Wisco Time

I've been back in Wisconsin for about a month and it's been busy and wonderful. Of course Christmas happened (not for Phinneus though- he's Jewish) and now I am preparing to go on a road trip with my mother and Matt up to see my grandma. I'll fill you in on the hedgehog homefront news: Phinneus doesn't seem to remember me, or else he is still pouting about my leaving for four and a half months. Thanks to the good care given to him first by Matt, and then by my Ma and Pa, he is in perfect health and still has his same old routine of wheeling, eating, sleeping, and pooping. He just doesn't warm up to me like he used to. In fact, he treats me like a stranger. He poops in his towel when I hold him and he hisses like and angry tea kettle 90% of the time when I am cuddling him. It's going to take a long time to win him back I think, but luckily I'm in this for the long haul. Maybe buying him more Hanukkah presents would have helped.

In other exciting news, Matt and I adopted a rabbit! AT LONG LAST I HAVE A BUNNY OF MY OWN. I've only wanted one since I was about 7. Originally Matt and I were going to buy a Flemish giant, which are huge 18 lb rabbits. Our kitten, Luis, sadly passed away from a rare disease in October and we were too heartbroken to get another cat or kitten (even though 3 people tried to give us theirs) so we decided instead to get a giant rabbit. Well one day about 2 weeks ago I saw a photo of a rabbit in the local humane society who was listed as part Flemish giant. We got in contact with his foster mom, who brought him in to meet us, and we were smitten. He on the large end of regular rabbit size, with a big appetite for cuddles and food, and a penchant for mischief and exploration. In short, he's perfect. We picked him up right before Christmas. Merry Christmas to us!

Phinneus the Famous

So, yes, I know Phinneus is already famous amongst people who know me, but now he is famous to complete strangers as well! Awkward Family Pet Photos (a part of the larger Awkward Family Photos) just released a book and Phinneus is in it! I submitted an old photo of him surrounded by my plush hedghog collection and boy does he looked pissed. Here is the link. Also, Phin Master is going to be in an upcoming Hedgehog Welfare Society calendar. I don't have the link for it right now (thanks shoddy internet!) but I will try to get one up soon so that everyone can race to throw down their credit cards and buy one- it's for a good cause!

First Hedgie Post in Africa

Hello hegdehog followers! This is my first post from Botswana (although not my first blog post overall. Check out my Africa blog here). I have been keeping my eyes open for hedgies, but I haven't seen any wild one yet :( I guess this isn't really suprising as they are probably all out hiding in the bush from the intense sun. Have I mentioned that the sun is about ten times brighter and hotter than at home in the US? Well it is. I have, however, seen a stuffed hedgehog on display at the Botswana National Museum, and seen some gorgeous hedgie artwork.

I am really missing my quilly little critter! Matt has been taking excellent care of him- maybe even pampering him too much as he is getting fatter! Sometimes when we are chatting on skype Phin appears for a visit. Last time Matt was attempting to trim Phin's nails- and not being very successful- and Luis the inquisitive kitten was supervising. I miss those cozy little scenes! I miss all my critters, but luckily Matt shares airtime with the pets in Madison.

I have been spending more and more time on HHC again after a hiatus. It's great to reconnect with fellow hedgehog fanatics while I am so far away. They always make me feel better about missing Phinneus. Plus, I love looking at all the cute photos people post.

Tattoos in Botswana are not very common. I have one local friend who does have some (and they are quite tasteful and elegant) but we are definitely in the majority. Sometimes people spot my hedgie tattoo and they are pleasantly surprised. They usually smile shyly and then laugh a little. That's about all the hedgehog related news I have here in Botswana. As you can probably guess my posts will be much fewer while I am here. For news and updates check out the link above for my Africa blog. It's called There and Back Again: Africa.

Leaving Phinneus

Leaving Phinneus sucks. There, I said it. My increasingly chubby and mild mannered hedgehog seemed to be extra cute and snuggly last night when I had him out for cuddles. He knows. I cleaned his cage and washed all his bedding in preparation for his being sent home with Matt. He still needs a new bag of his Katz-n-Flocken, which I just remembered now as I type this- drat. Well I guess Matt's first hedgehog duty (after getting Phin all settled in) will be to purchase his weirdo fancy cat food.

Lucky me that I am dating someone who has the know how to set up a 24/7 live web feed of my little hedgie, and lucky for me that said boyfriend is also willing to do it. Hopefully soon I can link up the web feed to this blog so that I and any other Phin fans can keep an eye on him. Of course, what you will probably see is a lump wrapped in fleece. Occasionally the lump comes out to feed, and during the night the lump wheels.

I will certainly miss my Phinneus. The posts I make while I am in Botswana will probably be all about missing him, or thinking about the wild African hedgehogs which I just know will be lurking somewhere nearby. So, good bye for now Phinneus, you are in capable hands and I will see you in December.

DayWalker

Phinneus is such a funny creature. He is very secretive (he thinks he is, anyway) about his nighttime activities. He doesn't like for anyone to see him wheeling, he hides when the lights turn on, and he scuttles for the safety of his blankets when you catch him eating. However, lately I have caught him out and about tending to his business in the daylight. I often hear his loud crunching and when I come in to investigate he is cool as a cucumber. He still doesn't like to be caught wheeling, but maybe as his grows and changes his habits are changing too. He has grown into an extremely mild mannered and curious little hog. He rarely balls up and he is always up for rootling around and finding objects to anoint with when given the chance. His weight stays constant and in a healthy range. His appetite, while limited to only the kibble he likes and mealworms, is also healthy. Yes, Phinneus is a hog in his prime. He's just a little weirdo.

Couch Friends

In case you were wondering, hedgehogs make great couch friends. When you come home all tired and sunburnt (or cold and damp, or bruised and sore, or...whatever) it is just delightful to pull out your prickly pet and cuddle him on the couch. Maybe throw on some Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe and have some eatins' and you have a relaxing evening.

My Surprise Hedgehog Gift

Today when I came into work my boss gave me a gift which one of my extended coworkers (meaning someone who works in the same department as me, but which I never work directly with) had left for me. It was a tiny and very cute hedgehog eraser; one of the little Japanese ones which can be taken apart and then put back together. What a great way to come into work! I think my gift-giving friend had seen my hedgehog tattoo and that's how she knew I liked them.

It turns out a lot of people are hedgehog fans. For example, today Matt and I were idly browsing around a store called Fontana and one of the employees spotted my hedgehog tattoo on my arm and started telling me how much she loved hedgehogs, and that she had even gotten one for her sister as a gift. This is not the only incident where complete strangers have seen my arm and struck up a conversation. Of my four tattoos people seem most delighted and surprised (delightfully surprised that is) to see the little hedgepiggy. Even though hedgehogs are getting more and more popular they have yet to achieve the tattoo status symbol of say, and eagle or a panther or even a swallow.

Also, Phinneus is very glad to have a group of fans over at the Aurora Healthcare office where my dad works.

Hedgehog Bottle Opener

Just in case anyone wants to score a really cool hedgehog bottle opener for themselves or someone they know *cough cough*, here is one from Anthropologie! Anyone who has a trained eye for hedgehog artifacts has probably noticed an increase in the popularity of our spikey friends. Pop culture has apparently latched into the cuteness and marketability aspect of hedgehogs and come out with hedgehog themed everything. Hooray for hedgehogs! Now maybe people will stop running them over all the time...maybe.

Variety Is The Spice O' Life

Yes, for most variety is the spice o' life, but for my dear Phinneus it is an excuse to pout and be lazy. Yesterday I decided that Phin had had his cage setup the same way for too many months and that it was time to rearrange and use some hog furniture which had been gathering dust, so to speak. He kept his wheel, blankie, and dishes of course, but I traded out his cardboard box and PVC tunnel for a plastic igoo (known as a "pigloo", fondly). He had his cage scrubbed and rinsed, his wheel shone with cleanliness, and he had a wonderfully fresh and clean liner. This morning I went to check on him and, little sunshine that he is, I found his wheel untouched and him under the liner. Ah well, perhaps tonight after he throws his weight around a little he will settle back into a routine.

Chirp Chirp the Wheel Goes Round

The other night Matt was able to enjoy a singular- and rare- hedgehog treat. Phinneus was talking to himself! Apparently he chattered happily as he went about his nightly business of eating, wheeling, pooping, drinking, and eating. And wheeling. And pooping....and so forth. I have only ever heard him make vocal sounds (huffing and puffing do not count) once or twice since I brought him home over a year ago.

I guess it just goes to show that it pays to be an insomniac some nights.

Kitten Thief

The kitten, Luis, is a thief. His chief crime (besides knocking things down and being stinky) is stealing Phin's food. Phinneus lives in a closet- which sounds awful, I know- but has all his amenities to hand. He has his CHE, his timed light, food, water, and complete cage set up. Most of the time we keep the closet doors shut so that naughty kittens can't get in, but sometimes I leave it open for Phin. That's when Luis strikes. He doesn't actually care at all about the hedgehog, he just wants the food. So does the other cat, Rodrigo, but he is much too fat and lazy to do anything. I come in to find kitten-dearest snarfing down all of Phin's kibble and then, when he sees me, he bolts. Argh! Luis, you will learn consequences!...but not too dire because he's too cute to stay mad at.

Phinneus and Pherb, A Duo No More

Yesterday during Small Animal Boot Camp I was busy cleaning everyone's cages and I discovered that either during the night or in the early part of the day Pherb had passed away. I found him curled up with his little eyes shut, so he must have been sleeping and just never woken up. Although this is terribly sad as he was, in my opinion, the best hamster ever, Matt and I suspected that he had reached old age and that he wouldn't last too much longer. We adopted him last summer and so it is impossible to age him. Hamsters are not long-lifers, so it is entirely possible that he simply grew old and died.

I shall miss my dynamic duo, Phinneus and Pherb.

Small Animal Boot Camp

It has come to my attention that Phin's routine is boring. His cage setup is comfortable yet always the same. His food is nutritious and delicious, yet not too varied. His main form of exercise is wheeling, with a portion of trying to escape from cuddles.

It has also come to my attention that my gerbils are obese (actually I noticed that a while ago and have been trying to change it). So today is Small Animal Boot Camp. I cleaned out the old Habitrail cage, which is actually very new and space-age looking. Now the gerbils are running around like a pair of furry little psychos- excellent!

For Phinneus I partitioned off the linoleum floor of the kitchen and set up an obstacle/fun-a-thon course. There is his old friend, Mr. PVC tube, two mostly empty containers of mealworms for him to dig through, a paper bag, food and water dishes, and a towel. Now if I can keep him out of the towel and the cats looked in the bedroom for long enough I might be able to get Phin to accomplish something.

Finally, Pherb has escaped boot camp because plump and cuddly is just the way he is supposed to be!

Steiff and Hedgehogs: A Love Story

Steiff, a high end German toy factory dating back to 1880, has long been making hedgehogs in their line of toys. See the one above? I just discovered him on Ruby Lane and fell in love. Unfortunately, he was already sold, and very a very reasonable price of $55 despite being around half a century old, hand made, and hard to find.

Let me back up a little bit. For those people who haven't heard of Steiff before $55 might seem like an absurd price for a toy which is only about 12 cm (4.5 in) tall. The Maragarete Steiff GmbH company began in Giengen with a woman handicapped by Polio who had skill in sewing and business. She started by making clothing and small felt elephants. Pretty soon the elephants became a hit, and with the help of her brothers and nephews, she began making more and more toys until they far outsold the clothes. The company grew and grew and today it is still situated in Giengen, still makes all of it's beautiful toys by hand, and is known all over the world for the skill and workmanship which produces it's beautiful pieces. I am a devout collector, can't you tell?

Getting back to the point, since hedgehogs are so beloved in Europe Steiff has made many different models in their lines throughout the years. They are called Joggi (Igel) in most cases. Here is another adorable example.

This prime specimen is from my collection. Here is link to a page from a blog called My Steiff Life where a much more experienced collector shared some knowledge with me about my little Joggi Igel. I have collected Steiff since...well...ever, I guess. My very first Steiff was bought for me by my parents before I was even born. He was also bigger than me, hence his name "Big Bear". Since then I have accumulated a mixture of old and new Steiff critters in all kinds of species. Even Matt helps to fuel my collection! So now that I have a chance to combine my love of hedghogs with my love of Steiff...well let's just say I am very excited. The adorable hedgehog in the photo at the top (also called Joggi) is standing in the "begging" position, and his head is jointed. Here is a link to the page with more photos and information. In case anyone of you happen to be Steiff collectors, or just want one because they are adorable, Rosalie (the seller on Ruby Lane who's shop I linked) is a really excellent and personable vendor. She makes sure that all the information available is presented clearly and accurately to her buyers and prices her items very reasonably.

Fatty Liver Disease

As ever, I do research on hedgehog health in order to make sure my little critter has the best healthcare available. This includes researching his kibble and giving him and monitoring not only the ingredients, but also the protein to fat ratio. As mentioned before in this blog hedgehogs require a diet high in protein and low in fat. They are insectivores, and in the wild their diets are naturally set up this way. Fat is hard to come by out there, so naturally wild hedgehogs never have a problem with health problems such as Fatty Liver Disease. FLD occurs when a hedgehog (or dog/cat/etc) has too much fat in their diet, which is deposited in the liver, and causes fatty build up. The liver can't handle this build up and serious health issues ensue. Think you're hedgehog is loosing weight too rapidly? Was s/he a porker before and as now thing as a rail and lethargic on top of that? Ask your vet to test for FLD. This disease can be fatal if left untreated.

Before you get to the point of rushing to the vet, panic stricken, to test for FLD, try taking some preventative steps. Any hedgehog book or website (or owner) worth their salt will tell you that pet hedgehogs need a wheel. For most hedgies this is their main form of exercise. Check my blog for my post about the best wheel to choose. In addition to wheeling, however, you may also try setting up a play pen for your pet to scoot around in. Tunnels and soft things to burrow in are a favorite. If the weather is suitable- in the 75-80 degree range- you can also try supervising your hedgehog outside for some exploration time. My boy likes to snuffle around in the grass an anoint with all the new and interesting things. Be sure to keep a close watch and NEVER leave them unattended. Another form of physical activity is swimming. Yep, in case you didn't know, hedgehogs can swim. Fill a bathtub, sink, or container with just enough warm water to reach their skirt line (also known as the place where their quills start). The water should be deep enough for them to paddle around. This is another activity which must be carefully supervised as you want to make sure they don't drown accidentally. Most hedgies just abhor water, but over time they may come to like it. In any case, a rare bath wouldn't go amiss to cleanse those nasty poop boots. Try adding Aveeno oatmeal to the water to help with dry skin!

The main message today is don't overindulge your quilly companion. A few treats are fine and hedgies just loooove their mealworms, but the majority of their diet should be cat food with protein percentage in the 30 range and fat in the 10 range. Here is a link to a site with great hedgehog information. And, as ever, I recommend going onto Hedgehog Central for any questions might have. Ever. You can find a link on my blog. Here is a link to a chart made my a HHC member called LizardGirl, and it covers the ingredients of many types of commonly used cat food. This list is really superb, just FYI.

Well, that concludes this episode of Hedgehog Express.

Farewell to Calpurnia

On Thursday my sweet little guinea pig, Calpurnia, died of surgery complications. She had a massive thyroid tumor which was unfortunately misdiagnosed until it was very late in the game. The wonderful veterinarian, Dr. Shepard, performed a very risky surgery to remove it. The massive tumor was growing around all the important bits in her throat; her jugulars were so encased that there was no blood flow in them! Cal made it through the risky surgery like a trooper and seemed to be doing well for a little while. Then she crashed, and despite Dr. Shepard's best efforts she passed away. I got the call just as I was preparing to go on a long weekend trip north, so my mother and I went to the vet's office to collect Cal's remains. Dr. Shepard took us into a waiting room and gave us hugs and the full story. We talked about Cal, the surgery, and about small animals and their healthcare in general. We took Cal home and buried her in our little pet cemetery. Then today we received a card from the vet's office (signed by everyone) expressing condolences. I have to say this is possibly the smartest and kindest vet on the planet. I hope everyone who has a pet is as lucky as we are to find a good veterinarian to take care of their beasties, big and small.

Now that pretty little Cal has passed away I have no guinea pigs. It's the end of a glorious era of small cahttery little critters. Guinea pigs don't posesses a mean bone in their body, and they are so enteratining to watch, cuddle, and listen to. In they heyday of guinea pig ownership I would come down the hallway to my room and all four pigs would start crying "wheeek wheeek wheeeeek!" to try and get my attention, for food of course. They loved finishing up table scraps of fruit and vegetables, and when the weather was nice I would let them outside to eat to their little heart's content.

Cal has the softest white fur, gorgeous pink eyes, and the silliest crest on her head. She was always more timid when it came to cuddles, but the sneakiest about snaring all the best morsels for herself. Woe betide any creature who got between her and something tasty!

I am sure I will own guinea pigs again one day, but for now their cage is empty and I will dearly miss their little voices.

Moving Day

Today is moving day! Phinneus and I are heading back home (with the assistance of mother and Matt) for a couple of weeks. The weather is finally nice enough for Phinneus to have more outside time, which should blow his little mind away. I mean, outside is quite a difference from the fleece lined bin he spent all winter in. First, however, we have to load my one million boxes into my sisters van/Matt's truck and caravan the two or so hours home. Phin always spends the trip wrapped in fleece blankies in his little carrying bag completely asleep and unaware. I often wonder if he even notices his surroundings have changed. It's hard to tell with hedgehogs.

Two Households, Both Alike in Dignity

Haha, okay this is not Romeo + Juliet, there are no tragic lovers involved in today's post, and nobody is drinking poison. BUT there are two households; Phinneus has two households he could end up in while I am in Africa, to be exact. As I type, Little Man is settling down in a fleece blankie after and exciting quarter of an hour of running around as I clean and pack up my school-year residence. He was good and didn't poop in a inconvenient patch of carpet for once. His wheel was absolutely disgusting- clean one night usually means the next is extra terrible- and his fleece shows the evidence of a full night of chomping, pooping, and scooting. Hedgehogs are not like other small pets, they require a little extra TLC to keep them in good working order. Phinneus needs his clean blankies, a clean tank, daily food and water changes, daily wheel cleans, and daily snuggles. A bit more than little Pherb the hamster, or Renn and Raven the gerbil sisters require. Still, the work isn't bad and the reward of having a sweet little hedgehog companion on your life is more than enough. So who is willing to take my little hoglet in for a few months? We will find out soon. For now he is still in my care to coddle and generally make a fuss over.

New Camera New Phinneus!

Well, not really a new Phinneus, but the new camera sure turns out fabulous pictures of the little hog.

Little PhinMaster was dragged out of bed and made to sit for photos while I experimented with the new camera. Now that he's back in bed I am going over to Matt's to photograph the new kitten and Rodrigo Cat-Face.

Nasty Weather

Nasty weather. Play rehearsals. Too much to do. Enjoy these wonderful photos.

A Spring Day With Phinneus and Flowers

A day or two ago the temperature was finally warm enough to take Phinneus outside to stretch his legs. I don't know if hedgehogs get cabin fever, but I felt bad that he had been cooped up all winter. I gathered him and my camera and headed for a sunny patch of skilla. I placed him in amongst the flowers and it was as if he had completely forgotten that outside existed! He sniffed every inch of greenery in front of him and then stuck his little snout high in the air to sniff the breeze. He even tried to munch on one of the little blue flowers; it must have been the first bit of plant life he has tasted since he was a tiny hoglet. After a while he began to look worried and lost so I caught his attention by rustling my foot in plants so he could find it. The little critter rushed right over to plop himself on my foot and reassure himself that he was not in iminent danger. After this I scooped him up and brought him over to the grass so he could scoot around. Of course, he version of this was to huddle under his fleece blankie and sniff at months old rabbit pellets. Happy spring!

An Update on the Gerbies

Remember when I posted about the tiny little gerbil pups Matt and I got? Well here's a update: they are getting so big! Their beautiful honey colored fur/fuzz is giving way to gorgeous black speckling so that they look like moving piles of sand (much cuter than sand, though). They are shy little girls, and usually only want something to do with people when their is food in your hand or else if you represent and exciting new piece of furniture for them to crawl over. Their coloring changes just about every day, so it's easiest to tell them apart by personality. Raven is usually the first one to be out scooting around. Then Renn will emerge if the coast is clear. A few days ago Matt installed a wheel for them so that they could get their proper exercise. They haven't exactly figured it out yet...so far they will just crawl under it or sit in it and eat a treat. If I remember correctly, Phin did this too, and he got the hang of a wheel. The gerbies are vastly entertaining; and not only to me, either. Rodrigo the cat loves to sit in front of their cage in pounce-ready position. If the gerbils are especially excitable, Pherb (their upstairs neighbors on the bookshelf) will get up too and demand attention for himself. I love having a shelf full of critters.

Stress Relieving Snuggles

I'm just going to put it out there that science is HARD for me. I regard the subject as more of a comforting bedtime story- something you can learn about for fun- than as a hardcore element of education. So when I come home after a stressful three hour science class I really enjoy pulling out Phinneus for a snuggle. He is such a little nugget.

Hedgehog Literature...For the Well-Read Hog

Today's post is dedicated to some of my favorite hedgepiggy reading material. I've mentioned before how I sometimes receive mysterious packages in the mail containing hedgehog items. I've amassed a collection of hedgehog plushies as well as books and they are all quite delightful. Some of the books I have received are "just for fun"- little nature books featuring hedgies full of gorgeous photos and fun facts. I also have some hard core research info books written by people determined to document the entire history (and I mean entire as in going back to prehistoric giant hedgehogs which roamed North America) of the species.

I would like to share my favorite hedgehog books so far. These two are a good mix of fact, legend & lore, and wonderful anecdotes. They are easy to read (and by this I mean that they are meant to be read by people who have not studied zoology and don't have a phD in hedgehogology) and enjoyable.

First is The Hedgehog's Dilemma by Hugh Warwick. Mr. Warwick has studied hedgehogs for decades and is a member in good standing of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society. He is an expert in his field, as well as an excellent writer. Here is a link to his personal blog. You will find me on there if you search for "tattoos". Just fyi :) Here is a description from Amazon.com " The Hedgehog’s Dilemma, Warwick gets to the bottom of the sudden boom in hedgehog popularity and examines the relationship between the hedgehog and man, covering both the mammal’s natural and un-natural evolution, from despised vermin to much-beloved beast. A historical and cultural exploration of the hedgehog, this is an engaging, informative, and charming look at the fascinating world of hedgehogs.

For more than twenty years, Hugh Warwick has tracked hedgehogs across the globe in the slim hopes of coming across the hedgehog’s tiny, but unmistakable, pawprints. Warwick isn’t alone in his endeavors. In England and Wales, the Environment Agency, Great Britain’s leading environmental group, recently selected the hedgehog as its new mascot; while in America, which lacks a native hedgehog species, fanciers flock to the biannual Mile High Hedgehog Show to celebrate en masse the little spiny urchin. But why does the hedgehog seem to have such universal appeal?"

Next is The New Hedgehog Book by Pat Morris. Mr. Morris is an intellectual leader in the field of hedgehog research and hs written numerous scientific research papers on them. He was Senior Lecturer in Zoology at the University of London for some time. Here is a synopsis from amazon.co.uk "The first "Hedgehogs" book was published in 1983, and was a bestseller. Its unique blend of humour and scientific observation proved to have enduring appeal and the book has reprinted many times. Much has happened in the last 20 years, which is included here: a worrying decline in hedgehog numbers, the North Ronaldsay saga and the Uist problem. New research has been undertaken on the success of rehabilitating and releasing hedgehogs to the wild and on the effects of slug pellets. The book also critically evaluates designer hedgehog homes."

If you are interested in getting to the bottom of this hedgehog business, I suggest either or both of these excellent books!

Hedgehog Signaling

My illustrious father attended some kind of class pertaining to work this past weekend (he works for Aurora Healthcare) and learned an interesting fact. Apparently there are something like 63 genes that need to switch on and off in order to create pancreatic cancer (ugh!) and this syndrome of gene switching is called "hedgehog signalling". What the heck science?! Trying to pin such a nasty disease on an innocent little animal?! Not to mention the fact that I don't understand what they mean by "signalling". Do hedgehogs signal? Is it the way they raise and lower their quills. I am at a loss. And frankly, I would much rather name the syndrome after a much less pleasant creature, like chimpanzees or baboons.

*Sigh* After Spring Break

Well now it's Sunday night and spring break is drawing to a close. The week before I was sick, so really, I have been out of the game for two weeks. Eesh! I regret that Phinneus has not gotten as much of a regular schedule of care and attention as usual, but he is definitely not lacking anything. While I was sick it was harder to put at much energy into cuddles and cleaning, so while his cage was kept clean, he had less lap and floor time. Over break my mother and I made up for that! He settled into living at the house again (it's his country estate, we joked) with ease and wheeled every night except for one; that night his wheeling must have startled me awake because I just barely remember jumping up all of a sudden. This, in turn, must have scared the wits out of him because he scuttled back to bed and didn't wheel at all. Apart from that, he was fine. My mother and I found excuses to drag him out of bed multiple times for cuddles and exploration. Unfortunately this led to a disgusting new development: Phinneus now takes muck and anoints it onto his quills. He did this with a piece of dog kibble we had given him. After his initial struggle to break it into manageable pieces his smeared all over his rump and rear. Great. Now we're back in School-Town and he's all settled in in his fleecey villa-of-a-tub, ready to continue his life of permanent spring break.

Oh yeah, and did I mention I'm going to Africa in a few months?

Happy Birthday Phinneus!

Since it is now 12.10 am, YESTERDAY (the 12th) was Phin's 1st birthday! My little hedgie is growing up fast. Matt and I celebrated with a dinner party and tasty desert for both Phin and us. In the photo you can see our cheesecake, but behind my hand is the can of mealworms that I let Phin dig in. Today he weighs around 330 grams, wheels regularly, loves to explore, and snuggles into his hedgie hut with glee. He has mellowed into a sweet tempered little man. Sure he't got poop boots from time to time, but he's basically as clean as the next hedgehog, and what's more he doesn't smear himself with filth like some. I feel I've lucked out with Phin Phin.

Gerbil Pups- Raven and Renn

Yesterday Matt and I brought home our two new little gerbil pups. They are stunningly gorgeous girls whom we have named Raven and Renn. Renn is the German word for run, and also part of the German word for gerbil, which is 'rennmaus'. It is also (spelled w-r-e-n) a type of bird, so Matt picked Raven to go with it. Their pretty names go with their pretty selves! I posted a video on Phin's YouTube channel (yes, he can share) and you should check it. I mean, they are pretty darn cute, so why not? It might even lower your blood pressure or something. Here is a link to the video, or you can click the link at the bottom of the blog, which will play it in a little box at the top of the page.

I got really sick this weekend; luckily we snagged the gerbies and did the errands before the fever set in, so I spent the night hopped up on Excedrin, watching Raven and Renn explore their new home. We even had a precious bonding moment when I placed my hand in the tank and they came over to investigate. Their fur is extremely soft and honey colored, and their long whiskers tickle.

Bookie

Well guess who's going to be in a book? Phinneus is! Awkward Family Pet Photos to be exact. I submitted a photo of him (the big one at the top of this page, actually) to the website hoping it would be selected to appear on the page. A day later I got an email from the AFPP people asking if they could use my photo in their upcoming book! Random House is the publisher and this is the follow up book to Awkward Family Photos the Book. The website, if you don't know it already, is absolutely hilarious and I usually tune in every couple of days to see what's new. It's basically a collected of submitted photos and stories of awkward family moments. We all have them. Now everyone can see them. Awkward Family Pet Photos is the sister site which is all about the family pets. Both are delightful! Be sure to check them out and look for Phinneus!

Some New Clips At Last

I finally got around to filming Phinneus being Phinneus and put them on YouTube. Check them out here OR follow the link at the bottom of the page. Or both!

Gerbil Town

This weekend Matt and I are going over to a friends house to pick out some ickle baby gerbils! We had talked about getting gerbils way back even before we had Phinneus or Pherb. Matt's never had them (I had a few when I was younger) but we both like their energetic and cheerful nature. Plus they are just too cute to miss. After going through a pet population explosion- hedgehog, guinea pigs, hamsters, cat, fish tank, newts- we both agreed that we would need to wait before adding gerbils to our bunch. Well, we've waited, and unfortunately we've lost some of our critters, but now the time is ripe for the gerbies. The 10 gallon tank Andromeda (my newt who passed away last week after crawling out of her tank and then becoming mummified under the refrigerator) used to live in is perfect. Last weekend Matt and I went to Animart, which is a favorite activity, and purchased the necessary supplies.

My friend Sarah has been telling me about her gerbil farm for months. She has a lot of adolescents on her hands right now, so it's the perfect opportunity for us to scoop some up. Two to be exact, and of the same gender. No gerbil farm for us! Me being me, of course I am all excited to set up a fantastical microcosm for them...and to name them of course! Well, only one of them. Matt gets to name the other one. It will sort of be like "his and hers". I was thinking of naming mine Aloysius if he's a boy.

Saturday can't come soon enough! P.S. That's also the day I have my first nail cutting session with guinea pig I wrote about earlier.

Nails Nails Nails

I was cruising Craigslist in the pet section, per usual (Looking for some Beta tapes? I am selling some on CL right now. There, that's my shameless plug) when I saw an ad from a woman looking for a young person, preferably female, to trim her guinea pig's nails. Voila, that's me! I have raised four guinea pigs and a hedgehog. Nails, I can do nails. But...it took me a long time to get comfortable trimming my pets' toenails; everyone is afraid of cutting the quick and making them bleed. It happens to everyone at some point, and let's face it, it happens more than once, but it still makes you feel like a horrible animal abuser when it happens. In order to help spread the word about responsible and painless nail trimming I am writing about it here. If you've been following this blog you will have read about my trials and tribulations concerning Phin's nails. Here is what I have learned about hedgehogs and trimmings.

First, you might want to know when it is time to trim you hedgie's nails. Every critter will have a different interval for trimmings, so just keep an eye on their feet. Determining just when is the right time to cut is a judgement call- definitely make sure your hedgie doesn't end up like the one in the photo below. The second photo is a less extreme example, but still, don't let the nails go for too long. A hedgehog's nails are an opaque sort of white and you can see the pink quick. There shouldn't be too much white nails extending beyond the quick. Sometimes you hedgehog will let you know when her nails are too long by ceasing to wheel or to run around. It becomes painful for her to walk on long nails, so she becomes sedentary.

Okay, so now it's nail trimming time. You have either your cat nail cutters or a human set and your hedgehog. When I do it, I make sure to have plenty of light and a fleece blanket to hold Phin in. He does NOT like having his feet pulling out and held one by one, so it helps to pull out the foot and trap his body between my arm and the blanket. Then I trim carefully but speedily. Some people find that it helps to trim nails during bath time as it is harder for your hedgie to scamper away. Below is a diagram of how far to cut into the nail.

I got this diagram and some helpful hints from Hedgehog Central under their Health Forum. There is a search box where you can type in whatever you are looking for. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the people at HHC are wonderful resources full of helpful information! Thanks HHC!

Long Time No Post

It's been a while since I posted...yeah...but look at what is happening a mile or two away from me:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/18/wisconsin-protests-madison-scott-walker_n_825080.html !!! CNN and BBC, to name a few, have gotten in on this action and the rest of the country (and Europe) are all watching closely as Wisconsin fights to throw out a bill by Scott Walker which has been characterized as "anti-union". Without getting into too much detail, in my opinion letting Scott Walker get away with this is the equivalent of letting Voldemort take over Hogwarts and rule with an iron wand.

But getting back to hedgehogs, Phin-Master 3000 is being such a little cuddle monster these days. As I have said time and time again, hedgehogs are so moody; one moment they are spiky curmudgeons and the next they are the cutest little snuggle muffins.

A Tribute to Yossarian E. Guinea Pigg

On Saturday February 5th my guinea pig Yossi (short for Yossarian) passed away after being ill for quite some time. I put off writing this tribute because let's face it, who wants to write one of these to begin with?

Yossi was my very first pet guinea pig and I got him from a pet shop when he was six months old. Apparently he had been dropped off their by his original owners who were "moving to Europe". Yossi was always a pretty sweet little character. He never put up a great fuss about anything. Not long after bringing him home I decided that he needed a friend seeing as guinea pigs are extrememly sociable critters and do best in pairs or groups. Lu

ckily at that time my mother spotted an add for a guinea pig who was Critter of the Week in the local humane society section. We went and picked her up a day or so later and I named her Scout.

Now Scout, you must understand, was the complete opposite of Yossi. She was a spicey, sassey, whirlwind of a pig. Her nickname was WWII. In order for Scout and Yossi to be playmates Yossi had to bite the bullet and go in to be neutered. Unfortunately the vet operating on him wasn't quite with the game and ended up leaving a seuter in where he shouldn't have and poor Yossi ended up with a golf ball sized swelling full of pus- yikes! The new vet we took him to turned out to be brilliant and a very good hand with small animals. He had Yossi healed and ready to go in no time! Since then he is the only vet I trust my piggies with, and he even took care of Phinneus :)

Now there were two...but I had the guinea pig bug and while I was delving full throttle in pigg research and care tips I remembered another little cavy at the pet store where I had aquired Yossi. She was aproximately the same age as him, but had been in the store for a while. She was all white, except for her dark ears, dark paws, and dark nose.

She had pretty pink eyes and seemed like just the perfect little lady. It should be no surprise

that I brought her home and name her Calpurnia, or Cal for short.

Cal is a cheeky lady with a great appetite! She remained Yossi's constant companion until the end, even snuggling with him in the last few hours.

After Cal I was quite sure that three piggies would be the limit. My parents were too. After all I was a junior in high school so my time at home was limited to a few years anyway (apart from summers and all that). It was best not to settle myself in with too many critters that would need caring for when I was away. That was the official decision.

Then I went to the pet store, and as it always happens, I wasn't looking to get another guinea pig, but I saw Lily (and heard her sad back story) and then and there it was decided to amend the three pig rule and make it a four pig rule. After all, how much of a difference could just one more make? Three might as well be four. As it turned out Lily was a wonderful little pig! She was feisty and sweet all at once, cheerful and curious; always the first one out to eat and inspect visitors. She chirpped away about her day as you held her and was rediculously adorable.

Four pigs were the limit and so I stopped there and worked on

building a guinea pig kingdom. I took outside for play dates on the grass, I gave them baths, I fed them the best food I could find. In short, life was good for the pigs. When I went to college my dad graciously volunteered to take over caring for them.

In the first summer after college I lost not only my baby dog Hershey but also Lily. She had reached old age for a guinea pig and died peacefully, but it was terribly sad to loose such a special little lady. The rest of the summer and then the first semester of the next school year passed without incident. Yossi started to become a little thin, but not overly so.

In January of last year Scout was the next to go. She too was older and also died peacefully of old age. I was away at school when it happened, so my parents took care of the burial and all. Then there were just the two younger pigs, Cal and Yossi. Yossi continued to become fatter while Cal got plumper. She was the picture of health while Yossi was rapidly becoming nothing but fur covered bones. His eyes remained bright, however, and his appetite and attitude remained healthy. The vet treated him repeatedly for nasty foot infections and discove

red a heart murmur. When I was home I gave him weekly baths and foot treatments. My parents lavished ointment, Vitamin C tablets, and treats on the piggies to keep them healthy and happy. They loved the delicious vegetables from out garden.

Yossi chugged along for more than a year, but eventually passed away. This time I was able to be home and spend time with him before he died. It's very odd to think that he IS gone because he was my first guinea pig, so as far as I am concerned the guinea pig world has never existed without him in it. Now there's just Cal and I'm a little worried about her being lonely. She spent her whole life so far with other pigs and now they're all gone. My plan is to open up the room she is in to get more traffic from the rest of the house. We are going to install a radio so that she can hear other "beings" in the room with her. Cal has health problems of her own, besides now being a lonely pig. She went to vet to have a big lump looked at and I am hoping it isn't cancer.

For now though, Cal can enjoy having all the treats and cuddles lavished upon herself. She is Queen Guinea Pig.

Hedgehog Day!

Happy Hedgehog Day! This day, February 2, is the halfway point between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox. What does this mean? It's means that not only is it a good day to start thinking about the end of winter, but also that this day has had special meaning for far longer than the groundhog in Pennsylvania has been popular. In ancient times the Celts, for example, called February 2 Inbolc, while the Romans celebrated Lupercalia. It was known as the festival of lights because it celebrated the return of the sun and the lengthening of days. Sometimes the weather was predicted by bears and wolves emerging from their dens to test the air. When Constantine made everyone Christian he simply adopted the holiday and put a Christian spin on it; Now Imbolc was Candlemas day, and the day in which Jesus was presented to the temple. February 2 is 40 days after Christmas, the appropriate amount of time in between birth and when a baby can brought to Temple in the Jewish tradition. Now you are probably wondering where the candles come into this (unless you are my mother and knew all this already). Christians used candles to celebrate Jesus being the light of the world. Lots of candles for lots of light, hence Candlemas.

Now then, on to the part where animals enter into the story. The good ole' German farmers on the their hardy German farms used to notice that the hedgehogs would come out of hibernation just long enough to peer around and take stock of the world. A farmer would watch the little critter carefully and try to deduce the forecast based on the hedgehog's reaction. It became a tradition known as Hedgehog Day. Isn't that fabulous? These same German farmers ended up emigrating to Pennsylvania (I guess the hardy German farms weren't hardy enough for the farmers) where lo and behold there were no hedgehogs! Tragedy! No really, how awful would it be to grow up with hedgehogs scurry around your house and then go somewhere where they simply don't exist? Anyway, the German farmers did notice that there was another rodent running around plentifully in their fields. This was of course the groundhog (or Marmot, if you're in Sarah Palin's Alaska). Today everyone knows Punxsutawney Phil as the Seer of Seers, and so forth. So from Imbolc, to Candlemas, to Hedgehog, to Groundhog Day, February 2 has a lot of history, and maybe isn't such a dull holiday after all. Want to know more about the religious aspect of this day? Click here. Want to know more about groundhogs/marmots? Click here. Want to see Phil's prediction? Go here.

The Boy Who REALLY Wanted A Hedgehog

I came cross this story from CBS. It's about a boy in Kansas who decides that he wants a hedgehog (because they are so cute, of course) and so he begins a campaign for one. Of course, like all worthwhile childhood pet campaigns, his mother refuses. Not only that, but he happens to live in one of the places where owning a hedgehog is illegal. Neither of these (formidable) barriers stop him. I don't want to give it all away- watch the news story!

Burberry Lives!

I am very excited that my story 'Burberry and the Fox' has finally appeared in the Hedgehog Welfare Society newsletter! Here is the link- just go to the November/December issue. The story continues for several pages throughout the newsletter...I guess I didn't realize how long it is! I originally wrote it as a birthday present for my grandma.

As far as the daily life of Phinneus Fergus Wilkes, Hog, goes he has recently come off a steak of Grumpiness. Hedgehogs are rather bipolar, I've noticed. Phinneus will be pleasant, charming, adorable, etc for a week or more, and then wham-o! He's nothing but a huffing and puffing indignant ball of spikes. There doesn't appear to be and reason for the mood swings. He also has been boycotting his wheel since December, with the exception of a few nights here and there. It's gotten to the point where I am *excited* when I get to clean his wheel in the morning. Today was a cleaning day. Hooray for poop!

HedgePiggy Sitter

Someone please buy me these. Here they are.

This weekend I am going home again for a doctor's appointment and a day to celebrate Matt and mine's one year anniversary. Since I just came back to school last week, and since Phinneus has moved three times since then, I figured it would be asking too much of the little man to do it again. I asked one of my friends who lives close by to take care of him and she graciously (and excitedly) agreed. I took her through his care tips; it's simply enough, and she's spent time with him before. I will miss my Phin, but he probably won't even notice that I am gone until I come back.

A Wheel Discussion

This week and the previous weekend have been all about moving back to school, settling in, reorganizing, and getting back into the flow of college life. Phin has been at Matt's and when I'm at my place I miss having my little guy with me. I am planning to move Mr. Grumpus back with me tomorrow since today I have inopportune class times. He has all new exciting fleece liners made by my mother and for once I am actually exciting to clean his cage and see the new look.

I wanted to write a post about exercise wheels today because they are so important for hedgehogs (even though my guy has been boycotting his lately) and there is so much bad information out there about them. When I did my research I went to Hedgehog Central. So keep in mind that the opinions I share are born both out of experience and information I retained from that site. The people there are extremely knowledgable, as I have stated before, and I trust them on their hedgie know-how. Now then, onto the wheels.

#1 The WORST FIRST:

This wheel is a run-of-the-mill mesh wheel, which unfortunately most people end up buying because this is what pet stores often use in their own displays. THESE WHEELS ARE VERY DANGEROUS! The mesh can catch feet or tails or other other body parts as the animal runs and break them. Your poor little critter can end up with serious damage and you can end up with some unpleasant vet bills. Do not buy these.

#2 The Silent Spinner

These wheels are loads better than those awful mesh wheels, but as far as commercially available wheels they still present some dangers. The big deal with these is that they have a seam where the colored plastic meets the white of the inside of the wheel, and you furry friend''s claws and/or toes can get caught and ripped off or broken i

n there. Some people solve this problem by taping the seam. I have not heard how well this works and I personally think it would look unapealing. That's just me though; it's not like your hedgehog cares how pretty her wheel is. Their average cost is $9.99

#3 The Flying Saucer

These space age wheels are still new to the market, but they seem to work well and present minimal problems. One safety concern is how running at that angle will negatively affect your hedgehog's back. However, since these wheels are so new, no one has done any research yet to determine whether or not this is a real concern. One thing I have heard from owners who purchased this wheel is that while the wheel itself is often cleaner, it is because the feces and urine just flies right off and splatters the cage. They cost around $25.00

#4 The Comfort Wheel

This is widely agreed to be the best commercially available wheel on the market. It is the safest, it comes in a large enough size, and is stable. This is the first wheel I bought for my little hedgie. It ran beautifully for months. The only downside was that the feces would often get stuck in the ridges and would require dutiful scrubbing to remove. After about four months or so the wheel began to make a lot of noise. At night I would end up banishing Phinneus to the bathroom so that his wheel wouldn't keep me awake. With some regular cleaning, perhaps some greasing though, this wheel could be a good choice. It is affordable at around $16.99

#5 The Carolina Storm Wheel

This wheel is not commercially available, and is hand-made by a respectable breeder known as Larry from Carolina Storm Hedgehogs. The wheel has been designed with hedgehog safety and comfort in mind, and avoids all the flaws of the commercial brands. It is large, safe, easy to clean, and extremely quiet. In fact, you are more likely to hear the pitter patter of you hedgie's feet thant he revolutions of the wheel. They are more expensive because of their quality and because they are hand made. Larry sells them for $30 plus shipping. Here is the page on his website which advertises them. They also come with a litter pan as you can see from the photo. I bought one of these when my Comfort Wheel began to make too much noise and I can't tell you enough what an excellent purchase it was.

So there you are, an introduction to buying a wheel for your hedgehog. Remember, make sure they are large enough; your hedgehog should not have his or her back coming into contact with any part of the wheel and he/she should be able to run without bending their backs.

Lugging It All Back

Winter break is drawing to a close (this is the second most depressing part of the year, the first being directly after Christmas, and the third being February-March). Now it is time to lug my things back to school- critters included- and try and squeeze it all back in. How did it fit before? And how will it fit now that it has all doubled?

Pherb is going to stay at Matt's for a while. We like him there, and since Suzie died he has been a nice little tub of fur running around....besides Rodrigo the cat that is, and let me tell you Rodrigo isn't little.

As of right now Phin is blissfully unaware that he is about to be bundled into a cat carrier and driven across the state and re-set up in his usual home. I hope he finds it familiar, but after being with me at home for a month he might have just assumed the move here was permanent. Oh my little squashblossom, this is not the case.

Now I am going to go finish packing and getting ready.

What A Blustery Month

Well after returning from my theatre trip I found my hedgehog in perfect health. His wheeling hasn't been as consistant since December, but I am not worried. He had the round of antibiotics, a good heartbeat, and he still eats, drinks, and emits waste like a fiend. Currently he is suggled in his hedgie bag, but that will change soon enough when I come over for cuddles. My mother, his grannie, made him some beautiful new fleece liners which I am eager to try out. His cage is due for another cleaning in the next day or so.

In other news, I have applied for a job as an animal caretaker at Shelter from the Storm. I'm a long shot because of my hours and lack of professional experience, but I tried to impart how badly I want to care for critters on my resume and application. I even included that I have knowledge of hedgehogs, among other animals. I am sure the job will go to some aspiring vet or zookeeper, but I can still have hope, right? I'll let you know how it goes.

Hello Goodbye

Well it has been a long time since I last posted...but it's the holidays, right? Phin finished up his round of antibiotics and we enjoyed a few days of peaceful- and dare I say gentle?- hedgehog cuddles. Now he has apparently lost the fear of god and is back to being huffy and curmudgeonly. I have left him in the capable hands of my parents this week as I embark on a trip with the theatre department to ACTF. Phinneus will need lots of cuddles this week and I hope that he hasn't been getting used to my absence as I flit around from place to place during winter break. Is there anything better than winter break? Honestly I think not, because it includes Christmas. *Ahem* I mean Hanukkah.