My new friend...

[slim6y]

New Zealand has been neglected of any native mammals - but the English were thoughtful enough to bring over a variety for us to share.

Here we have a hedgehog. A young male abandoned (by the looks of things).

I was out walking my dog with his best friend Tess (a beautiful German Shepard) and Tess' mum, a vet... Luckily enough. I stumbled upon this wee fella who was lucky the two dogs didn't stumble on him! They're rather spiky!

Anyway, he's off to be with the vet to get better, de-flea'd and perhaps we can find him a female to have some cute hedgehog babies with!

The hope is he naturalises himself to the vet's property and eats all the snails and slugs that he likes!!!

 

[Aussie-Pride]

I have a mate that has an albino one he got his for 400 it loves cat food, when they twitch there spikes are nasty and yes people I know it's a illegal.

 

[slim6y]

I have a mate that has an albino one he got his for 400 it loves cat food, when they twitch there spikes are nasty and yes people I know it's a illegal.

They're legal here - though only by default - they're not as bad as toads - but the same sort of biocontrol gone wrong. I actually think they were introduced, just like sparrows and black birds, so the pome's could feel more at 'home'!

An albino aye.... Well... I've only ever seen this colour - never an albino. This one is well under the 1kg mark which it needs to be before winter sets in. A South Otago winter would definitely kill this fellow.

 

[Aussie-Pride]

They're legal here - though only by default - they're not as bad as toads - but the same sort of biocontrol gone wrong. I actually think they were introduced, just like sparrows and black birds, so the pome's could feel more at 'home'!

An albino aye.... Well... I've only ever seen this colour - never an albino. This one is well under the 1kg mark which it needs to be before winter sets in. A South Otago winter would definitely kill this fellow.

yeah it's all white with a pink face, he's only tiny it fits in the palm of my hand, what are ya feeding it..

 

[slim6y]

yeah it's all white with a pink face, he's only tiny it fits in the palm of my hand, what are ya feeding it..

The vet has it - a good cat food is enough to get them back on their feet again. They're particularly omnivorous - but the high protein in the cat food is going to bulk him up! He'll be the hedgehod to watch out for in the future

My thought - better than a guinea pig!

My second thought - wouldn't make good snake food!

 

[Aussie-Pride]

The vet has it - a good cat food is enough to get them back on their feet again. They're particularly omnivorous - but the high protein in the cat food is going to bulk him up! He'll be the hedgehod to watch out for in the future

My thought - better than a guinea pig!

My second thought - wouldn't make good snake food!

lol who want's a guinea pid when you can have a hedgey, donno about snake food there spikes wouldn't go down to well.

 

[Pinoy]

Definitely an interesting pet.
When i was in Singapore, I saw a few albino ones.
If they're legal, hook me up

 

[Aussie-Pride]

Definitely an interesting pet.
When i was in Singapore, I saw a few albino ones.
If they're legal, hook me up

There not legal in Aus mate

 

[slim6y]

Just get an echidna - they're cute as well

I don't know how many species of hedgehog there are, but I know in the US they have a hedgehog pet market. Maybe I can think about breeding these fellows and exporting???

I might see if I can get a few more. There's 100s out at the moment. I have a good spot for them to hide. Not sure if they can burrow or not. Who knows...

 

[Sel]

OMG Slimey.. Hedgehogs are the cutest lil things!! I wan't one sooo bad !

 

[Sezzzzzzzzz]

what a cool pet! i just googled them and they sound like a really interesting pet, apparently they enjoy burrowing slim6y. They can be litter trained too.

Behavior Characteristics

 

[dihsmaj]

Aussie, I think the 'albino' was just a domesticated hedgehog. Domesticated hedgehog - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Just get an echidna - they're cute as well

if I'm not mistaken they're illegal

 

[Aussie-Pride]

I don't think echidna's are legal either, there maybe license's you can keep them under but never looked into it.

How much do they go for in the US.. Where there's demand for supply there's money to be made though I think the whole Exporting to US being a live animal could be tricky business..

Is it legal to collect them an keep them in NZ? Na they can't burrow. Edit Maybe they can.

Aussie, I think the 'albino' was just a domesticated hedgehog. Domesticated hedgehog - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

No that's not it mate, the one my mate has got red eyes and a pink face.

 

[grannieannie]

I had no idea hedghogs were in NZ....I know there are hundreds and hundreds in the UK...but I only saw dead ones over there. I think they are soooooo cute !! They aren't legal here and neither are hamsters....hamsters are really cute too.

 

[slim6y]

if I'm not mistaken they're illegal (Echidna)

Sorry buddy - it was all tongue and cheek, I am very aware of the legalities - there was never a doubt there.

OMG Slimey.. Hedgehogs are the cutest lil things!! I wan't one sooo bad !

give us your addy and I'll put one in a parcel box if you like....

(before you go and say - slimey - that's illegal.... Just ask yourself - would I do that???)

They're actually not that cute... Unless you turn them over, which incidentally, they don't like. So if you want them to be cute, they'll hate you. If you don't mind a spiky looking rock that moves (sometimes) in your garden, then a hedgehog is for you!

I'm not planning on house training one that's for sure. But keeping it in an outdoor enclosure that it can free range would be quite suitable... When it acclimatises to the outdoor enclosure, has a regular supply of cat food, I think it may stick around and come back and fourth on its on free will. That's my plan really.

But the dog will probably go barking at it.

The one I found (above) there was a dead hedgehog about 50 or so metres away, so I assume it could have been a (dreaded) cat or similar that got it - and that I would think is the mummy hog. I have a box, and some gloves to go hunt out a good hedgehog for me Plus the dog inadvertently finds them by standing on them when trying to play fetch!

So A-P - are there hedgehogs in Australia then? You can confirm this???

 

[shell477]

how cute! i saw them everywhere in christchurch in the evenings on my trips there