# Mother cat nursing hedgehogs!



## ellisrks01 (Mar 25, 2014)

I just wanted to share a good read  I'll post link below

My girlfriend was looking on Pinterest and seen a picture of a mother cat nursing some baby hedgehogs. So I started to google it and found a article. It's from a couple of years ago but I thought any hedgie lover that's has not seen it would thinks it's pretty interesting!

http://twentytwowords.com/cat-nurses-her-kitten-and-4-orphaned-hedgehogs-too-pictures-and-video/


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

Their faces are so dark and they have the hugest ears!

That is so cute! I'm glad it worked out for those four babies.


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## Lady (Dec 30, 2013)

Wow!

So does this mean you _can_ use kitten milk replacement in the event of orphaned hoglets?


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## ellisrks01 (Mar 25, 2014)

I've never hand fed before but you can use kitten milk. There are better alternatives like goats milk and puppy.(someone correct me if I'm wrong)

I thought that story was so cool


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## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

What kind of hedgies are those?!?!?! I need one.


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## Shainahmac (Jun 23, 2014)

I believe they are the European strain rather than African, Alex!


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## Teddi4211 (Apr 30, 2014)

I thought they were long eared hedgehogs, which there are breeders for those. However, they aren't very common. They are ADORABLE!!


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## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

they are from africa! They are from egypt! I just looked...I need one... BAHH they are adorable...


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## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

NVM turns out they are SUPER mean because they are pretty much wild as they are either taken from the wild or 1st/2nd gen in captivity...Not to mention bite unlike their APH counterparts...NOPE


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

African pygmys bite too...it's pretty common, really. Egyptian hedgehogs are just a lot more likely to bite and have a huge attitude. It just depends on the hedgehog though, like with any other animal. We had a wonderful rescue story on here about an Egyptian hedgie named Hazel. She was an absolute sweetheart.


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## Teddi4211 (Apr 30, 2014)

Do you know where the story is? I would love to read it. Things like that leave me in a good mood.


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## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

I was just reading threads about them and things owners say, Many of them could never really be handled, the bite A LOT, and were pretty much thousand dollar pets that hated you LOL. I am guessing a lot of them have different personalities, but since they are VERY recently being made pets they are not as friendly as APH owners expect. That's all I was saying. I would rather have a pet who likes me and one who is able to be handled lol! I mean hedgehogs haven't been domesticated very long either. I can't wait to see what they will be like in the future!


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

It's unfortunately had a sad ending added...Hazel has since passed away. I'll try looking again later, but I couldn't find the thread yet. I'll link if I do find it!


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## Teddi4211 (Apr 30, 2014)

Thank you. That's too bad, but I'm assuming she had a good ending to her life?


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

She was very well loved and cared for up until the end!  She was also joined by some new siblings in her last several months, who were equally spoiled even though they were a little crankier than her. :lol:


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## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

So I go to school for biochemistry and I was reading about the Domestication effect! I was super intrigued by it. Almost all animals domesticated by humans show these signs after a good number of years. Things like floppy ears, spots or change in coats, shorter snouts, and many other things... Hedgehogs even are already showing some of these even though they haven't been domesticated for very long. Even the foxes in Russia they have been domesticating since the 50's show this! 
Here's a very short explanation, it is fascinating though especially since we are seeing the domestication of hedgehogs right in front of us!!! In our lifetime... Sorry a little off topic but these kind of hedgies vs the APH made me think of it and it's crazy... lol 
http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/why-so-many-domesticated-mammals-have-floppy-ears


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## Teddi4211 (Apr 30, 2014)

I wonder what it would be like to own a long-eared hedgie. Of course, Phoebe and Adella are stubborn enough  I'd probably like to own hedgehogs for a while before thinking about something more exotic.


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## MomLady (Aug 14, 2010)

Yep, Hazel lived a great life. She was in Tajikistan, she had a leg or foot injury that Sharon nursed her to health from. We even raised money here so that Larry could send them a CS wheel and some fleece. Sharon would post adorable pictures of Hazel. She went on to be very spoiled and loved.
I remember that Sharon ended up with several other hedgies and cared for them until they could go to other homes. 
She was Hazel Gaines on Facebook. 
I cried when she passed.
ML


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## rara-avis21 (Jul 26, 2014)

my housemate has experienced this (exotic vet) where they actually put the hedgie orphan in and it did the same.. amazingly cute!


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## miss bunny18 (May 5, 2014)

Those pics and video are adorable! Im so happy they got a good home


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