Not too long ago, I adopted a little 6-week-old hedgie that I named Penny. Exotic pets have always been a big curiosity for people--owning alligators and sometimes tigers after the "Life of Pi" movie. I decided to go a little more reasonable with my exotic pet, and after much persuasion, purchased a hedgehog. Before my adoption, I knew nothing about hedgehogs except the fact that a lot of people kept them as pets and that they were adorable. After tons of googling, I learned a lot about owning a hedgie and decided it was the perfect pet for this first-time pet owner.
1. They're nocturnal.
Despite the fact that I wanted a pet to play with when I was bored, I decided to pick a nocturnal pet. Hamsters are nocturnal as well, but just like them, hedgehogs may be woken up whenever they please, or when you please. As the breeder said, nighttime in her hedgehog habitat is a "hedgehog rave," which I see because my hedgie poops all over her wheel when I wake up in the morning. They don't have to constantly be sleeping when it's light out, or awake when it's dark.
2. They hate waking up just as much as I do.
It takes forever to get my hedgie out of bed. She quills up and gets angry, but the second I tell her to knock it off, she hears my voice and smells me and quits. It sometimes takes so long to get her up that I give up, but now I know how my mom feels when she tries to get me to wake up early.
3. They have a weird diet.
From cat food to bananas, hedgehogs eat the weirdest foods. Sometimes it's worms, but I'm all about feeding mine cat food--it's clearly easier to obtain.
4. You can paper train them.
Hedgehogs hate going to the bathroom in their bedrooms/homes, and you'd probably agree. Hedgehogs can be trained with paper or litter, which is adorable, but mine hasn't mastered it yet.
5. They're illegal in a bunch of states.
Luckily for this New Jersey girl, hedgehogs are legal with a license that you receive from a breeder. Breeders can be found in all states on http://www.hedgehogcentral.com.
6. You'll become so attached to them that putting them away hurts your heart.
I'm way too obsessed with my hedgehog even though I've had her for less than a week already. She's so cute when she runs around on the floor or curls up to sleep in my hands. Though they only live for two-four years, I know they'll be the best years of her life and she will be missed when she's gone.
