o.k. I'm sorry but color me stupid, I thought Your prickly little friend was a porcupine when I first saw it. Someone let me know what the differances are. o.k.?
A teacher told me once that stupid questions are the ones never asked. I haven't thought about what the differences are. Appearance of course. They look a bit different from each other. The hedgehogs are native to Europe, Asia and Africa. The porcupines are on all continents. Their quills are longer and the animal is a bit bigger. The American porcupines can climb trees. Hedgehogs can't. If you touch a porcupine, it sheds quills. Hedgehogs don't but their quills are sharp anyway.
Here is a picture of a porcupine for you Petunia. http://blather.net/abroad/photos/_MG_64 ... ne_500.jpg
Actually they can be quite cuddly once they're used to being handled. I do that occasionally to check for ticks. Some years are very bad, and it's important to get them off those small animals.
You are brave - I have never tried to pick them up yet. Who knows - next time I encounter one I will try. Dastardly ticks can be a real pest.
They also carry Lyme's disease. I loathe ticks! We've had deer dying from too many ticks around here, and I want the hedgehogs healthy.
I have been dying to get a pet hedgehog but have yet to get one. I held one at the store and he bit me LOL he was just scared I think. I think they are adorable!
I'd be fined heavily if we tried to domesticate it, but I do whatever I can to attract them to our garden. The only thing I refuse to do is let the slugs live. I hope you'll have a pet hedgehog some day.
If that little chap's anything to go by, they would make good yard guards. Trouble is, they're only out at night. Maybe Oreo should be fitted with quills? No, we can't since they're wild animals. Our pet rules are very strict, and getting stricter by the year. Basically we're allowed cats, dogs, rabbits, small rodents like hamsters and guinea pigs and such, some exotic birds and fish. Domesticating wildlife is not allowed, so no pet fox for instance. Snakes, lizards and such are prohibited. Turtles are allowed if you suffer from strong allergies, but you have to apply for a license to have them. It's all based on the Government's belief that most people know too little to care for special animals, and I generally believe they're right.
