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Hedgehog FAQ [2/7] - Finding more information

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Archive-name: hedgehog-faq/part2
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Keywords: faq pet hedgehogs

See reader questions & answers on this topic! - Help others by sharing your knowledge
Last-modified: 20 October 2008
Version: 3.115

HEDGEHOG FAQ (part 2 of 7) -- FINDING MORE INFORMATION
Compiled and edited by Brian MacNamara (macnamara@hedgehoghollow.com)
Additions, corrections, and suggestions for this file are welcomed.

This document is copyright 2008 by Brian MacNamara.  See section [0.6]
for authorship information and redistribution rights.  In short, you
can give it away, but you can't charge for it.

The basic Hedgehog FAQ has seven parts, all of which should be available
from wherever you obtained this one.  A complete table of contents for
all seven parts is given in part I.

Please note:  While my knowledge of hedgehogs has grown (far beyond my
wildest expectations when I began the FAQ), my knowledge is still quite
limited, especially in areas of health care.  I did not write, or verify, 
all the information in this FAQ.  I have done my best to include only 
accurate and useful information, but I cannot guarantee the correctness 
of what is contained in this FAQ, regardless of the source, or even that 
it will not be harmful to you or your hedgehog in some way.  For advice 
from an expert, I recommend you consult the books listed in part 2 [2.1], 
or, especially in the case of a suspected medical problem, a veterinarian 
who is familiar with hedgehogs.


Subject: CONTENTS OF THIS FILE 2. *** Where to get more information *** <2.1> What books are there on pet hedgehogs? <2.2> Is there any other information available on-line? <2.3> International Hedgehog Registry <2.4> Hedgehogs Welfare Society <2.5> International Hedgehog Association <2.6> Canadian Hedgehog Association <2.7> Other hedgehog organizations <2.8> Miscellaneous hedgehog stuff and sources - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2. *** Where to get more information ***
Subject: <2.1> What books are there on pet hedgehogs? For a long time there was only a single tome available on our prickly little friends, which was often referred to as ``The Hedgehog Book.'' With the increasing popularity of hedgehogs, a number of books are now available. There still seems to be little information on hedgehogs in print, especially compared to most other animals, but this, fortunately, appears to be rapidly changing. Also, many, but not all, of the books that are commonly available contain outdated information. As of spring 1997 there are two new complementary books now out that have virtually made all the previous offerings obsolete. The first of these additions, is _The Hedgehog: An Owner's Guide to a Happy, Healthy Pet_ by Dawn Wrobel and Dr. Susan Brown, DVM. It is published by the Howell Book House, and is available in pet stores that carry their Happy, Healthy Pet series. It is also available through the Spike and Friends Catalog [2.8]. For those of you who want to order it, the ISBN number is 0-87605-501-3, and it is listed as having a price of $12.95 USD, or $17.95 CDN. Having had the luxury of seeing some of the preliminary text (thanks Dawn!), I had high expectations for the book, and when I got to see it, I was quite amazed at how far it exceeded my imagination. Simply put, this is a great book, and one that no hedgehog owner should be without. It is full of great tips, ideas and great knowledge, accompanied by some fantastic pictures. The medical chapter by Dr. Susan Brown is more than worth the price in itself, not that the rest of the book wouldn't be a bargain even without it. Dawn's book is targeted at the pet owner, rather than the breeder, as has been the case all too often in the past, and in this respect it succeeds brilliantly. The other great tome that was published about the same time as the one above, is _The Pygmy Hedgehog a Perfect Pet_ by Sharon Massena with Bryan Smith. Having now had the chance to see this book, I can attest that it is more than worthwhile as well. The best part about it, is that rather than being another great hedgehog book, it is complementary to books like Dawn Wrobel's, by addressing many different areas. Here is the information I have on it: The ISBN # is 0-9655629-1-3 The list price is $16.00 US and $19.00 CDN + post. 80 pages, soft cover, gloss pages with b/w and full colour photos. Contains limited standard info and full colour pics many of the standardized colours. Also has club and show information. -- Bryan Smith I should probably add a disclaimer here -- I have had numerous conversations with Dawn and Bryan, and a bias in favour of either book could easily be assigned to this. In the case of Dawn's book, I read the advance text she sent with the intent to essentially critique it -- expecting it to already be dated in many ways (as most books have been by the time they get to print) or just a rehash of what has gone before, and I came away honestly impressed. Having now seen Sharon's and Bryan's book, the same feelings apply. I'm sure that I could nit-pick in minor places, but at most that's what it would be, nit-picking about things that don't matter. We finally have very good, up-to-date books that can go a very long ways towards giving people the information they need about keeping hedgehogs as pets, and providing them happy healthy lives. Going back a bit now, the book, often called ``The Hedgehog Book,'' is actually titled _Everything You Wanted to Know About Hedgehogs But you didn't know who to ask_ by Pat Storer. This was one of the first books available on pet hedgehogs. Pat Storer has two books available on hedgehogs, and while there is considerable crossover between the two, her newer book _Hedgehogs As Pets_ (my thanks to John Ofner for my copy) is targeted more at pet owners, while the original ``Everything...'' is more oriented towards breeders. These books are, for all intents and purposes, the original formal tomes on pet hedgehogs, and having one or the other was virtually a must for any hedgehog keeper (keepee?). While they don't cover absolutely everything, and they are becoming a bit dated, now, they do provide a lot of very good information. Both books cover areas of the other to some extent, so a pet owner looking for basics on breeding will find it in _Hedgehogs As Pets_, while a breeder can also find pet level information in ``Everything...'' Probably the most essential thing both offer is a reference section on hedgehog health, body chemistry norms, and drugs (including quantities) that have been safely used to treat hedgehog maladies. Given that relatively few veterinarians in North America have even heard of hedgehogs as pets, let alone ever treated them, taking one of these books with you to a vet in time of emergency could easily be a life saving act. That's the good news; the problem is that these books are generally only available directly from Pat Storer herself, although the Ain't No Creek Ranch [2.8] also carries them. In any case, here are the details: Everything You Wanted to Know About Hedgehogs But you didn't know who to ask Third Edition Written and Compiled by Pat Storer Country Storer Enterprises, Publisher P.O. Box 160 Columbus, Texas 78934 USA Fax: (409) 732-9417 email: rzu2uREMOVE_TO_SEND@intertex.net www: http://www.rzu2u.com/ Single Copies (In U.S.): $29.00 US dollars + shipping by 4th Class Mail Please note that Pat Storer no longer takes orders by telephone, but she does by fax, and now has email access. And, Hedgehogs As Pets First Edition By Pat Storer Country Storer Enterprises, Publisher P.O. Box 160 Columbus, Texas 78934 USA Fax: (409) 732-9417 email: rzu2uREMOVE_TO_SEND@intertex.net www: http://www.rzu2u.com/ Single Copies (In U.S.): $22.00 US dollars + shipping by 4th Class Mail Pat Storer now takes credit cards, but money orders are fine too. The prices and info above is up to date as of July 1997, thanks to Pat Storer herself. There is one minor correction to ``Everything...'' that should be noted: The correct number for Rainbow Mealworms (mentioned in Storer's book) is 310-635-1494. -- Katherine Long Other books on pet hedgehogs are also available and can be found at some book stores, or by contacting the publishers directly. I've listed the information I have on them below. The first is with thanks to Elizabeth Jane Monroe and Znofyl. African Pygmy Hedgehogs as your New Pet Dennis Kelsey-Wood, pics. by Ralph Lermayer copyright 1995 distributed by T.F.H. Publications, Inc., One T.F.H. Plaza, Neptune City, NJ 07753 or National Book Network, Inc. 4720 Boston Way, Lanham, MD 20706 or in Canada, H & L Pet Supplies Inc., 27 Kingston Crescent, Kitchener, Ontario N2B 2T6 and other places. ISBN # is 079380192-3 Abstract: ``This book represents the culmination of years of research by dedicated hedgehog breeders. Dennis Kelsey-Wood has compiled, through intense research, interviews, and study, what I feel is the finest, most accurate, and complete gathering of hedgehog facts on husbandry, breeding, and care that has ever been assembled in one book. From its accurate text to its superb photos, it is destined to become a classic and will no doubt be the standard for anyone interested in these fascinating animals. Enjoy it and Happy Hedgehoggin!'' Ralph M. Lermayer, [former - ed.] President, North American Hedgehog Association [now defunct - ed.] For anyone having a hard time finding it, you can call TFH directly at 1-908-988-8400, ext. 117 and order it from their customer service department. This is a good book, especially for beginners (which is really where it is directed). It does not contain the health standards, and medicine usage that are in other books, listed above, and is to my mind a good supplement, but not a replacement for them -- especially if your veterinarian is not well acquainted with hedgehogs. I found it to be good reading, but it always seemed to avoid a direct answer to most questions, lacking in real detail. I must admit, however, that the pictures alone were both great entertainment, and very useful, giving an excellent glimpse of what a healthy hedgehog should look like. I'm still trying to figure out how the photographers managed to avoid getting blurred pictures of all those busy noses. Dennis Kelsey-Wood has also released a second book (1996) called _Hedgehogs Today_. It can be ordered from TFH, etc., as with his earlier book. Hedgehogs Today Dennis Kelsey-Wood copyright 1996 distributed by T.F.H. Publications, Inc., One T.F.H. Plaza, Neptune City, NJ 07753 ISBN # is 0-7938-0103-6 The information above came to me by way of Brenda Basinger. Having had a chance to look at this book, I have to say the quality of the photos is excellent. That, however, is about the only good thing I can say. The book is full of contradictions, and just plain bad advice. It goes on to suggest that you should ``always use a glove'' to hold a hedgehog (which captions a picture of a person holding one in bare hands). It also suggests that a temperature range of from 60-75 degrees F, or 16-24 degrees C is okay, when many hedgehogs will become unhealthy or even go into semi hibernation at anything much below 70F/22C. It shows multiple hedgehogs being kept in a Tupperware container barely big enough to squeeze them into (although it says it's not big enough for a ``long term home'' -- it's clearly not big enough for anything more than carrying them across the room. Finally, its listing of states where hedgehogs are not allowed is totally misleading, and was clearly the result of only the briefest research. The book even shows feeding of raw eggs to hedgehogs -- something that can all too easily result in salmonella [6.2]. While there certainly are good points to this book, including excellent photos showing how a healthy hedgehog should appear, the sheer weight of bad information means I cannot recommend this as much beyond a photo album, and definitely not as a starting point for beginners. Information on another book, which is now widely available, was sent to me by Tirya: Hedgehogs: A Complete Pet Owner's Manual by Matthew M. Vriends, Ph.D. pub: Barron's Educational Series, Inc. ISBN: 0-8120-1141-4 Barron's Price: $5.95 US Barron's has published numerous other pet books in their series, and they all seem to be well-received and easily available in pet shops. It's geared primarily towards the African, though it has a chapter on the European as kind of a compare/contrast thing. It also has a chapter on breeding by Pat Storer. A lot of good pictures and information, in an easy-to-read style, plus a chapter on ``Understanding Hedgehogs'' covering body language and sounds. While it's by no means all-inclusive (is there a hedgie book yet that is?) it's a good read. -- Tirya The book contains some medical information that complements other books quite well, but, does not replace them. However, some of the information is seriously outdated, and other parts contradict statements made elsewhere in the book. The chapter by Pat Storer is taken almost verbatim out of her books, but is a worthwhile addition to any hedgehog library, and if taken as a whole, the book is quite good, and is, at the price, probably where most new hedgehog keepers will start. For people seeking more in depth information on hedgehogs in general, including species, natural habitats, and research, another book, which came out in 1994, thoroughly addresses many of these issues. Hedgehogs by Nigel Reeve ISBN 0-85661-081-X T & A D Poyser Ltd. 24-28 Oval Road London NW1 7DX In published form, this book is probably the best source of true, scientific information on all types of hedgehogs. Beyond this point, you probably need to read scientific papers (30 pages of references to which are at the back of this book, which gives you some clue to Dr. Reeve's efforts at research). While it does focus primarily on hedgehogs in the wild, it does provide some very useful insights into what makes our little friends tick. I find myself turning more and more to this book, all the time -- especially when someone asks me a detailed question. Unlike many scientific books, this one shows the author had a real interest and excitement in his chosen topic of research, rather than limiting himself to dry phrasing, an entertaining sense of humour and wit shows through. The book can be hard to come by in North America (the publisher does not import it here), but it is available through the Exclusively Hedgehogs catalog [2.8], and the Spike and Friends Collection [2.8]. While I am at it, Richard Saunders passed along word of another book that he found. This one appears to possibly be a local effort by a hedgehog breeder on the west coast of Canada, but just in case, here is the information that is available: Hedgehogs Hedgehog Handbook - Everything You Need To Know To Raise Happy Healthy Hedgehogs Written & Illustrated by Joan Baydala (Copyright, 1994) The small paperback book (64 pages) indicated Joan Baydala is located in Kelowna, B.C. The book doesn't indicate a publisher or any ISBN reference. Outline of the book is: A Brief History (page 1-10) Survival In The Wild (11-18) Selecting Your Hedgehog (20-26) Housing (27-34) Care and Management (35-46) Breeding (47-56) Allergies (57) A Few Last Words (58-59) References (60) Index (61-64) Another resource for hedgehog information is the ``Exotic Market Review.'' This is a journal about exotic animals and pets, and is primarily intended for breeders. It contains articles on innumerable different animals that most of us will never have heard of, but also contains an abundance of info on hedgehogs. Subscription rates are $10.00/yr. in the U.S., $30.00/US/yr. for Canada, and $60.00/US/yr. foreign. They can be contacted at: EXOTIC Market Review P.O. Box 1203 Bowie, Texas 76230 USA phone: 1-800-460-3107 In addition to the books and journal, above, which are directly aimed at pet hedgehogs, there are a number of books on European (or all types of) hedgehogs which can be useful for pet owners and hedgehog lovers of all types. I would suggest looking at the listings in section [11.2] for other books which might be of interest. One final tidbit I can't resist adding. I have heard of a number of new hedgehog books that are in the works and (hopefully) due out over the coming year or two. Information on hedgehogs promises to continue to be forthcoming.
Subject: <2.2> Is there any other information available on-line? Discussions of hedgehogs often come up in the rec.pets and on the alt.fan.hedgehogs and alt.pets.hedgehogs Usenet newsgroups. The FAQ ``Fleas, Ticks and Your Pet'' is distributed on rec.pets, as well as listed in [9.4]. Several bulletin board systems keep pet FAQs and discussions, as does the CompuServe Small Mammals forum. I maintain a set of Hedgehog WWW pages that can be accessed at: http://HedgehogHollow.COM/ (Please Note: most my site is currently closed while under reconstruction -- I hope to have it reopened shortly, with the many out of date entries brought up to date.) Among the things available off my pages are links to all other hedgehog pages I have found, and an HTMLized version of the FAQ. Here are a couple of hedgehog sites to get you started searching through the Web. These are not the only sites, nor are they definitive, but are meant as a starting point to get you going: http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/ http://www.hedgehogworld.com/ Thanks to Rachel Markley for suggesting I add these here. I expect to add additional sites to the list as time goes on. I would also suggest you make good use of your favorite search engine to find hedgehog sites as the web changes too rapidly for FAQ published monthly to try to keep abrest of what's happening. The list of hedgehog web pages is growing rapidly -- I've been trying to keep pointers to many of them off my own web page, but by now I'm starting to miss many, I'm sure. Feel free to email me if you have one to add to my list of pointers, or if you find one of my links doesn't work -- I am running way behind on checking, lately. :-} After several changes in location over the years, the original Hedgehog Mailing List has, unfortunately, closed down. Many thanks to all the folks who looked after it through the years. There are, however, a couple of hedgehog mailing lists that are up and active. Fist, is the Hedgehog Help list, and as the name implies is meant for hedgehog help topics. Both an individual message version and a digest version of this list, are available. One caution: this list is subject to censorship by the list moderator, and not everyone can freely post to it. You can join the regular (individual message) version by sending email to the address: hedgehog_help-subscribeREMOVE_TO_SEND@onelist.com Or for the digest version, subscribe as above then send email to the following address to switch to the digest: hedgehog_help-digestREMOVE_TO_SEND@onelist.com You can switch back to the individual (normal) version, by sending email to: hedgehog_help-normalREMOVE_TO_SEND@onelist.com And, of course, to unsubscribe, use the address: hedgehog_help-unsubscribeREMOVE_TO_SEND@onelist.com Last, and far from least, to send a message to the list, simply send it to: hedgehog_helpREMOVE_TO_SEND@onelist.com Alternately, there is the PigPogLives mailing list. I have heard that the PogPogLives list may have closed, but I have not confirmed this as yet. The instructions for accessing PigPogLives are almost identical to the Hedgehog Help list: You can join the regular (individual message) version by sending email to the address: pigpoglives-subscribeREMOVE_TO_SEND@onelist.com Or for the digest version, subscribe as above then send email to the following address to switch to the digest: pigpoglives-digestREMOVE_TO_SEND@onelist.com You can switch back to the individual (normal) version, by sending email to: pigpoglives-normalREMOVE_TO_SEND@onelist.com And, of course, to unsubscribe, use the address: pigpoglives-unsubscribeREMOVE_TO_SEND@onelist.com Last, and far from least, to send a message to the list, I believe the address is: pigpoglivesREMOVE_TO_SEND@onelist.com Next, another new list that looks very promising is the Hedgehogfun group. Joining this list is probably most easily done through the web at: http://www.egroups.com/invite/Hedgehogfun and click the ``JOIN'' button. One caveat -- this appears to be a very busy webserver, as I've had trouble connecting, although the list, itself seems to be fine. I believe you can also subscribe to this list by sending an email to: Hedgehogfun-subscribeREMOVE_TO_SEND@egroups.com Probably with the word ``subscribe'' as the text of the message. The list will send you a confirmation message, which you need to reply to. To post messages to the list, send them to: HedgehogfunREMOVE_TO_SEND@egroups.com To unsubscribe, send a message to: Hedgehogfun-unsubscribeREMOVE_TO_SEND@egroups.com likely with the word ``unsubscribe'' as the text of the message. My thanks to Pam (Russo) Powers for keeping me up on the info for the AOL hedgehog chat session. The AOL hedgehog chat is on Thursday's at 7:00 P.M. EST We love to have new people stopping by. The chat is located in the Critter Chat room, located in the Pet Care Forum, keyword-Pet Care. Dick Brisky of Brisky Pet Products is setting up yet another web based chat off the YAHOO site. I wanted to let everyone know that I will be setting up a chat area at YAHOO ( http://chat.yahoo.com/ ) the first Wednesday of each month, from 7PM to 8PM Eastern. If you're interested in learning more about our pet food products or in sharing any ideas or thoughts, stop in. To log-in you need to set-up an account there first (free), so stop by a couple of hours early if you don't have an account. After that all you have to do is search the ROOMS list for a room labeled BRISKY PET PRODUCTS and click in. - Dick Brisky I know from my own dealings with Dick Brisky, that he is honestly interested in things which will improve pet foods and products, and has always been very open with any information he has had. This should prove to be a good variation on the other forums. For those of you with ICQ access, Lisa Rowe, has set up an ICQ Hedgehog chat room. You can get more information about it at: http://www.webvoodoo.com/hedgies/ I've been given a pointer to a new forum that deals with hedgehogs (and chinchillas) at: http://www.chins-n-quills.com/forums/ Thanks to Rachel Markey for this pointer.
Subject: <2.3> International Hedgehog Registry Jennifer Young-Watson, with help from Antigone Means, has set up the International Hedgehog Registry, to try and help track all pet hedgehogs. Here's an excerpt from the registry information: This registry is setting out to register all the [pet] African Pygmy Hedgehogs. We want to do this to a) take a census of all the Hedgehogs that are out there b) to cut down on unwanted inbreeding by unknowing breeders and c) to help track behavoral and genetic traits. This is a great chance for your pets to help add to our knowledge about hedgehogs, so please do register. Registration is free, although for $10.00 U.S. they do provide a really nice registration certificate, should you want one. You can get more information, and register online at their web page: (Note: new address as of June 2000 -- thanks to Jeffery Allen) http://www.hedgehogregistry.com/ or by mail to: IHR Headquarters Jennifer Young-Watson P.O. Box 9880 Canoga Park, CA 91309-0880 USA email: hedgiesregREMOVE_TO_SEND@earthlink.net (new as of Oct. 1998) Other branches exist at: IHR Southern Branch Antigone (Tig) Means Littlerock, AR USA email: nannyoggREMOVE_TO_SEND@mailcity.com IHR Eastern Branch Vera C. Rhoades Trenton, NJ USA email: dreamcatcherhedgehogsREMOVE_TO_SEND@erols.com
Subject: <2.4> Hedgehogs Welfare Society The Hedgehog Welfare Society is a relatively new, and active group that has come about. Unlike many of the earlier organizations, this one seems to be focused more on proper care, and welfare. You can contact them at: The Hedgehog Welfare Society 5308 21st Ave SW Seattle, WA, 98106 USA email: infoREMOVE_TO_SEND@hedgehogwelfare.org www: http://www.hedgehogwelfare.org/ From what I can gather, HWS is affiliated with the Carolina Hedgehog Society (or vice versa) which also appears to be a very interesting group. The CWH website contains a wealth of excellent information. www: http://hedgies.com/ My thanks to Dawn Wrobel for putting me onto these organizations.
Subject: <2.5> International Hedgehog Association The IHA is a registered charitable non-profit organization established with the purpose of educating the public in the care and betterment of hedgehogs and to facilitate the rescue, welfare, promotion and care of hedgehogs everywhere. The IHA is active in the promotion of hedgehog shows as a means of bringing together and educating hedgehog lovers and fanciers and encourages and supports rescue and research activities. International Hedgehog Association PO Box 122 Yates Center, KS USA 66783 Canada and International: International Hedgehog Association 1070 Lilly Dale RR#1 Belle River, Ontario Canada N0R 1A0 email: infoREMOVE_TO_SEND@hedgehogclub.com www: http://hedgehogclub.com/ Individual:............$20.00/year Family:................$30.00/year Junior:................$12.00/year (up to 18 years of age) Breeder:,,,,,,,,,,,,...$40.00/year Veterinarian/Clinic:...$15.00/year Lifetime individual....$250.00/lifetime Lifetime family:.......$350.00/lifetime Lifetime Breeder:......$450.00/lifetime
Subject: <2.6> Canadian Hedgehog Association This came as a pleasant surprise to me when I received information about this organization from Sophie Hannan, the founder and President. Canadian Hedgehog Associationm Inc. 542 South Black River Road Black River Bridge, NB Canada E1N 5T2 email: infoREMOVE_TO_SEND@canadianhedgehogassociation.com www: http://www.canadianhedgehogassociation.com Individual.............$18.00 CAD/year (over 18 years of age) Family:................$25.00 CAD/year (2 adults + 4 children) Youth:.................$12.00 CAD/year (up to 18 years of age) Breeder:...............$35.00/year (>18months experience breeding) Aside from this, I know all too little about the CHA, as yet.
Subject: <2.7> Other Hedgehog Organizations Aside from the IHA [2.5], and the now defunct HI and N.A.H.A. (North American Hedgehog Association), there exist a number of other organizations dedicated to hedgehogs. Many of these organizations discussed in this section are generally involved with wild European hedgehogs, rather than pet hedgehogs. Within North America, until recently there has been no problem with hedgehogs not having homes. They were rare enough, that few would wind up at the pound or unwanted. Unfortunately that is now changing, and Kyrstin Westwind has started the Hedgehog Rescue organization to help out unwanted, or illegal hedgehogs. At the present time, it is located in the Northwest United States, specifically in Oregon, but she hopes that it will become more wide spread and organized over the coming months. You can contact Hedgehog Rescue at: Hedgehog Rescue 11575 SW Pacific Hwy. Box 148 Tigard, OR 97223 USA phone: (503) 230-1624 email: westwindREMOVE_TO_SEND@aracnet.com Rescued hedgies are given a complete health check by a vet, any needed treatments are given and they are put on a balanced diet (most of the hedgies, we see, have been eating store-brand kitten food!) In most cases the hedgies have not been socialized at all and need to be worked with one on one for a while. We try to determine if they CAN be socialized or will always be grumps -- happily, in most cases they DO come around. On the advice of other rescue groups we have an adoption fee. I had been resistant to this idea, but it is true that people rarely value ``free pets'' -- some groups had real horror stories to this affect -- and there are a LOT of expenses involved in this effort! So for $50 the adoptive person/family gets a healthy hedgehog that will unball, a list of resources including how to reach the hedgehog list, FAQ, and other web pages as well as local vets. We waive all or part of the fee for people who have experience with hedgehogs, or in cases where they need to pay for a Delta Dash. We do screen perspective adoptive homes: making sure they are well informed about all the pros and cons of life as a hedgie slave and that there have been no abuse complaints against them in the past. We avoid giving a female from a ``breeding mill'' to someone who wants to breed hedgies, because these females tend to have been ``over- bred'' We provide on-going support and, if at some point the person/family decides hedgies are not for them -- hasn't happened yet -- we take the hedgie back and find a new home. -- Kyrstin Westwind I've been told by Sharon Massena that ``the 4H group of Hedgehogs Northwest is doing rescue work. I'm not entirely sure what area this covers, but it sounds like something that has merit well beyond the nominal Northwest US. There are also a number of regional and local hedgehog clubs and organizations appearing throughout North America. One of the largest, and oldest is Hedgehogs Northwest: Hedgehogs Northwest is composed of pet lovers, owners, hobbyists and breeders who are interested in expanding the understanding and knowledge of hedgehogs. The club sponsored the first hedgehog confirmation show in the world. We sponsored our first show on October 22, 1995 which was such a success that we sponsored another March 24, 1996. (These were both held in Tacoma, Washington). We also do the Puyallup (Washington). Spring and Fall Fairs as well as other shows to acquaint people with the specialness of our little friends. Note: I don't have a current address for Hedeghogs Northwest, although there is a website to be at: www: http://www.hedgehogsnw.com/ My thanks to Janet Martin for sending me the info above, and to Sharon Massena for updates. More local and regional hedgehog clubs/organizations are forming, some under the auspices of the IHA [2.5]. You should contact or the IHA for information about any known clubs or organizations in your area. In the Netherlands, the organization VEZ is involved with numerous types of exotic mammals, including hedgehogs: The VEZ is a Dutch organization of keepers and lovers of exotic mammals. The main goal of the organization is gathering and spreading information about these animals and how to take care of them. We coordinate breeding programs for different kinds of mammals. Members are not only vets, zoos, breeders with a large stock of animals, genetic experts and so on, but people with a pair of chinchilla's, a hamster or gerbils are as important to us. We publish a magazine, four times a year, in Dutch. In the future we'll try to add a summary in English at the end of the articles. Members meet regularly to exchange animals an experience, and to visit zoos in the Netherlands and abroad. For some animals, like hedgehogs, sugar gliders and others, we have a contact person who coordinates the breeding program, can give you basic information and show you the way in case you need more than that. Costs: Membership costs Hfl 50,- excl. bankcosts for foreign countries. For more information write to: VEZ Beetslaan 73 2281 TG Rijswijk The Netherlands Contact person for different species of hedgehogs is: Anja van der Werf Siriusstraat 16 1622 ZH Hoorn Tel. 0229-246499 The Netherlands E-mail address: 101621.2230REMOVE_TO_SEND@CompuServe.COM -- Anja van der Werf
Subject: <2.8> Miscellaneous Hedgehog stuff and sources This section contains information on various hedgehog things and places to get hedgehog stuff that just doesn't easily fit into any of the more organized categories. The first item on our list of interesting stuff is the Spike and Friends Collection, a catalog of miscellaneous hedgehoggery, and stuff relating to other exotic pets put out by the ``Ain't No Creek Ranch:'' Ain't No Creek Ranch 2553 W. Offner Road Beecher, IL USA 60401-3347 email: SunSpikeREMOVE_TO_SEND@aol.com www: http://www.aintnocreek.com/ Phone: (708) 946-9750 Fax: (708) 534-3277 The Ain't No Creek Ranch accepts MasterCard and Visa to make feeding your hedgehog habit just that much easier. If you are into pet hedgehogs or just like hedgehogs in general, their catalog is really neat! As a quick overview, it contains most of the books available for pet hedgehogs, T-shirts and sweatshirts, hedgehog toys, and toy-hedgehogs, hedgehog homes, and numerous other hedgehog novelties and gifts. They are primarily hedgehog oriented (in fact they breed hedgehogs -- a good sign :-) ), but the catalog also has items that are related to other exotic pets like ferrets, sugar gliders, rheas, goats, etc. Here's part of the welcome message from the first catalog to give you a feeling of what they are all about: Welcome to the first edition of the Spike and Friends Collection. This brochure is an outgrowth of our hedgehog mania here at Ain't No Creek Ranch. In attempting to locate hedgehogabilia for ourselves -- we found a lot of other hedgehog lovers looking for the same things. So we began accumulating items as well as designing our own. And we've even included books, toys, and T-shirts for a few other exotic/alternative animals as well. Dawn Wrobel Ain't No Creek Ranch A second hedgehog catalog is also available, called Exclusively Hedgehogs. The wonder of this is that there is virtually no overlap in what they carry with what is in the above catalog. It is indeed a good time for hedgehog lovers! Like the Spike and Friends Collection, Exclusively Hedgehogs carries both hedgehog pet supplies and hedgehogabilia, and is available from: Exclusively Hedgehogs 145 S.E. Ankeny Circle Portland OR 97233-3121 USA (503) 253-7388 (503) 255-7176 Among the items carried for pet hedgehogs are hedgehog food and treats, and Roadrunner Play Safe wheels [I would recommend at least the 11'' and preferably the 14-inch model for hedgehogs - ed.]. They also carry a large selection of hedgehog figurines. As mentioned above, there is virtually no overlap in what is carried by Exclusively Hedgehogs, and the Ain't No Creek Ranch, which I find quite amazing, and an incredible bonus to ``hedgehogians'' like myself. If you already have either catalog, the other it worth getting too. Here's part of the introduction from their catalog: Welcome to our updated catalog. We have recently traveled to England, France and Canada, as well as parts of the United States in search of new hedgehog items. We are proud to bring you two new items carried exclusively by us, the Roadrunner wheel and the hedgehog food. We also found some great gift items imported directly from England. It would be remiss not to mention the book by Nigel Reeve. It is also imported directly to Exclusively Hedgehogs from England. Happy heggie shopping Val and Julie Please note: My earlier suggestion that Exclusively Hedgehogs may have temporarily put their catalog business `on hold' was an error -- they are open and active as ever. This was due entirely to my misinterpreting a message, and not due in any actions or lack of actions on the part of Exclusively Hedgehogs. My sincere apologies for any confusion this may have caused. Susan & Chia sent along the following site as being a great source for accessories for your hedgie: http://theferretstore.com/ While nominally for ferrets, the site acknowledges right up front that what they carry isn't just for ferrets, and a search through their site does quickly turn up explicit ``Hedgehog'' items, as well as wheels, and other useful items. I would also suggest taking a look at section [11.5] for sources of hedgehogabilia that are more oriented to wild, or European hedgehogs. Disclaimer: I've had the wonderful opportunity to meet and get to know many of the people behind the catalogs above, although I have no other connection with them, as far as the catalogs go, aside from being a very happy customer in several cases (yes, I admit to being a certifiable hedgehog addict). I have endevoured to provide an unbiased opinion of their products and services. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- Brian MacNamara - macnamara@HedgehogHollow.COM Hedgehog Hollow: http://HedgehogHollow.COM/ - - - -- Brian MacNamara - macnamara@HedgehogHollow.COM Hedgehog Hollow: http://HedgehogHollow.COM/

User Contributions:

1
Rio
Hi, my hedgehog started running around her cage squealing so I took her out to see what was wrong. Her genital area was inflamed and she had open sores all around that area. I gave her a bath, but I'm really worried about her. Do you have any idea what this could be?
Thank you!

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