Goodnight Sweet Peggy

Peggy

My little Peggy went over the rainbow bridge a couple of weeks ago. I am still heartbroken and missing her terribly. She was an amazing ambassador for hedgehogs as pets and even inspired me to begin this blog. I have thought long and hard about whether or not to continue and I have decided I will because animal welfare is a cause close to my heart and I think if she  knew what a blog was she would agree. 
       

I miss her little snuffles and having her run around my feet as she played. I miss her soft little belly and silly antics. I miss her waking me up in the night playing. I miss how she would run to my voice when we were in a strange place and how she trusted me to care for her after such a rough start as a rescue. 

      

My heart is carved out right now so posting may be sporadic for the next little while but the Hedgehog Manor will continue.

Good Night Sweet Peggy. 

 

Hedgehog Tattoo

Source: deviantart.com

I love love love this tattoo! I cant believe how well the artist captured the expression on the face. (No mom, I am not going out to get a new tattoo.) It can be very tricky to do faces that look natural and expressive, especially animals. And when it is a tattoo the stakes are a bit higher. This is so fantastic. I am a bit jealous!

    

Milligan the Hedgehog

 

 Source: funnyexpression.com

This sweet little guy is Milligan. This video is a day in the life of a very young hedgehog being cared for by a very loving family. It looks like he is an European Hedgehog. I don't know much about this little hedgie but he is sure living the good life! 

      

Safety First! and so forth

Source: flickr.com

 

One of the joys of apartment living is the frequent false fire alarm that wakes you on a winter's night and force you to quickly assess what is most important to you as you fumble for your glasses. Something that is important but often overlooked is the emergency plan for your pets. How will you transport them safely? Do you have enough food and medicine in case it is a long evacuation or if you are stuck at home? It is really not a pleasant thing to consider but a bit of planning on an ordinary day can make a terrible day manageable and safe for your little critters. 

For Peggy the most dramatic move we have done are for the quarterly surprise false fire alarms that inexplicably only take place at the coldest, wettest, darkest part of night.

Things to plan in case of an emergency:

• How will you safely transport your pet?
• What would you need for a few days in case you cannot return home? (medicine, food, bedding/litter, etc.)
• Does everyone in the house know where you will meet in case of emergency? Do they know what to do about the pets?
• Do you have a sign at the door letting emergency responders know there may be pets inside?
• Do you need blankets? Towels?          

Chubes Pet Toy Review

Peggy loves her Chube! (and also that TP tube)

Most hedgehogs and small pocket pets love to play with tubes and Peggy is no different. I have tried and tried many homemade and store bought toys (as noted here: Exhibit A and Exhibit B) but nothing makes her as happy as walking around viewing the world from several inches away through a narrow tube. When she was little I only needed to give her TP and paper towel rolls to play with but as she grew she couldn't easily fit her face into them anymore and became bored with the game. Then I broke down and paid for some Chubes. I am happy I did because she loves them. She plays with them endlessly and they are a fairly inexpensive treat for her. 

Chubes are made from vegetable paper and vegetable dyes so I do not have to worry about her ingesting something that could make her sick. They also come in several sizes and colours. You could even colour code your play area if you are really serious about matching. Inside is a little bit of fluff that she can pull out and play with or burrow in. They are quite durable but should be replaced if they become soiled or badly damaged. You can find them pretty much anywhere pet supplies are sold.