# Traviling through non hedgei frindly stats



## E-Che & Tonja (Jun 30, 2010)

Ok I was looking at actually driving to Maryland from Ohio to get a little hedgei, that has stolen my hart. But I would need to pass through Pennsylvania what do you do about have an illegal exotic that is passing through? or just go way out of the way to avoid it completely?

Ps. it is the littly maskless one

http://pics.hoobly.com/full/C8KVJBVYO66O.jpg


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## karidaluv (Jul 26, 2010)

Here in Nevada we have one heading to California, but I tried finding an agricultural inspection station anywhere around PA and i can't find any listed online. They have one for USPS, but not on the highway. I found this answer. Hope it helps:

A very unfortunate political battle has developed within the State of Pennsylvania making hedgehogs illegal to the point where threats have been made against even the transport of hedgehogs through the state on the way to another state.
All of this is the result of an initial (and unusual) law established in the 1990's. Under that law, hedgehogs within the state were legal, but it was illegal to import fresh bloodlines into the state. A few breeders violated that law resulting in the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) declaring all out war on all hedgehogs within the state. Breeder's homes have been raided and their hedgehogs confiscated with all of the zeal of a major drug bust. Suffice it to say, owning a hedgehog in Pennsylvania under the draconian rule of PGC is extremely dangerous for both owner and hedgehog.

http://hedgehogclub.com/

The fuss is that African pygmy hedgehogs are legal in all but five states; Pennsylvania is in the minority. Most of the other states in which the animals are illegal, such as Arizona and Hawaii, possess warm climates within which African pygmy hedgehogs, if released into the wild, might very well thrive, disrupting native wildlife populations. PGC uses that argument; according to PGC, it's generally illegal to own hedgehogs here because allowing non-indigenous or non-domestic animals into the state potentially endangers Pennsylvania wildlife by competing with it for habitat and maybe even gobbling it up.

Wildlife code, "This was an effort to stop the spread of diseases that might impact human populations, Pennsylvania wildlife and domestic livestock." The main duty of PGC, though, he says, is to "protect, preserve and conserve" wildlife native to Pennsylvania from more than disease.

"There are numerous examples in history of exotic animals being introduced into an area and out-competing native species." He and Houghton point to Pennsylvania birds.

Houghton says, "The best two examples of [such destruction] are the European starling and the English sparrow. They were brought in during the late 1800s or early 1900s." Those birds devastated local songbird populations. Houghton explains, "The English sparrow directly competes with eastern bluebirds for nesting sites."


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## fracturedcircle (May 31, 2010)

E-Che & Tonja said:


> Ok I was looking at actually driving to Maryland from Ohio to get a little hedgei, that has stolen my hart. But I would need to pass through Pennsylvania what do you do about have an illegal exotic that is passing through? or just go way out of the way to avoid it completely?
> 
> Ps. it is the littly maskless one
> 
> http://pics.hoobly.com/full/C8KVJBVYO66O.jpg


the maskless hedgie is very sweet!


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## E-Che & Tonja (Jun 30, 2010)

thanks, he does look verry sweet allthough i dont know if i can handel having 3 but i just had to look him up, it would be an 8+ hr drive for him. and my roomie was not to happy when i brought up the idea of getting a third  but it is still an interesting subject.


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## luckyboots125 (Mar 24, 2010)

I've driven through PA twice with my hedgehog (Iowa to western NY and back again). There are no checkpoints or anything that I know of and even if you were pulled over for speeding, etc, the cop probably wouldn't even notice - I filled a Sterlite container with blankets to cushion the ride for the little guy and he burrowed so deep it took quite a bit of searching to find him. At rest stops I would just poke the pile of blankets, and if the pile snuffled I knew he was okay  

Just be sure to drive safe! I was looking through my car manual once and read "even a small baby can become a missile in a car accident." Imagine a missile with spikes!


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## krbshappy71 (Jul 17, 2009)

luckyboots125 said:


> I've driven through PA twice with my hedgehog (Iowa to western NY and back again). There are no checkpoints or anything that I know of and even if you were pulled over for speeding, etc, the cop probably wouldn't even notice - I filled a Sterlite container with blankets to cushion the ride for the little guy and he burrowed so deep it took quite a bit of searching to find him. At rest stops I would just poke the pile of blankets, and if the pile snuffled I knew he was okay
> 
> Just be sure to drive safe! I was looking through my car manual once and read "even a small baby can become a missile in a car accident." Imagine a missile with spikes!


Particularly for an 8 hour car ride as the original poster is considering, a hard-sided pet carrier is recommended. Sterilite will not offer the protection needed during a crash.

E-che, If the roommate isn't thrilled with the idea, is it really fair to get another? What sort of agreement have you two come to as far as pets in general? One is smelly, two is smellier, and trust me three is even smellier. :lol: I'd reconsider or at least have some sort of agreement with the roommate beforehand such as how often you promise to clean the wheels, entire cages, etc.


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## E-Che & Tonja (Jun 30, 2010)

Well my roommate is aculy my housemate we have our own rooms so the smeel was not realy the problem, it was that i all ready have 3 chickens, two hedgeis, and a long haired dog. He thought that one more hedgehog would just be to many anamels. If i had gone and goten him i was going to use the same small travel crate that i use with my other hedges on vet visets. But i had made the destion that i was just going to take a long deture and avoid PA all togeter. Better safe than sorry, i did not want to risk the little ones life just to save my self 1-2 hrs more driving.


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