# Baby hedgehogs! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 7, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312 "2010-06-07T18:03:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312/21 "2010-06-12T12:38:41Z")
Seems to me they have to be Dipsy, Laa-Laa, Po, and Tinky Winky. ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312/22 "2010-06-12T13:13:35Z")
Well, I prefer people names for animals with whom I have a relationship, so I like Norman and Beatrix. Can you folks sex the hoglets, or are we flying blind here? (Personally, I can’t sex a kitten, let alone a hedgehog!) ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312/23 "2010-06-12T18:59:23Z")
At the two week mark when we begin handling, we’ll be able to tell sexes. It is particularly easy with hedgehogs; males have what looks like a bellybutton, for, erm, proper positioning during mating, to avoid the sow’s spines. ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312/24 "2010-06-13T13:16:48Z")
Well, then go with last names. I’ll contribute Reading, Case, Cox, Taylor, Palmer, Van Hoesen, Hines, and Warner as possibilities (all family names with which I have some connection). ---
**Author:** ![RalfCoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@RalfCoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RalfCoder)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312/25 "2010-06-14T12:35:24Z")
> [@araminty](#): > > But they’re pretty cute! [These](http://www.flickr.com/photos/idalingi/20097296/) aren’t our babies; I think they’re a few weeks old. Awww… how cute!! They look like sea urchins with widdle bitty faces! ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312/26 "2010-06-14T17:28:11Z")
> [@RalfCoder](#): > > Awww… how cute!! They look like sea urchins with widdle bitty faces! Confession: Every day since this thread’s been posted I come back to the look at that picture. It never gets old. ---
**Author:** ![limegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/82dd89/32.png) [@limegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/limegreen)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312/27 "2010-06-15T16:49:17Z")
I’m supposed to get two female hedgehogs next Wednesday, headed for classroom pets. Since I’m introducing the Redwall book this year, I may have to steal the names Rose and Bramble. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312/28 "2010-06-15T20:16:11Z")
> [@araminty](#): > > Our zoo reopened in March after renovations, so we have lots of new exhibits to fill. > > I think one of our coolest mammals is a fossa! She is gorgeous, and fascinating to watch. Given this info and your California location, I’m guessing this is Happy Hollow in San Jose. I’ve lived in the area for 25+ years but never been. The new little critters may be just the incentive I’ve needed! ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312/29 "2010-06-15T21:17:38Z")
> [@zagloba](#): > > Given this info and your California location, I’m guessing this is Happy Hollow in San Jose. I’ve lived in the area for 25+ years but never been. The new little critters may be just the incentive I’ve needed! Eeep, I’ve been outed! Sorry, our education animals aren’t on public exhibit. They’re housed inside our purpose-built classroom. We (mostly) do this so that when we take them out to schools, there’s no empty exhibits for people to whine to the zookeepers about! Any local Dopers, if you’re coming to the zoo, drop me a line, and I’ll see what I can do about a behind-the-scenes tour 🙂 We’re pretty busy over the next few months teaching summer camp, though! ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312/30 "2010-06-24T20:18:48Z")
Update from Araminty (who happens to be married to me): [Baby hedgehog sitting on her hand.](http://www.flickr.com/photos/maxthevool/4730650297/) And a bonus: [Three other new arrivals (not born at the zoo)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/maxthevool/4730650317/) ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312/31 "2010-06-25T01:43:07Z")
I want two Capybaras and one Small Hedgehog, please! ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312/32 "2010-06-25T05:06:17Z")
Tonka the armadillo arrived today. He is AWESOME, and very full of personality! Four weeks in quarantine, then we’ll start using him in our programs. His awesomeness just slightly overshadowed the awesome 15 minutes or so I spent playing with a two month old Siberian tiger cub. Kittens are nice, but armadillos are forever! Well, twenty years or so! All four hedgehoglets are females. Two are dark, like the one pictures, and two are light - not quite the champagne of their dad, but in between he and the sow. We’ve spotted their backs with some paint to tell them apart, so we can track their weight and training. Well, “training” is a bit rich, it’s more like snuggling and squeeing. When hardened professional zookeepers squee, you know something is REALLY cute 🙂 I love my job! ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312/33 "2010-06-26T18:07:01Z")
I should think you _would_ enjoy your job! That’s a lot of squee you’ve got there. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312/34 "2010-06-28T23:08:29Z")
[All 4 of them.](http://www.flickr.com/photos/maxthevool/4744150992/) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312/35 "2010-06-28T23:23:03Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > [All 4 of them.](http://www.flickr.com/photos/maxthevool/4744150992/) _endless squee_ ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312/36 "2010-06-29T13:09:57Z")
Pics of Tonka and/or the Siberian kittens would be equally appreciated. Thanks for sharing what you have thus far! ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312/37 "2010-06-29T14:50:09Z")
Oh dear god, the cuteness! ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312/38 "2010-06-30T23:50:44Z")
Update: we named the hoglets today. Sticking to the spiky plant theme, we now have a Holly, Teazle, Acacia and Briar. I’ll ask **MaxTheVool** to post my tigerling and Tonka snaps too. **limegreen** , how are your new hedgehogs doing? ---
**Author:** ![limegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/82dd89/32.png) [@limegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/limegreen)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312/39 "2010-07-01T17:08:37Z")
Beautifully, thanks, **araminty**. I know I’m breaking the rules here, but I’m going to have to work out how to post pics. I named them Rose (white) and Briar (chocolate) and they are gradually coming to trust me. They have just been introduced to crickets, which turns them into psycho bouncing balls as they hunt down every last crunchy morsel. Mealworms get introduced today. I have learned that as their eyesight is not super keen, if your fingers smell like cricket, you’d better not leave them in harm’s way very long. Bramble gave me a bit of a nip, not enough to break the skin, but enough to keep me moving. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312/40 "2010-07-01T17:18:34Z")
**limegreen** , what rules do you think you’re breaking? Nobody here can post pictures directly. You need to host them somewhere(photobucket, imageshack, fliker, etc.) and post links. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-hedgehogs/542312.md?page=3)