# Outdoor Adventure Warning!



## Galvon (Sep 20, 2010)

Hi everybody!

Just thought I'd share this little story with everyone so you can all keep your eyes peeled when your hedgies are outside playing! 

I took Sandy to the park the other morning and he had an awesome time, it's a huge grassy area and he just bustled around for about half an hour. Every minute or so he runs back and stands on my feet to make sure I'm still there and then trundles off to explore some more, it's super cute. 

Anyway, I'm standing over him and suddenly something whooshes past my ear, and in a split second I realize it's a crow with it's feet outstretched to grab Sandy and I just instinctively wound up and booted him in the chest JUST BEFORE he got Sandy. I felt kinda bad because I obviously don't like to hurt animals but he flew away and seemed fine and if he WAS hurt, he should have thought of that before going after my hedgie :evil: I don't know if he would've been able to pick Sand up or not but it was scary regardless. My parents have small dogs and owls try to pick them up every once in a while but I didn't realize I had to worry about crows!

So obviously after this ordeal Sandy is in a ball for like five minutes straight just huffing his pants off, so I stick him in my shirt pocket and start walking home so he can get in his cage and settle down. That freakin crow followed us ALL THE WAY home. 

So everyone keep a close eye on your hedgie when playing outside, lest they be traumatized forever ala Sandy. I was RIGHT next to him and the crow still went for it.

Just thought I'd share to spread the news that crows apparently enjoy nomming hedgies :|


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Thanks for the reminder. That is one thing we tend to forget to mention when people take their hedgehogs outside. We do have to be careful because owls, eagles, hawks and who'd have thought of crows, can all snatch them up before we could blink.


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

Thank you for your warning - who woulda thought??

Sumo will often wake up when the crows are especially 'chatty' :roll: and NOTHING wakes Sumo up, so you gotta know this is a self-preservation thing.

One of 'my' crows and I have had a long-term relationship (I have been protecting baby bunnies living under my step). The stupid, creepy thing follows me - driving and walking - everywhere I go. Very creepy. Last week, when Jamie got out of the truck with me the squawking was unbelievable...Jamie looked up saying 'What the....?'. I just rolled my eyes and said 'that's Asher - happens all the time' and walked into the house.

Creepy and uber smart...bad mix. :shock:


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## Quinn (Apr 24, 2011)

Wow that's crazy. I didn't think crows would do that either. I haven't brought my hedgies outside for the reason that Im scared that a hawk or another bird would swoop down and get them. I'm glad your hedgie is ok!


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## Pooki3 (Jun 10, 2011)

good instincts! I was walking with Berko outside my apartment building an a huge hawk swooped down while he was sitting on my feet, I huddled over berko (pretty much covered him with my belly) and the hawk got my back..the security guard from my building saw it on the cameras and came out to save me but I had to get three lines of 7 stitches...but Berko being Berko is pretty unaffected..he was more concerned with biting my belly button and trying to get in my pants :roll:


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## sayhedgehog (May 18, 2009)

Pooki3 said:


> good instincts! I was walking with Berko outside my apartment building an a huge hawk swooped down while he was sitting on my feet, I huddled over berko (pretty much covered him with my belly) and the hawk got my back..the security guard from my building saw it on the cameras and came out to save me but I had to get three lines of 7 stitches...but Berko being Berko is pretty unaffected..he was more concerned with biting my belly button and trying to get in my pants :roll:


Wowie! That's really crazy! That's some true hedgie love. :lol:

Also, your signature is way too cute.


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

That is super creepy, ty for sharing that. I would have never thought of crows either, my mind always goes for the bigger ones like owls and hawks but it's a good reminder for sure. I know here I have to always be on the look out for Mocking Birds too. I seen a documentary a few years backs on crows that creeped me out because supposedly they are super intelligent. They showed crows up on a telephone wire and they would time the street lights. When it was red they would drop nuts into the road, light would turn green the cars would crush them and when it was red again they would fly down and eat the nuts since the cars did all the work of getting the shells off lol It was saying they are really good at problem solving and learn a lot from their environment to adapt to situations. We had a big one hanging around here too and it almost acted like a watch dog when people would pull up in the driveway.


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## ProjectParanoia (Jan 27, 2010)

There's actually an article on Cracked, a humorous news site, about how crows are terrifyingly smart. It turns out they can remember your face, hold grudges, have a great memory, and show an almost unlimited ability to adapt. So be careful, Galvon, because that crow may just come back with a vengeance :|
I would have done the same thing, too XD


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## beautsbelle (Jul 19, 2011)

Okay, Galvon and Pooki are my new heros! 

Wow. I've heard of them swooping in and grabbing up small dogs, and I am always on the watch as my small dog is a chihuahua/wiener dog mix and she does not weigh all that much. We have hawks in the area, and it scares me to death. I have no doubt my dog would put up a good stink if something grabbed her. Knowing her, the hawk would fly her back, put her back down, apologize to her and me, then fly away. She is 12 pounds of all attitude! 

Thanks for sharing.


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## beehivehedgie (Feb 13, 2011)

scary! good to know. i'm paraniod about letting hoggle and pearl out for that exact reason...naughty crow


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## panda (May 23, 2011)

okay i am obviously not for hurting animals either but picturing you kicking the crow.. i had the funniest mental image, go momma instincts!!!! :lol:  .. but crows are definitely creeps! you just might have a new stalker around your house now that it knows where you live :lol: .. me being over protective like i am.. i'd keep an eye peeled, especially if you bring Sandy out of the house. 
ever see attack of the birds? i totally thought of that movie when reading this and all the other replies.. haha


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## newfie_nurse (Apr 28, 2011)

Thats great you caught it in time. :!: 

When I had chloe in the grass outside I noticed the birds. I had a C&C cage turned upside down as a pen. when i was around i had the top pieces off it. This way she had an outdoor playpen was able to play in the grass, and with the top on it it guarded against the birds etc.  Seemed to work in our garden, dont think i would be fast enuf to smack a bird away LOL


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