African Hedgehog UDATE

[misst]

First of all thank you very much to everyone who offered a home. Thanks for all the lovely PMs which I promise I will reply to eventually.

I was on a 12 hour shift yesterday and got home late so did not come on line so sorry this is a bit late.

Came home last night to find the chap who own the little mite has given it to someone at the office I have no idea what sort of home it will be but hope it will be a good one.

Small rant coming up - WHY do people buy this sort of pet for their spoilt kids who just lose interest I am so cross. He asked me to look for a home and then just gave it away - quicker I guess.

So to everyone who replied or wished me luck and to UnaB who gave some great advice Thank you and so sorry to mess you all around.

Will put this in SB too - though they just gave me recipes

 

[jhoward]

WHAT! quick go and kidnapp him back!

not your fault hun you was only doing your best xx

 

[jinglejoys]

Obviously they have more money than they can cope with or bought it too cheap in the first place Hope its gone to someone who will understand its needs

 

[ecarylloh]

Awww I'd been keeping my fingers crossed you'd choose me!

I hope it's gone to a good home - sounds like the guy just wanted rid. Lovely of you to agree to saddle yourself with all our PMs and enquiries on his behalf!

 

[Alexart]

I hope it found a good home!! I hate these poor animals that are the victims of a fad - hedgehogs are terrible pets unless you have a really big purpose built area for them. They are nocturnal too so unless you handle them at night they get pretty annoyed at being disturbed and it's not very fair on them. They roam huge distances at night in the wild yet people keep them in rabbit hutches!!!!! - which is just cruel and far too small!! I've kept english hedgehogs for brief periods and even hand reared a few, usually ones that are too small to hibernate and kept them in 12 x 12 stables and they still get bored and stressed out being in such a small space they are always very active, they just go round and round. You even get hedgehog wheels for these poor things so they can run on the spot for hours to stop the boredom!! I guess it's like the meerkat craze - every body jumps on the band wagon and breeds them enabling all the wrong people to buy them usually on a whim - poor things!!!!

 

[UnaB]

African Pygmy Hedgehogs are COMPLETELY different to wild hedgehogs we have over here, it irritates me so much when people make the comparison because they are so different.

It is no more "cruel" than keeping a rabbit/guinea pig/rat/mouse as a pet, as long as you care for them appropriately.

Perhaps more research into the species is needed before branding all APH owners as cruel Certainly taking an animal from the wild and putting it into a cage is very cruel but that is not what APH breeders/owners are doing, they're a domesticated species. Like i said, its no different to rabbits or other small pets.

 

[misst]

Thanks everyone for being understanding I have found out it has gone to a lovely lady who actually dog sits my JRT occasionally. She and her boyfriend are very nice and I will see them later today anyway so will get an update. TBH I think she will try and research etc and make sure the little one has the correct conditions etc as she is a very nice young woman who is very animal mad but not in a silly fluffy way if you get what I mean My JRT will have have to watch her step when she goes round there now though!

I agree completely about the original owner having more money than sense. I think he just buys his girls anything they want and then they just move on to the next fad. Not really their fault but parents divorced and it is a bit competitive between them

Hopefully the little one will have a good and happy life now

 

[UnaB]

Thanks everyone for being understanding I have found out it has gone to a lovely lady who actually dog sits my JRT occasionally. She and her boyfriend are very nice and I will see them later today anyway so will get an update. TBH I think she will try and research etc and make sure the little one has the correct conditions etc as she is a very nice young woman who is very animal mad but not in a silly fluffy way if you get what I mean My JRT will have have to watch her step when she goes round there now though!

I agree completely about the original owner having more money than sense. I think he just buys his girls anything they want and then they just move on to the next fad. Not really their fault but parents divorced and it is a bit competitive between them

Hopefully the little one will have a good and happy life now

What a stupid reason for an adult to buy a pet Oh well, sounds like the little guy is in a wonderful home now

 

[misst]

What a stupid reason for an adult to buy a pet Oh well, sounds like the little guy is in a wonderful home now

Yes very stupid I don't think this is the first time either and usually I would not have got involved but he asked if I would find it a home and I felt sorry for it. Still I think the hedgehog could have done worse so all's well that ends well