I should be asleep. It's after 1am. But I am too excited! I have been doing research all night! I guess I'll have to take a nap tomorrow. Good thing I have the day off! The reason I'm excited and have been up all night, is because Michael said yes!
WE'RE
GETTING
A
HEDGEHOG!!!!!!!!
Well, technically, Avery is getting a hedgehog. For her birthday. She's been begging for a pet of her own for a while now. Connor brought home a book about baby hedgehogs. I thought they were cute. I found out the babies are called Hoglets. And it was all downhill from there!!
To be fair, Michael had multiple opportunities to tell me no, but he didn't. I think, deep down inside, he thought it would be a cool pet too. :) So I've been doing research all night. I already contacted a breeder (in Iola), picked a hedge (omg. so cute!), paid for her (she didn't cost as much as either of Sis' dogs), and planned a date to go pick her up (Thursday, Oct. 1st). So, Mama, when you read this, text me ad let me know if you want to go with me to pick her up! :D
I hope Avery likes her. If not, I know I'm going to love her!! Did you know that you can litter box train them?!?! Yup, already did research on that! I went out with Sis tonight and bought a few things, like food and water dishes, bedding, a hidey hole (which I may return for something cozier), and a water bottle (because I didn't know exactly how big she'd be when I got her, how she'd reach the bottle or if the dish would be better, or what she was using right now). Since getting online and doing research I have bought her a wheel, her own set of fruit/veggie stuffies, a ball that distributes treats, a heating pad for under her cage, and a thermometer to go on her cage (hedgies need an environment of 72-80 degrees).
Of course, as she will be Avery's pet, she will get all naming rights. Right now her name is Mint, but I think Hedgwig would be a great name too! ;) We'll see what Avery decides! But until you hear from Avery that she got a new pet, Mum's the word!!
Here she is!!!
She was born on August 8th. She'll be almost 8 weeks old when we get her. Her owner says that she's a sweet girl, but has been grumpy lately as she is quilling (her adult quills are growing in, not very comfy). Her owner has been handling her and her littermates since they were 2 weeks old, so they're used to be handled (although they'll still have to get used to us, of course).
Here are some fun facts about hedgies!
They eat cat food! It needs to be high in protein and low in fat. They also like to snack on cheerios, mealworms, boiled chicken, scrambled eggs, carrots, apples, bananas, and berries (among other things). They only need 1-3 tbsp of food/day. Compare that to the 4-8 cups of food per day that Sis' new puppy is going to need!! 0_o
They can run up to 10 miles/night (did I mention they're nocturnal?). Obviously a wheel was not an optional or enrichment sort of item for her cage, but something necessary to keep her healthy.
She will need an occasional bath. Michael's cousin, Aby, who used to have a hedge, recommended non-scented soap and a toothbrush to really clean into her quills and under her toenails.
I've already learned so much! I'm super excited to get her! The next couple weeks are going to fly by! We have family pictures this weekend, we're going to get Sis' puppy next weekend (although I still need to ask Michael if he can pick up the kids from school that day and I can go), and then we (Mama? Sis? Michael? Just me?) are going to pick up our hedgehog on Thursday the following week!! So fun!! I can't wait to meet our little hoglet! :D
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