Creature feature

My daughter (she’s 7) loves Beatrix Potter stories. The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle is her favorite. I told her hedgehogs are real animals and now she’s begging for one. I don’t know anything about them. Are they good pets for kids? Are they hard to take care of?

Their raccoon-like faces, petite feet, velvety bellies and ability to curl into a complete ball make them almost irresistible. Like Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, the matronly washerwoman in the Beatrix Potter story, a hedgehog’s “little black nose goes sniffle, sniffle, snuffle, and her eyes go twinkle, twinkle, and beneath her little white cap are prickles!”

But hedgehogs aren’t storybook characters who clean their own houses and do laundry. They’re mammals that like solitude and may never seek out your company although they can be socialized, even cuddled at times. P.J. Mattus of Arkansas Hedgehog Rescue (actually, she’s the entire organization) says the little balls of quills can be good pets, but aren’t for everyone.

“They’re not really interactive pets,” she says. “They’re not really something you play with. They do some cute things but, for the most part, they’re rather boring.” Hedgehogs, or hedgies as some call them, also have their fine points: They’re quiet, don’t have an odor and take up little space.

Mattus says she doesn’t recommend hedgehogs for children unless the parents will be in charge of their care and will supervise the kids when they’re with the animal. But if you want one, here’s what you need to know:

Hedgehogs are nocturnal, which means your daughter may be asleep most of the time the hedgehog is awake and active.

They’re solitary creatures so each hedgehog needs its own cage, which must have a hamster wheel. “They love to run.” The cage floor should be lined with fleece, which is washable, or CareFresh Pet Bedding.

The cage needs to be in an area of the house where the temperature can be kept at a constant temperature of 72-75 degrees. If the temperature drops, they might try to “ hibernate,” but they’re not really adapted to it. Unlike other animals that hibernate during winter, hedgehogs often don’t wake up; they simply die.

A healthy hedgehog lives four to seven years and usually weighs about 13 ounces.

The quills on their backs aren’t barbed like those of a porcupine, but they are sharp so you don’t want to pet a hedgehog when it’s upset. What upsets them? “Loud noises and fast movements. Also, if they’re not happy and you get too close, they’ll huff at you and may charge.”

When a hedgie’s quills are relaxed, they feel like a hairbrush.

They have some quirks, including one called self-anointing. “They are such weird little creatures. If they come across a scent that interests them, like dirty socks, they’ll lick it and sometimes kind of nibble. Then they create this kind of foamy saliva in their mouths,” Mattus says. The hedgehog then swivels its head so it spreads the foam over its quills. “It’s kind of gross and kind of cute at the same time.”

They eat dry cat food, but Mattus supplements their diet with a homemade mixture of chicken or turkey, vegetables and fruits.

When frightened, they curl into a ball.

They like to stick their heads in toilet paper tubes.

They can be bought from a breeder for about $150. Breeders are listed on the International Hedgehog Association website, hedgehogclub.com.

Mattus got her first hedgehog about three years ago when searching for a pet that her husband, who is allergic to most animals, could tolerate.The hedgehog, which has very little fur, turned out to be ideal. While not as social as a cat or dog, hedgehogs can be cuddled. That’s enough for Mattus.

“I like to sit and watch TV with one of my hedgehogs sitting on my lap under a blanket. We chill and cuddle. They’re perfect for us.”

Do you have a question about pets? We’ll get you an answer from an authority. Send your question to Rhonda Owen, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203 or e-mail [email protected]

Family, Pages 34 on 10/16/2013

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