[MR] hedgehogs?

[oldstormcrow at aol.com]

Hedgehogs are native to Europe, although there is a long-eared variety that lives in southeast Asia. I had a couple as pets when I lived in Germany. The main problem is that they are such omnivores that they usually have the "trots".....and they are impossible to house-train. In medieval times and even later people kept them to eat bugs in their houses. When they managed to eat all the bugs in their owner's house, the owner would loan them to their neighbors for a bit. Hedgehogs will eat plants, bugs, small vermin, etc. They have even been observed snagging pheasants taking flight by the leg and dragging them down. Hedgehogs are also immune to most poison and venoms, natural or man-made. They are about the only animal (except for really twisted humans) who will, after killing another hedgehog in a territorial dispute, take the hide of their vanquished foe as a souvenir for their burrow. I could go on....for I have a plethora of trivia concerning my little spiny friends, but I will resist the urge. Baron Arkein




-----Original Message-----
From: David Chessler <chessler at usa.net>
To: Gina Shelley <paintedwheel at hotmail.com>; atlantia <atlantia at atlantia.sca.org>
Sent: Fri, Aug 26, 2011 7:24 pm
Subject: Re: [MR] hedgehogs?




------ Original Message ------
Received: Fri, 26 Aug 2011 11:14:19 PM EDT
From: Gina Shelley <paintedwheel at hotmail.com>
To: <atlantia at atlantia.sca.org>
Subject: Re: [MR] hedgehogs?

> 
> Hedgehogs and porcupines are not the same thing. Aysha used to have a pet
hedgehog. It was the prickliest thing I've ever seen. You couldn't hardly pick
it up. Well, Aysha could because it didn't puff up and try to stab her like it
did me. But I couldn't.
> 
> Plus, it bit. 
> 
> We were all staying over at Tsigane's one night and it got loose on my bed.
You know what you do when an angry hedgehog is running loose where you don't
want it to? Sit there and watch it, that's what you do. Because you best not
be thinking you're going to grab it. 
> 
> I'm just saying. 
> 


I believe hedgehogs are natives of the old world, exclusively. Porcupines,
which exist in North America and, I believe, Southern Africa, are notable for
"shedding" their quills, which are barbed and very difficult to remove from
flesh. They deliver their quills by swinging their tails, as well as by
getting touched. They do not "throw" their quills.


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