Jupiterannette
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This wild hedge hog prepares for winter - 2006/02/12 15:17
LOL
i found this on CNN WORLD WEB
it is most definatly a joke, but still very Cute!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/suffe/98299599/
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Jupiterannette
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folk lore with hedgies! - 2006/02/12 15:20
just something i thought you all would enjoy! I did!
February 6, 2006
Cow Sucking Hedgehogs!
From Folklore, v45, n2, 159-160, in ‘Hedgehogs and Cows’, W.R.D. reports on one of the aspects of hedgehog lore that initially captured my interest:
“There is also a prevalent belief, still common in rural districts at the present day, that the hedgehog sucks the udders of cows. This is of course an impossibility, as the hedgehog’s mouth is far too small to take the teat of a cow. The origin of the story probably lies in the fact that milchcows when recumbent, in the exertion of lying down or rising again, frequently exude milk from their udders, and there is nothing improbable in the supposition that hedgehogs may lap or lick the milk so exuded. Hedgehogs are certainly fond of milk and are often found in the neighbourhood of cattle, but this is explained by the fact that much of their normal insect prey is attracted by cow-dung.”
There, it goes on relating a few accounts of witnesses to hedgehog’s caught in the act of sucking on cows.
Also mentioned is a study by Miller Christy in Memoirs of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society, v63, 1919, n2, concerning a fable about a hedgehog stealing fruit and carrying it off on its spines.
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Jupiterannette
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Poor hedgies! - 2006/02/12 15:28
ok this one is kinda mean, it talks about hunting.. and USING hedgies!
Read at your own concern.
these are from folklore, and may not have actual, truth to them, but are however interesting, and not ment to offend, just to inform.
i apologize in advance for any one upset by these articles, but they are part of how the world percieves hedghogs in history.
February 6, 2006
Pliny on Hedgehogs
From Perseus, BOOK VIII. THE NATURE OF THE TERRESTRIAL ANIMALS.
CHAP. 56.–HEDGEHOGS.
Hedgehogs also lay up food for the winter; rolling themselves on apples as they lie on the ground, they pierce one with their quills, and then take up another in the mouth, and so carry them into the hollows of trees. These animals also, when they conceal themselves in their holes, afford a sure sign that the wind is about to change from north-east to south.1 When they [p. 2309] perceive the approach of the hunter, they draw in the head and feet, and all the lower part of the body, which is covered by a thin and defenceless down only, and then roll themselves up into the form of a ball, so that there is no way of taking hold of them but by their quills. When they are reduced to a state of desperation, they discharge a corrosive urine, which injures their skin and quills, as they are aware that it is for the sake of them that they are hunted. A skilful hunter, therefore, will only pursue them when they have just discharged their urine. In this case the skin retains its value; while in the other case, it becomes spoilt and easily torn, the quills rotting and falling off, even though the animal should escape with its life. For this reason it is that it never moistens itself with this poisonous fluid, except when reduced to the last stage of desperation; for it has a perfect hatred for its own venomous distillation, and so careful is the animal, so determined to wait till the very last moment, that it is generally caught before it has employed this means of defence.
They force it to unroll itself, by sprinkling warm water upon it, and then, suspended by one of its hind legs, it is left to die of hunger; for there is no other mode of destroying it, without doing injury to its skin. This animal is not, as many of us imagine, entirely useless to man. If it were not for the quills which it produces, the soft fleece of the sheep would have been given in vain to mankind; for it is by means of its skin, that our woollen cloth is dressed. From the monopoly of this article, great frauds and great profits have resulted;2 there is no subject on which the senate has more frequently passed decrees, and there is not one of the Emperors, who has not received from the provinces complaints respecting it.3 [p. 2310]
hedgehog, Pliny
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HamorHollow
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Re:Poor hedgies! - 2006/02/14 03:35
Jupiterannette wrote:
In this case the skin retains its value; while in the other case, it becomes spoilt and easily torn, the quills rotting and falling off
Yes, we must make sure the pelt is not ruined by their corrosive urine. We all know what a huge calling there is for hedgehog skin coats. *O*U*C*H*!*!*!
And all this time, I thought the poop was the stuff with the deadly corrosive qualities!
Kelly Sosik-Hamor
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dzmeadows
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Re:Poor hedgies! - 2006/02/14 04:14
hmmm... never thought of the poop as corrosive... must rethink my plans for submitting hedgehog poop to a high quality adhesives company for a new glue alternative.
Becca
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HamorHollow
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Re:Poor hedgies! - 2006/02/14 18:30
But ya see, that is exactly why it would make a great high quality glue. It eats into the two substances so that it can form a better bond.
Kelly Sosik-Hamor
Hamor Hollow Hedgehogs - a New Hampshire breeder, serving Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and any where else hedgehogs are legal. |
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Quilted_Lamb
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Re:Poor hedgies! - 2006/02/17 17:09
The glue manufacturers ignore the inherent properties of hedgie poop at their own loss. I know my girl's poop sure has glue-like properties! I loved the idea of moving some poo over to the litter box while litter training. I use a little piece of toilet tissue to pick up the poo, and forevermore the poo is stuck to the tp.  Whoever markets this stuff will make a fortune! I'm willing to put myself out there as a hedgehog poo supplier.  lol. Hedgie hugs...Tiffany
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Jupiterannette
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Re:Poor hedgies! - 2006/02/17 19:56
i may only have one hedgie, but she poos enough, i could glue a thousand macaroni arts a day! LOL
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dzmeadows
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Re:Poor hedgies! - 2006/02/17 23:04
hrm... hedgehog poop macaroni art.... do it! Take pics! We will post them. 
Becca
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HedgeMom
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Re:Poor hedgies! - 2006/02/18 16:20
Just.Ew.
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Quilted_Lamb
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Re:Poor hedgies! - 2006/02/18 18:47
LOL!  Hedgie hugs...Tiffany
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green
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Re:Poor hedgies! - 2006/05/01 16:57
LOl at that Hedghog hibernation picture
Here are a few more facts published in a UK newsletter this weekend.
"Hedgehogs facts from the Independant's "INDYPEDIA"
"Hedgehog numbers have declined by around 30% since 2001.
Current UK population is estimated around 1.5 million.
Each Hedgehog has up to 500 spines on its back.
According to Larousse Gastronomique, boiled hedgehog was a common dish in Paris in the 16th centuary. It tastes similar to wild rabbit.
Hedgehogs can climb trees. (If they fall, thier spines protect them from injury)".
Mark
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Quilted_Lamb
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Re:Poor hedgies! - 2006/05/01 21:40
Each Hedgehog has up to 500 spines on its back.
That would be a misprint then. Each hedgehog has an average of 5000 spines. Heck, my Jasira has lost almost 2000 quills since January. If they only had 500 quills she would be one very bald hedgie!
Hedgehogs can climb trees. (If they fall, thier spines protect them from injury)".
This is a myth that has come from the Medieval Period. In actuality, at least with the african pygmy hedgehog, a fall of just 6 inches can break bones and a fall from waist height, just 2-3 feet, can kill a hedgie. There was a breeder who was letting a girl at a hedgehog show hold her hedgehog and the girl dropped the hedgie. The fall broke the hedgehogs back and the hedgie later died from her injuries. Every time I hear someone quote or say that hedgehogs can fall long distances and their spines protect them like shock absorbers (true to a point), it makes me cringe because the truth is, they can get hurt from a fall. Their little bodies are made to be close to the ground for a reason. Climbs off soap box.
I was watching Pete Luckett, the International Green Grocer who has a show on the Food Chanel. It's the only show I watch and it comes on at 2am, so it probably isn't seen by many people. I about fell off my chair one day when he stated he'd eaten hedgehog in Europe. What!?! I had to rewind it and play it again just to make sure I heard him correctly. Yep, that's what he said.
Hedgehog taste like wild rabbit. Interesting. And wild rabbit taste like chicken, so basically hedgehogs taste like chicken. Hedgie hugs...Tiffany
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HamorHollow
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Re:Poor hedgies! - 2006/05/03 21:15
Quilted_Lamb wrote:
This is a myth that has come from the Medieval Period. In actuality, at least with the african pygmy hedgehog, a fall of just 6 inches can break bones and a fall from waist height, just 2-3 feet, can kill a hedgie. There was a breeder who was letting a girl at a hedgehog show hold her hedgehog and the girl dropped the hedgie. The fall broke the hedgehogs back and the hedgie later died from her injuries. Every time I hear someone quote or say that hedgehogs can fall long distances and their spines protect them like shock absorbers (true to a point), it makes me cringe because the truth is, they can get hurt from a fall. Their little bodies are made to be close to the ground for a reason. Climbs off soap box.
Here is where I have to climb on my soap box:
The APH has a very complex muscular system underneath its skin that protects its body. I have a pic from and encyclopedia that I will try to find. I know of baby hedgehogs who fell from 3+ feet without a scratch and hedgehogs who have bounced down steps and walked away unharmed. While I do not advocate tossing your hedgehog around needlessly, I also don't think that they should be treated like glass china dolls that could break at any moment.
Think of it this way: Your child could fall off the monkey bars and break his leg. The break could splinter in the wrong direction and cause a massive amount of blood loss that results in the loss of the limb. It is extremely unlikely that this will happen, but it could and I am sure that it has happened at least once to someone. So, should we stop all kids from playing on the monkey bars?
Again, I don't advocate throwing a hedgehog around. I just want to point out how completely unlikely it is that something bad will happen if your hedgehog bounces out of your lap and falls 6 inches onto the floor.
Also, if hedgehogs truly were that delicate, they wouldn't be culling them in certain other countries. They would simply go the way of the dodo on their own.
-K
I would also like to point out that *I* could trip and break my leg by walking from the bedroom to the bathroom, but when ya gotta go, ya gotta go!
Kelly Sosik-Hamor
Hamor Hollow Hedgehogs - a New Hampshire breeder, serving Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and any where else hedgehogs are legal. |
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Quilted_Lamb
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Re:Poor hedgies! - 2006/05/06 01:19
I think we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. While I know a hedgehog won't break a bone or die every time it falls from a height, it has happened. My thought is why risk it? A hedgehog isn't like a child and cannot reason like a human being. In nature they don't climb trees or anything like that; their bodies are built to be close to the ground and they don't have any spatial awareness. For myself, I don't feel that I am doing the best I can for my hedgies if I were to have a multi-level cage without a railing or some way to prevent a possible accident. That's just me though and I've been told I can be overly picky. I'll accept that accusation and am comfortable being able to agree to disagree and still be friends.  Hedgie hugs...Tiffany
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HamorHollow
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Re:Poor hedgies! - 2006/05/06 18:12
Quilted_Lamb wrote:
......am comfortable being able to agree to disagree and still be friends. Hedgie hugs...Tiffany
No worries. We do that a lot here and I think it is a very good thing that we can present different views.
-K
edit: I found this from National Geographic Kids -
"Though hedgehogs mainly stay on the ground, they swim quite well and even climb trees. If one is up in a tree and wants to get down quickly—or falls—its spines come in handy once again. When the hedgehog hits the ground, it bounces, unhurt, because of the spines."
I'm not going to say that they can't be wrong, but National Geographic is generally pretty accurate.
Post edited by: HamorHollow, at: 2006/05/06 18:44
Kelly Sosik-Hamor
Hamor Hollow Hedgehogs - a New Hampshire breeder, serving Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and any where else hedgehogs are legal. |
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HamorHollow
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Re:Poor hedgies! - 2006/05/06 18:38
I just found this on an info site for European hedgehogs:
Hedgehog Leaflet
Hedgehogs are agile creatures and can climb rough walls and chain link fencing with ease, but a smooth vertical surface no more than 400mm high will defeat them. They range quite widely: males over as much as 40 hectares, sometimes travelling several miles in a night; females up to 12 hectares.
It doesn't say they climb trees, but it does say they are agile.
It also says that the babies go off on their own at 3 weeks. Maybe I need to start kicking mine out earlier. j/k
There is also a diagram for designing a hedgehogs home.
-K
Kelly Sosik-Hamor
Hamor Hollow Hedgehogs - a New Hampshire breeder, serving Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and any where else hedgehogs are legal. |
Do you want to buy a baby Hedgehog? Please fill out out questionnaire. |
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green
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Re:Poor hedgies! - 2006/05/06 20:36
The article was from Indypedia, yes the 500 quill must be a misprint, never gave it any thought when copying it.
I have never seen European Hedgehogs climbing trees, I wonder if it would be much to their benefit, except maybe climbing over fallen trees up trees to gain access to awkward places and the like, most of their food is found at ground level.
The statements from the article would have been discussing the European and not the exotic african pet hedgehog. The European Hogs are a lot bigger and tougher, their feet are very different from African species. Its toes are a lot longer and dextrous. I can vouch for their abiliites to climb walls, over fences and also thier inability to climb smooth surfaces such as plastic buckets. Their quills are also longer and thicker which might provide more protection from a fall.
The leaflets statement about European Hogs being weaned at three weeks is either another misprint or a bit of misinformation as they are weaned just as the pet hedgehogs are.
Mark
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Quilted_Lamb
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Re:Poor hedgies! - 2006/05/06 23:08
Interesting. I think it must be really neat to be able to have a hedgehog living in the garden. I hope someday to be able to see a European hedgie rooting around the countryside.  Hedgie hugs...Tiffany
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green
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Re:Poor hedgies! - 2006/05/07 05:07
The Hedgehog must be one of the most loved the icons of british wildlife alongside the fox and badger, hence why there is so much publicity when things start to go wrong as they have with all three species over the last few years.
Mark
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