HELGA THE HEDGEHOG

I remember when my son turned 9, he wanted a hedgehog for his birthday . We had already "enjoyed" Buzz the rat and Beulah the guinea pig so the hedgehog was just another adventure for him. I did not know much about these prickly little creatures so I did an investigation. Turns out, they make a great pet if treated carefully and with patience. They do not have an odor, don't make noise, and have no dander for those with allergies. They are nocturnal so usually sleep during the day although adjust well to being held in daytime hours. My son adored Helga and they made a good pair. I often found myself holding Helga on her back and petting her soft tummy---she liked it! There are 17 species of hedgehogs and are found through parts of Europe, Asia, Africa and New Zealand. Hedgehogs got their name from their preferred habitat, garden hedges, and their pig-like grunts they make. In their natural habitat, they dine on bugs so are a welcome addition to gardens to keep pests under control. In America, there are no native species and were imported to the US in the 1970's from Africa. All hedgehogs in America are domesticated and known as African Pigmy Hedgehogs. Because they are considered an exotic animal, they are illegal to own in some states-- Maine, Arizona, California, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Hawaii and New York City. Fortunately, Helga was legally acquired. At Foot Traffic , we love the little critters so much we added an adorable hedgehog sock design to our women's novelty sock offering. We have kids hedgehog socks too! We hope that you will love them as much as we do… socks that is… and hedgehogs, of course! Save Save Save