....so I'd say it's time to give the wild hedgehog's their due.

Timed Daylight

I have set Phinneus up on a light timer schedule, as it is important that he have 12-14 hours of daylight. Without this time he may attempt to hibernate, as lack of sunlight triggers winter instincts. I picked up a $5 outdoor light timer from Target (it can be used for any lights, as long as they can plug into the outlet on the timer) and set up a lamp with a "daylight" ligh tbulb. He now has simulated daylight from 9 am to 9 pm. I realized that with school approaching I would be busy with work, classes, and everything else in a college student's life, so this way I don't have to be so neurotic about stopping him to turn lights on an off. I must say it's a little bit thrilling when 9:00 shines around the light magically change.

Tattoos and Irascible Hedgehogs

Well here is how the heating status stands: after going to considerable trouble and expense to set up a heating system for my dear Phinneus I found that he did not care for it. This is probably because I, not being highly affluent, opted to buy a heat bulb for now, which gives off red light. Apparently Phinneus can detect redlight, and since he will not go about his nightly activities unless he is in complete darkness I woke up this morning to a clean wheel, sleeping hedgehog, and a pooped-on food dish. I assumed that last part was a present to me. What I have learned: that Phin is one of those hogs that not only doesn't like light, but also one which can tolerate cooler temperatures- such as the mid 70's. So I returned the bulb, and I will wait for a while until I buy a CHE.

Now for the more exciting news- I GOT MY HEDGEHOG TATTOO TODAY. I went to have it done by tattoo artist Jon Bass and I am so pleased with his work! He made the hedgehog fierce, which I initially was suprised at, but which I like. Now I have a fierce guardian hedgehog on my shoulder. This piece of ink is the first of what will eventually be a sleeve (a full arm tattoo). As it heals, I shall let arm hedgehog meet Phinneus hedgehog.

CHE

Today I am going to look for a ceramic heat emitter (CHE) setup at some pet places around town. I've done some research online, asked a few questions oh Hedgehog Central, and now I just need to finagle myself the best deal. CHE setups are expensive and can be dangerous if the proper precautions aren't taken. Since Phinneus lives in a Sterilite bin I obviously can just clip the CHE (which requires a porcelain lamp which won't melt, and a thermostat so you don't burn your hedgie up) onto the side. It's going to take some rearranging and figuring out. In the coming winter months I can't always guarantee that there will be enough heat to keep Phin in the safe temperature range. This safe range, by the way, is about 75-85 degrees. This way, no matter where Phin is, I can make sure he is at a safe temperature...also that way I don't have to constantly live at that temperature myself :)

Tattoo!

Today I went to Tailor Made Tattoo and made an appointment for August 10 to get a hedgehog tattoo! I had picked out two designs from Hugh Warwick's book The Hedgehog's Dilemma (check it out here) and the plan was one hedgie for each shoulder. I went down, got an estimate, and decided that my funds would allow me to get one tattoo for now, and I would just have to save the other for a later paycheck. I'm so excited! Tattoos are incredibly addictive and this will be my fourth. I like to think of my shoulder hedgies as hedgehog guardians; stone lions sit outside of libraries, and inked hedgehogs sit on either side of me.

Animal House

I have temporarily moved Phinneus to Matt's house until I move on Saturday so that he is safely out of the way until I can settle him into our new digs. Pherb is there too, so now the House of Matt could be appropriately termed "Animal House" what with there being two cats, five frogs, two bettas, one pleco, one hedgehog, and one hamster. I snapped a few shots of Phinneus this morning with my camera on digital macro and was pleasantly surprised. *See flickr photosteam*

So while Phin is at Matt's I like to have his tank sitting out in the living room where he can get a breeze from the fans and I can keep an eye on him. Unfortunately this means moving him into cat territory. Rodrigo the Ever Sneaky and Michevious likes to climb into the tank to get at Phin's food, which is cat food. Now, Rodrigo is a food hog, and will not be deterred in the slightest when I yell loudly, chase after him, throw him in the bathroom and squirt him with water as punishment. Currently Matt has Phin on the radiator (don't worry, it's off so there's no chance of melting plastic or over heating) and has removed anything that might be used to climb on in order to reach it. Also, the cats are locked in Matt's roommate's room (sort of in disgrace, the sneaky bastards).

Phinneus himself has slept through the whole ordeal, except for at one point when he was stepped on by the cat. The cat, by the way, seems to be oblivious to Phin's presence and only notices the cat food. The other cat, Murray, seems to have picked on on the whole "consequences of your actions" notion and mostly steers clear. Keeping him away from Pherb is a different matter, however...

Trip To The Vet

Today was trip to the vet #2 because I convinced myself that Phinneus was wormy. I also wanted to make sure he wasn't having a raging case of mites or anything...so mostly this was an expensive way to assuage my hypochondriac fears. The vet said he was at a good weight (295 g), looked healthy, and sounded healthy. She did the fecal sample and found nothing, which doesn't rule out worms %100 but was good to do anyway. Then she gave me a choice of doing a skin scraping- literally scraping a layer of skin off akin to a slight abrasion- and looking for mites, or going ahead with a Revolution Kitten/Puppy treatment without the scrape. I chose to just do the Revolution, partly because of finances, and partly because not only would it get rid of mites but the vet said it would also kill internal parasites. Unfortunately there is no market for hedgehog drugs and no medical research done, so most of the medication they receive is kitten medication meted out in smaller doses. This means that they cannot be totally sure of the effects. I was told to keep an eye on Phin on the way home in case he became lethargic (which I found annoyingly vague because he's a sleeping hedgehog during the day!) which would indicate a negative reaction. In that case I was to rinse off the rest of the medication...and hope for the best? Again, annoyingly vague. Anyway, no negative reaction and hopefully one healthier hedgehog.

Phinneus and Pherb

This is the story of how a hamster fell into my lap. Yesterday my boyfriend (Matt) forgot that it was Saturday and so we went to move his car so he wouldn't get a ticket. When we moved it we saw a rummage sale, and at that rummage sale Matt spotted a critter cage. I tried to walk away, I even got a few feet past the driveway, but then I turned around and went to investigate. They were selling a perfect little cage (the kind with a plastic bottom and a wire top) complete with wheel, water bottle, and tiny igloo. It was all $5. From the moment I saw the tiny igloo, I was sold. So then I went on craigslist, found an appealing ad, and had the deal sealed within an hour and half, via smart phone. I made the deal while I was in a movie theater seeing Inception, actually. After the movie Matt, his dad, and I stopped and picked up the hamster, who I have named Pherb, after the cartoon Phineas and Ferb. He is a Winter White Russian which means that he will change his colors to a white and grey pattern in the winter, and then back again to grey and black in the summer. I have informed Phin that he has a brother/hamster, and likewise for Pherb, but I am keeping the two strictly apart. Pherb is a sweet little tuft of grey and black fur, who currently has Matt completely smitten with him. They are cuddling together as I write this.

In less adorable news, I found what I suspect to be a worm (Ack! Nooo! Arrrgh! Blaaarf!) on Phinneus's wheel and so I am going to call and get him a vet appointment to get a fecal sample and a check-up asap. For anyone considering owning a hedgehog it is important to remember A) to have a rainy day-vet fund and B) any pocket money you have saved up for something special (i.e. a trip or someone's birthday) WILL be spent on the hedgehog.

Phinneus was extra-cuddly tonight. Snuggle bug :)

Hedgehog In the Fog

I stumbled across this animated short based on a classic Russian folktale. It was directed by Yuri Norstein, and the animation is well respected in film circles. It is called "Hedgehog in the Fog" and is about a little hedgehog who is trying to make his way through the foggy woods to his friend Bear Cub's house. It is a scary journey for a little hedgehog, and full of danger and wonder. Here is the link.

In other news Phinneus was a total grumpus, but what else is new? His weight finally reached 300 grams, which I am very pleased with because he is so slender! Hedgies are like humans in that there is no universal "ideal" weight for them. Each one is different, and so their activity level and eating habits should be taken into account when deciding if they are at a healthy weight. Phinneus is right where he should be- which is on the small side. I don't have to worry about him becoming overweight because one of his kibbles is kitten food, so that's nice. I just need to watch and make sure he doesn't become under weight. A sign of poor feeding is when the sides of the hedgehog cave inwards.

I tried introducing Phin to yogurt yesterday (the plain whole milk kind) but he wouldn't have any, per usual. So the quest continues to find food my picky little hedgehog will consent to eat.

Ongoing Skin Battle

Phinneus's skin is STILL dry and flaky. I was getting really worried that it was the symptom of mites or something worse, but after some researching and question asking, I think it is simply the curse of the pet hedgehog to have dry skin. I have been adding flax seed oil to Phin's food every other day, and yesterday he had another oatmeal bath. He was not pleased...but now his quills shine and his fur is white and fluffy!

Hugh Warwick

This is a post dedicated to my hero Hugh Warwick. He is an ecologist-turned-journalist who has done a ton of work with hedgehogs. He has spent copious amounts of time tracking and studying them, as well as working for their relief efforts on Uist. He has written two books specifically about hedgehogs called A Prickly Affair: My Life With Hedgehogs and The Hedgehog's Dilemma. I have read the latter and loved it. I am even thinking of getting one of the hedgie illustrations from the book tattooed.

There is a slight sticking point, however. It would seem that Mr. Warwick disagrees or does not understand why hedgehogs are kept as pets. I can see his point about enjoying them in the wild or in one's garden, and it's true that they are not truly domesticated and retain their wild characteristics even when in captivity. Thing is though, I can't just pop outside and see one eating slugs off my vegetables because here in the US we simply don't have wild hedgehogs. I turn to my precious pet for hedgie love.

That said, I love his book and his website and his blog. He has a hedgehog blog too! One of his posts caught my attention in particular. Apparently the British governement wants to spend 97 billion pounds on big bad bombs, so in response there has been a website set up for people to post videos explaining what they think the 97 billion could be spent on instead. Mr. Warwick has added his own video explaining that even a cut of one millionth of that money could be used to do so much for hedgehogs. He points out that the world would be a much better place if we spent our money on life instead of death and destruction. Now fancy that. Here is the site.

Sometimes They Like You, Sometimes They Don't

I realize that I am writing this belatedly, but when I picked Phinneus up from the friends who were caring for him while I was on vacation he gave me an unexpectedly warm greeting. He was sitting on my lap, amidst his favorite purple blankies, and he crawled off to find a patch of my skin to lick. He licked and licked (I was in a terrible fit of giggles because it tickled so much) and then he started anointing himself like there was no tomorrow. He had big globs of spit all over his quills! Eventually he settled down and allowed himself to be cuddled, no fuss involved.

Hedgehogs all have very different personalities (they remind me somewhat of dachshunds, as they can be stubborn about who they are) and they can arbitrarily like or dislike anyone. Usually they do bond with their owners and become attached to them through the days of love and cuddles. To be a hedgehog owner requires patience and understanding. When a hedgehog balls up and positively spits and pops with what seems to be fury, one must understand that it is in fact fear. These are timid animals who are used to dark and peace and bugs, so a big blundering human can be quite frightening. However, after you win your hedgehog's trust and show them that you are a friend (large amounts of treats helps) they are very adorable and -dare I say? cuddly pets. When meeting new people some hedgies may retreat into their protective ball of quills until they figure out it is safe...or they may decide to despise that person. In this case it would seem that the person has mortally offended said hedgehog, but really I think it is just the little critters being crotchety. In the same way they will want nothing to do with that expensive cat food you just paid and arm and a leg for, or the delicious meal worms that any other hedgehog would go nuts for, but which yours won't even sniff at. Hedgehogs really do call the shots, and they aren't afraid to draw blood with their quills or go on hunger strikes to prove it.

Washing and Cleaning

Everyone who owns, or has owned, a hedgehog will tell you this: they can be incredibly messy! Every morning without fail I find a poop/pee splattered wheel, food crumbs, and bits of litter strewn about. I clean his wheel daily (and I am seriously considering investing in a Carolina Storm Wheel soon to make my life easier) and try to remove large pieces of miscellaneous litter filth. The wheel that I have has small ridges which supposedly help small critters get a grip on it, but really just makes cleaning more difficult. Some wheels, like the Silent Spinner, are downright dangerous, but mine- the Comfort Wheel- is just inconvenient, and could pose a potential threat if my hog were big and fat because there is a plastic beam which sticks out into the middle of the contraption. He's not, so he's fine for now. Anyway, up until yesterday I went through a ton of Clorox wipes scrubbing the wheel. Then I got the idea to try using some Listerine as it has a high alcohol content and would save me wipes, and be a little safer for Phinneus as there wouldn't be as many harmful chemicals. I rinse the wheel thoroughly with near-boiling temperature water after every scrub to make sure I get rid of any chemicals anyway. The Listerine method seems to be working, and here is how it goes: First I use a cleaning wipe to remove large chunks of nasty (i.e. poo). Then I rinse the whole wheel under a heavy stream of hot water, adding Listerine as I go. This makes a soapy, minty mixture of cleaning goodness which I swirl around the wheel. Finally I go back with some toilet paper to remove any particles which may be clinging on, and give the wheel a final hot rinse.

Because I use fleece bedding, and because Phinneus mercifully keeps limits his excrement to his wheel (usually) I only have to change the bedding every two or three days. When I do I shake all the mess into the bin and then dump it into the trash. Next I take a wet napkin and go over the inside of the bin, and then follow up with a drying rag. Then I add a new fleece liner with a towel under it, his food and water dishes, his wheel, his hidey log, and his blankies and toys. The whole thing takes less than ten minutes.

I have also been attempting to litter train Phin...this has been so-so. Some hedgies get the idea right away and become loyal to their litter pans. By the way, the litter pan I use is just a small rectangular cookies sheet with Yesterday's News in it, which I place under the wheel to catch anything that might come off it. Like I said though, this only goes so-so. Some hedgies simply refuse to have their refuse contained and spread it willynilly around their environment. Phin is somewhere in the middle of these two poles. He won't go out of his way to use his litter pan, but he rarely poops or pees outside of his wheel. So really, I guess his wheel is his litter pan. Silly hedgepig, pans are for pooping!

Back Again!

I got back from vacation today and as soon as we could my boyfriend and I headed to go pick up my little hedgepig. He seemed glad to see me; by glad I mean he licked my skin thoroughly and then spent a very long time anointing. He was also happy to explore and settle down in my lap amongst his blankets.

Now we three are relaxing at home and Phinneus is plopped out in order to cope with the dense heat. I can see him (he thinks he is undetected) through the clear plastic bin as he falls asleep.

It was lovely to come back to find his cage clean and his food and water bowl full. I couldn't be happier with the care he was given while I was gone, and I am very glad that I decided NOT to take him, as it would have been such a stressful change in his routine.

In other news, I am fighting the fight not to respond to every ad posted for hedgehogs looking for new homes on craigslist. I would say that if a person has had no luck finding a breeder near them, then that person should check their local classifieds.

Also, I have stumbled across some interesting hedgehog related paraphernalia, and thought I'd share some of the best finds.

The original blue hedgehog

And the prickly hedgehog said...

Tie Dye hedgie

Cuff links?

Necklace

Alice's Sewing Basket

Share the hedge!

Mecki and Micki

Huggable CD case

And finally, possibly the strangest is...

There are tons more cool hedgehog products out there. Some of which are so bizarre you wonder how people manage to sell them and make money...Oh yeah, there's people like me who are suckers for these little critters :)