AWWWW of the day! (hedgehog getting a bath)

[redhen]

Quote:
ETA..nevermind..the OP beat me to the question...

 

[ChickenWisperer]

Quote:
ETA..nevermind..the OP beat me to the question...

I think "Can you even pet it?" is my favorite question when people see my hedgies!

 

[Emzyyy]

We got our first hedgehog "Popcorn" from a petstore here in town that gets them from breeders. He was much more tame than the female I got straight from a breeder. So not all petstores are bad just do a backup check.

 

[ChickenWisperer]

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Its still never, ever wise to buy a animal like a hedgehog from a petstore. They are usually unsocialized, not fed right, dont have proper housing, dont have proper exercise, and a slew of other things. Most stores dont know much about hedgehogs, if anything. If they are being handled by all these different people, that sometimes helps - it did with Raphael, I believe.

You can't guarantee a good hedgie from a breeder - but its always a wiser decision to get one from a breeder - a good one. Good breeders know their hedgehogs, know about diseases, know colors, diet, usual health problems, how to properly care for them, etc. Good breeders also are usually with the HBA (Hedgehog Breeders Alliance) and have their Hedgies registered.

Then, every hedgehog is different. Most people don't realize how much patience you have to have for one of these creatures; they assume they are bad and throw them away, when that may be an excellent hedgie that is still scared and doesnt trust easily. It took me a long time to gain Raphaels trust - but now, I cant ask for a better little man.