So I happen to be the lucky owner of the world’s cutest and grumpiest albino hedgehog; I call her Daisy. In the seven months we’ve been together I’ve learned that Daisy and I have more in common than I would have ever thought. Your hedgehog won’t be waiting for you at the door each day, and it certainly won’t crawl onto your keyboard when you’re procrastinating (well, it might). At the end of a particularly long night of homework, it’s pretty nice to hear the sniffles of an equally angsty and dramatic creature. But it’s also rewarding to earn their trust. It’s hard fought, and hedgies aren’t as friendly or adventurous as social media would have you believe. Each one has its own personality and preferences. I love my little pokey pet and she has become as much of a part of my college experience as anyone. Here’s some of the reasons I think hedgehogs are every college kid’s spirit animal.

1. They sleep through most of the day.
   
   Hedgehogs are nocturnal, so their sleep schedule is pretty much dependent on the amount of light creeping on their living space. When the lights are on late (or early into the morning), sometimes I wonder if my hedgehog isn’t actually that roommate from freshman year.
2. They’ll eat pretty much anything.
   Hedgies eat primarily kitten food. They’ll also eat scraps of whatever they find interesting. Daisy loves apples, leafy greens, melons, and deli meats, and will attempt corners of towels, blankets, and, well, pretty much anything she can fit into her mouth. For hedgehogs, everything they eat is free. Definitely sounds a lot better than a diet of ramen and coffee, but we take what we can get.
3. Hedgehogs are ALWAYS on the run.
   College kids are some of the busiest people I know. Class, work, gym, meeting, party, crash, repeat. We never stop moving. Hedgehogs love running, to the tune of about 4 miles a night depending on the hedgie. Given the size of their little tiny legs, I’d have to run 1.5 marathons a night to match that kind of effort. With how tired my friends and I all are at the end of every day, it sure feels like maybe our Fitbits are just lying to us.
4. Sometimes they’re antisocial.
   If a hedgehog doesn’t want you around, you’ll know. They will pop and hiss and curl up into a tight little ball to hide from the world and angrily spike ANYTHING that gets too close. That means you. That’s right, YOU. What Daisy thinks makes her look fierce and unapproachable makes her ten times cuter. If a hedgehog had a favorite activity, it would probably be playing video games or watching Netflix. Actually, no, it’s definitely sleeping. How much more like a college kid could you get? After all, I’m a big advocate of just curling up into a ball and ignoring the world.
5. They like to be warm.
   Pet hedgehogs literally can’t even when it gets cold. Seriously. African Pygmy Hedgehogs (the kind you keep as pets) come from – you guessed it: Africa. Without a carefully adjusted temperature at or above approximately 75°F, hedgehogs will go into hibernation. Domesticated hedgehogs don’t have the necessary adaptations to come out of hibernation, so they don’t often survive cold temperatures. With the amount of parkas and snow boots around campus in the winter, it’s easy to wonder whether college students might also just curl up and die in the cold; it might not really be that dangerous for us, but a bad winter cold can really make you sympathize with an under-the-weather hedgie.

Hedgehogs are great pets and are incredibly cute. But if you want to get one, make sure you are fully prepared to commit to your spiky friend and give them best life possible before taking them home. Just like you in college, they want to make the most of their years and will need your love and care every single day. Feel free to follow me on Twitter (@JessicaGr33n) to see even more adorable hedgehog photos.