It isn’t always easy to make new friends, especially if you’re shy by nature. Now imagine you were a tiny hedgehog and your perspective on the world was from an inch or two above the ground. Everything and everyone would look gigantic and probably kind of scary (and that’s without even worrying about real threats like badgers and hawks). Harley is an indoor hedgehog, so he lives a safe and comfortable life. He’s also come to love his humans, their massive size notwithstanding.
The popularity of hedgehogs as pets has been increasing over the last 40 years. You might never guess it, but hedgehogs cover a lot of ground out in the wild, so a pet hedgehog needs a home with a decent amount of space and additional opportunities for exercise (like a wheel). They like to be nice and warm, so it’s important to keep a pet hedgehog’s environment over 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Harley does have a potential friend — an adorable tabby and white kitten named Loki. As you’ll see in the video posted below, each is a little wary of the other during this initial introduction. Loki’s approach to Harley features that hilarious feline combination of being intensely curious but at the same time a little freaked out. It’s as if Loki is thinking, “What is that thing? A fun new toy? Something that’s not a toy but fun anyway? OMG, it just moved!” Meanwhile, Harley decides it’s best to stay curled up like a ball, relying on his spines to keep him safe in the event of trouble.
The video cuts to a second encounter where Harley is hanging out in a kind of hedgehog bathtub. This time he and Loki get a good look at each other. Both are curious now, but still wary. There’s even a little game of peekaboo! Poor Loki is still having a hard time getting his head around the concept of a hedgehog.
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