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

Last-modified: 20 October 1996
Version: 2.18

HEDGEHOG FAQ (part 2 of 5) -- FINDING MORE INFORMATION
Compiled and edited by Brian MacNamara (macnamara@pci.on.ca)
Additions, corrections, and suggestions for this file are welcomed.

This document is copyright 1996 by Brian MacNamara.  See section [0.5]
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 five parts, all of which should be available
from wherever you obtained this one.  A complete table of contents for
all five parts is given in part I.

Please note:  I am not a hedgehog expert, and 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 below [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> What other hedgehog books are there?
   <2.3> Is there any other information available on-line?
   <2.4> How can I find a hedgehog breeder/contact in my area?
   <2.5> Where are hedgehogs illegal?
   <2.6> North American Hedgehog Association
   <2.7> International Hedgehog Fanciers Society
   <2.8> Other Hedgehog Organizations
   <2.9> 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 becoming
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.

``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 now 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, my breeder, 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 premier formal 
tomes on pet hedgehogs, and having one or the other virtually a must for any 
hedgehog keeper (keepee?).  While they don't cover absolutely everything, 
they do provide a lot of information.  As I mentioned, one is oriented more 
to the pet owner and the other more to the breeder, so you can choose the 
book most appropriate to your needs.  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 very 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
[2.9] also carries them.  Fortunately, they are not expensive, and delivery 
is quick (my copy of ``Everything...'' arrived within 2 weeks of my dropping 
the order in the mail, and given the delivery speed of snail mail up here 
that's quite a feat).  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
       	U.S.A.

       	Phone:  (409) 732-3562
       	Fax:    (409) 732-9417

       	Single Copies (In U.S.):     $24.00 US dollars
       	  by 4th Class Mail

       	Priority Mail or to Canada:  $26.00 US dollars

And, 

       	Hedgehogs As Pets
       	First Edition

       	By Pat Storer
       	Country Storer Enterprises, Publisher
       	P.O. Box 160
       	Columbus, Texas   78934
       	U.S.A.

       	Phone:  (409) 732-3562
       	Fax:    (409) 732-9417

       	Single Copies (In U.S.):     $16.50 US dollars
       	  by 4th Class Mail

       	Priority Mail or to Canada:  $18.50 US dollars

She doesn't take credit cards, but money orders are fine.  The information 
above is accurate as of November 1994 (and taken directly from the books).

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


More books on pet hedgehogs have recently come into being, for which we can 
all be happy.  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, President, North American Hedgehog Association

     It has chapters on housing, feeding, healthcare, and the photos really 
     are good.  

     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 for $14.95 plus $3.00 shipping and handling (no tax for 
     non-New Jersey residents).  [editor's note: orders from Canada are 
     welcome and are shipped quickly.]

This is a good book, especially for beginners (which is really where it is 
directed).  As a result of being a beginner's book, it does not contain the 
health standards, and medicine usage that are in Pat Storer's 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 
probably the best 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.  Considering its low price, and 
the fact that it's only the first edition, don't hesitate to get it -- I 
didn't and I don't regret it for a moment.


Dennis Kelsey-Wood has also released a second book recently (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 finally 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 in
(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].

All this is not to say there aren't good points to the book, but the sheer
weight of bad information is nothing short of astounding.  I find it very 
hard to believe that Dennis Kelsey-Wood actually wrote more than a few small 
parts of this book.  Much of it was clearly written by someone without 
knowledge of hedgehogs.  I can only assume that Dennis wrote some of the
textual information, and the rest was filled in by a well meaning, but
hedgehog-ignorant staff writer at the publishing company.



Information on another book 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

Being very lucky, I was able to get a copy of this and agree that it is a
very worthwhile addition to any hedgehog library -- especially at the low
price (isn't your hedgehog worth it?).  The book contains some medical
information that complements Pat Storer's books quite well, but, again,
does not replace them.  I also got the impression that the author wrote the 
book over a number of years and didn't bother to re-read what he had written 
in earlier chapters when writing later ones.  There were a couple of minor 
places where he seemed to contradict himself, in particular with respect to 
foods.  The chapter by Pat Storer is taken almost verbatim out of her books, 
but is a worthwhile addition.  The book tends to answer questions in relation 
to European hedgehogs almost more so than African Pigmy hedgehogs, and many 
of the pictures show Egyptian (long-eared) hedgehogs (which are popular as
pets in parts of Europe).  However, these points are minor quibbles at most 
and if taken as a whole, the book is very good, and is, at the price, probably 
the ideal starting place for beginning hedgehog keepers.


Now that hedgehogs are becoming so popular in so many ways, books are happily
appearing at a fast and furious rate.  One of the latest I've become aware of 
is:

     _Hedgehogs_

     by Nigel Reeve

I have little information on this one, other than it is available through the
_Exclusively_Hedgehogs_ catalog [2.9], and the Spike and Friends Catalog [2.9],
and although apparently focused on European hedgehogs, it does deal with other 
varieties as well.  

According to the brief write-up in the Exclusively Hedgehogs catalog, it grew 
out of a thesis that Nigel Reeve wrote on hedgehogs, and is on the order of 
350 pages in length, covering most topics, including health and veterinary 
treatment.  Others who have read it have recommended it very highly.


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 (weird?) 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 (gee, I didn't know the U.S. had invaded
Canada again?).  They can be contacted at:

       	EXOTIC Market Review
       	P.O. Box 1203
       	Bowie, Texas 76230
       	U.S.A.

       	phone: 1-800-460-3107


One final tidbit I can't resist adding.  I have heard from a certain
publisher of pet books that they too hope to have a book on hedgehogs
in print sometime this year.  I can't offer any more information than
that for now, but I will provide full info when it becomes available
and can be publicly distributed.  ;>

------------------------------

Subject: <2.2> What other hedgehog books are there?

In addition to the books listed in [2.1], several other sources are listed 
here.  These books tend to be more in depth for the more serious 
hedgehogaholics, or light hearted, for the mere amusement of hedgehogaholics.

Katherine Long has passed along word of another book that is full of 
interesting hedgehog information, although it can be somewhat hard to
get in North America.  Here is the bibliographic info:

       	Stocker, Les.  The Complete Hedgehog.  (Illus.)  128 p. 09/1994.  
       	Paper.  $19.95.  (ISBN 0-7011-3272-8, Chatto & Windus UK). Trafalgar 
       	Square.  

This book concentrates on European hedgehogs, but certainly contains 
relevant information on hedgehogs in general and is generally applicable
for pet hedgehogs.

    Les Stocker's _The Complete Hedgehog_ is basically about European
    hedgehogs, and a couple of people have said that it takes a fairly 
    strong position against keeping them as pets; so it will probably be 
    of interest to hedgehog lovers, but not as a care manual.  
    -- Nathan Tenny

As a point of interest, Les Stocker is the founder of St. Tiggywinkles
hospital [2.8].

Another book, this time suggested by Bill Corner, is:

       	``Hedgehogs'', by Pat Morris.
       	Published by: Whittet Books.  1983.
       	ISBN: 0-905483-28-6

    [This] is a book by a researcher whose spent his post-doctorate research
    studying Hedgehog behaviour.  Not as comprehensive as [the above one --
    Les Stocker's], but a good read.  
    -- Bill Corner

While the following doesn't deal directly with pet hedgehogs, it may
well be of interest to us hedgehog addicts (thanks again Katherine for
this):

    There is a book by the British Hedgehog Society Staff called 
       	Prickly Poems.  (Illus.)  64p. Juv (gr 3-5) 03/1993. 
       	$18.95 (ISBN 0-09-176379-7, Hutchinson UK). Trafalgar Square.

One more for good measure:

    In looking for chinchilla information, I ran across a book that has
    hedgehog health information.  MANUAL OF EXOTIC PETS, written by the
    BRITISH SMALL ANIMAL VETERINARY ASSOCIATION, KINGSLEY HOUSE, CHURCH 
    LANE, SHURDINGTON, CHELTENHAM, GLOUCESTERSHIRE GL51 5TQ.  UK Cost 
    is L56.60 and you can pay by mastercard or visa.  The hedgehog they are 
    referring to is probably the Eurasian hedgehog but the English do have 
    hedgehog hospitals for the ones that are hit by cars during the mating 
    season.  For the African ones, I don't Know.  
    -- Chingur

    Hedgehogs get killed on the roads ALL the time (apart from when they 
    are hibernating, of course) not just during the mating season.  And 
    there are thousands of the little critters that get killed on British 
    roads annually... :(  
    -- Bill Corner

Peter Captijn, has sent along the following (almost endless) list of books 
on hedgehogs:

    all EUROPEAN (Erinaceaous europaeus), never pet-owners books:

    - The hedgehog and friends, more tales from St. Tiggywinkles
    by Les Stocker, Chatto & Windus, London, 1990, ISBN 0 7011
    3655 3, 8.99 UK pounds.

    I name this because it is NOT a hedgehog book. It's a book
    relating the work Les Stocker does in his animal care
    center. Although it has a few pages about hedgehogs, nice
    photos and nice pencil drawings, I think you should leave
    it unless you have money to burn.     

    In the literature list of Shire Natural History's book on
    hedgehogs (see below) the following books are mentioned:

    - The hedgehog by M. Burton  Andre Deutsch 1969. Reprinted
    as a Corgi `Survival' paperback. Now out of print but often
    available through local libraries.    

    - Hedgehogs by K. Herter, Phoenix House 1969. Now out of
    print but often available through local libraries.

    Various leaflets, books, hedgehog toys and other items are
    available from the British Hedgehog Preservation Society,
    Knowbury, Shropshire. [2.8]

    Further information on hedgehogs and other mammals is
    available from the Mammal Society Conservation Officer,
    Zoology Dept., Woodland Road, Avon BS8 1UG.

    Shire Natural History has published a condensed (24 pages)
    booklet based on P.A. Morris and Les Stocker's work. It's very       
    colorful, with lots of (very nice) photos and surprisingly
    good information, and it is CHEAP. It's probably the best
    gift for people who want to be introduced to hedgehogs:
    - The hedgehog, P.A. Morris, Shire Natural History, ISBN 0
    85263 958 9, 1.95 UK pounds, reprinted last in 1992. (Would
    be about 2.5 dollar without shipment.)

    - Hedgehogs by Maxwell Knight, a Sunday times book
    publication, Animals of Britain No. 3 edited by L. Harrison
    Matthews, 24 pages, 1962. Almost no information at all,
    advises to give bread and milk (for crying out loud) but has       
    one nice sentence: `I do not favor keeping hedgehogs in any
    kind of cage - they are not suited to these conditions and
    seldom thrive.' He advises `semi-captivity' meaning trying
    to lure and keep them in your garden by providing suitable
    housing and conditions.

    I have more books about hedgehogs, but these are original
    GERMAN books, translated to DUTCH, and probably not
    available in English. I will list them because the FAQ is
    read all over the world.

    - Igel in Pension by Claudia Bestajovsky, Franckh'sche
    Verlagshandlung, W. Keller & Co., Stuttgart, 1975
    published in Holland as: Egel te gast, Thieme-Zutphen, ISBN
    90 03 94990 5, 1975
    This book is about caring for late autumn hedgehogs who are
    too small to survive the winter, it's based on her own
    experience in helping 50+ hedgehogs.  

    - Geliebtes Stacheltier by Christl Poduschka, Landbuch-
    Verlag GmbH, Hannover, Germany, 1972  
    published in Holland as: Onze eigen egel, Nijgh & Van
    Ditmar, Den Haag, 1974, ISBN 90 236 3334 2
    Tales about their garden-hedgehogs and quite some
    information about feeding and caring of them.

    - Igel als Wintergaste by Helga Fritzsche, Grafe und Unzer
    GmbH, Munchen
    published in Holland as: Egels, Elsevier, 1981, ISBN 90 10
    03734 7
    Very good book about the medical care hedgehogs need, very
    thorough on diseases, actually very good in everything. Has
    read Poduschka and improves on her.   

    It will be possible to list about 10 scientific articles
    about hedgehogs, all in German, but only if you're really,
    really interested (between 1958-1979, almost impossible to
    get).

And if you are still in need of a hedgehog fix, there's always the Sonic
the Hedgehog series of video games, cartoons, etc.

------------------------------

Subject: <2.3> Is there any other information available on-line?

Discussions of hedgehogs often come up in the rec.pets Usenet newsgroup.  
The FAQ ``Fleas, Ticks and Your Pet'' is distributed there, 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://www.pci.on.ca/~macnamar/hedgehogs.html

Among the things available off my pages are links to all other hedgehog
pages I have found, and an HTMLized version of the FAQ.

Jesse Ephraim has also put together an interesting set of web pages on
hedgehogs, including the longest list of books I have ever seen at:
    http://www.metronet.com/~jpe/hedge.txt

The list of hedgehog web pages pages is growing rapidly -- I've been trying
to keep pointers to most 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.


Andrew Albinger has set up a new Hedgehog Mailing List, and it rapidly 
became very popular, even within the first couple of weeks that it was
operational.  You can join the list by sending email to the address:
    hedgehog-mail-request@iastate.edu

with the word ``subscribe'' (without the double quotes) in the body of the
message (not the subject line, though putting it there too will be 
harmless).  Sending a message to the list is done by sending mail to
the following address after you are subscribed;
    hedgehog-mail@iastate.edu

You can subscribe to the digest form of the list by sending a mail message to
    hedgehog-mail-digest-request@iastate.edu
with the word subscribe in the body of the email.

  REMEMBER:  Even though you are subscribed to the digest you need to send
  messages to hedgehog-mail@iastate.edu.

  AND: if you respond to a digest, PLEASE only inculde the part of the
  digest that you are responding to and not the WHOLE thing.  :)
    -- Andrew Albinger

For more information about the list and commands, you can send a message to:
    hedgehog-mail-request@iastate.edu
with the word help in the body of the message.

In the unlikely event that you ever want to unsubscribe from either list, 
simply send a message to the appropriate ``request'' address (as if you were 
subscribing) but use the word ``unsubscribe'' instead of ``subscribe'' in 
the text.

WARNING: The email address hedgehog at iastate.edu exists, and has nothing 
to do with the Hedgehog Mailing list.  Please do NOT send messages to that 
address that are intended for the listserver on penalty of extreme 
embarrassment! :-) 


Courtesy of PamRusso, I've also learned that AOL has a hedgehog chat session
(Pam is actually the host of the session):

   For all AOL members--We have a hedgehog chat every Wednesday night at 
   8:00 [P.M.] EST.  We love to have new people stopping by.

   To get to the chat you have to get into The Pet Care Forum (keyword Pet) 
   and then click on Messages and Chats  (we are in Animal Talk Room III).
   in Animal Talk Room III.  


------------------------------

Subject: <2.4> How can I find a hedgehog breeder/contact in my area?

One of the best options here is to contact the International Hedgehog Fanciers
Association (IHFS) [2.7] or possibly the North American Hedgehog Association 
(N.A.H.A.) [2.6] (if you can get through to them) who can probably direct you 
to a reputable local breeder, and who may be the best source of information.  
In addition, you can check in the yellow pages under exotic animals, or look 
in the classified ads section of your local newspapers.

Hedgehogs are becoming more readily available, and are showing up in many 
pet stores, and I've even heard rumours of them occasionally being available 
at the pound.

Another possible lead towards finding that perfect hedgehog is to contact the
U.S. Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A.).  Breeders in the U.S. are generally 
supposed to be registered with the U.S.D.A.  This is generally not observed 
very seriously, but is a requirement for N.A.H.A. registered breeders (at 
least within the U.S.).  Still, the U.S.D.A. may be able to provide names 
and addresses of large breeders in the U.S.

Depending on interest, and information, I may expand this section to 
include breeder's names and addresses.

------------------------------

Subject: <2.5> Where are hedgehogs illegal?

Unfortunately, there are some locations that do not yet allow pet hedgehogs.  
The best source for an accurate list of various hedgehog restrictions is the
N.A.H.A. [2.6] which had been trying to maintain an up to date list.  In 
addition, the N.A.H.A. or the IHFS [2.7] can help provide guidance on how you
can enlighten any backward bureaucracies you run into.  The list below started 
as a very stripped down version of the list published by the N.A.H.A. to which
I have also included additional notes thanks to people sending me information.

At the moment hedgehogs are not permitted in the U.S. in the states of 
Alabama, Alaska, California, Georgia, and Utah, although I've been told that
hedgehogs are quite available in Utah (the official word there seems to be
somewhat uncertain -- possibly the same situation as existed in Idaho).  

The N.A.H.A. has Idaho listed as not allowing hedgehogs, but courtesy of 
some checking by Wendi Smit, it appears the law is against allowing European
hedgehogs as pets, African Pigmy hedgehogs are allowed, and are available
in Idaho.

Recently, Georgia clarified their position on hedgehogs, making them 
officially illegal.  Thanks to Jerry in Atlanta for this unfortunate bit of 
news.

Maryland has recently seen the light (in November of 1994 -- Woobie), and is 
now legit for hedgehogs, as is Colorado.

Pennsylvania apparently has a law to protect its own animal breeders, making 
it illegal to import hedgehogs into PA (which thereby manages to make it 
impossible for PA breeders to legally get new stock), although PA-bred 
hedgehogs are legal.  Note: the last published N.A.H.A. list appears to make 
this somewhat questionable, so maybe common sense has prevailed.

Arizona is somewhat open to debate as to its status.  It appears that given
the right forms of registration, keeping hedgehogs is possible, though this
level of registration may be very difficult to obtain.

The situation in Maine appears to be somewhat odd; it's apparently legal to
own them, and to sell them privately, but not for pet stores to sell them.  
My thanks to Jesse and Kris Welsh for this bit of information.

Some states also require you to go through their local Fish and Game 
department (or the equivalent) to get a permit.  For example Wyoming require 
this, as pointed out to me by Marcia Kautz.

In Canada most of the information I have been able to find (courtesy of John 
Ofner) is that hedgehogs are permitted in all provinces except Quebec.
However, I have seen a recent magazine article which suggested that things
were about to change in Quebec in the not too distant future.

There had been conflicting reports that hedgehogs are illegal in the province 
of Alberta, but it appears that this is now something for the history books.
At the very least, there are an abundance of breeders there.

Courtesy of Linda Wheatley, I finally have accurate information on the
status of hedgehogs in the province of Alberta:

   Hedgehogs are legal in Alberta but our Fish & Wildlife people are still
   requiring us to have a temporary shelter permit.  Some Fish & Wildlife
   offices are telling people that it is not necessary to get them and some
   are saying it is necessary.

In short, the letter of the law appears to be that you still need a permit,
but some jurisdictions, are simply acknowledging the reality of hedgehogs
being pets, and waiving the obvious extra workload it would cause them.

In the U.K. it appears that African Pigmy hedgehogs are allowed as pets:

   European hedgehogs are partially protected in the U.K.  Trapping them 
   requires permission from the proper authorities.  However, African 
   hedgehogs are commercially available.

   -- Travis Carter

It also appears that they are allowed as pets in the Netherlands, and 
possibly throughout other European countries as well.

   Here in the Netherlands (and other European countries as for as I know of)
   you're allowed to keep hedgehogs.  In the Netherlands the only species 
   that is not allowed to be kept, is the European hedgehog (!?).  I know 
   that you are permitted to keep the European kind in Germany.  Therefore 
   it's no coincidence that a lot of books about European hedgehogs are of 
   German origin.  I'm not sure about regulations in other countries 
   according to the E. europaeus. I think that you can keep them there, 
   except for the U.K.

   (I know that they are considered to be a delicacy in Portugal and in some
   East-European countries.)

   -- Anja van der Werf

Finally, it appears that African Pigmy hedgehogs (both the white bellied 
and especially the Egyptian long-eared varieties) are quite popular as pets
in Japan, and are legal there.  My thanks to Tetsuro Oka, DVM for this 
information.

Again, I have no official confirmation of most of these (although the bans 
listed at the beginning, of this list, are pretty certain), and you should 
probably check first.  There are a number of U.S. states that require permits, 
and various localities, and individual municipalities may also require special 
permits.  For a detailed list of legal requirements, you should contact the 
N.A.H.A. [2.6] or the IHFS [2.7].

------------------------------

Subject: <2.6> North American Hedgehog Association

Formed in 1993, the North American Hedgehog Association (N.A.H.A.) exists 
to assist and guide the pet hedgehog hobby.  It is involved in such 
activities as clarifying the status of hedgehogs as pets in various places
(see [2.5]), overseeing breeding registries, acting as a repository and focus
for hedgehog veterinary information, and setting up judges and standards 
for hedgehog shows.  It has recently expanded, and now publishes its
magazine 6 times per year, rather than just quarterly (and has changed the 
name of the publication from _The_Hedgehog_News_ to 
_Hedgehog_World_International_.

The N.A.H.A. can be contacted at (address accurate as of April 1996):

       	North American Hedgehog Association Inc.
       	601 Tijeras NW #201
       	Albuquerque, New Mexico
       	U.S.A. 87102

       	Phone: (505) 842-1535 (voice mail)
       	Fax: (505) 842-8560

Here is a rough overview of the Membership options (valid as of April 1996):

   -   Subscriber:  Includes 6 issues of _Hedgehog_World_International_.  Fee 
       is $25.00 U.S./year in the U.S. and $35.00 U.S./year foreign.

   -   Member:  Includes participation in the organization, 6 issues of 
       _Hedgehog_World_International_, discount on advertizing, and various 
       free merchandise.  Fee is $50.00 U.S./year.

   -   Registered Breeder:  Includes participation in the organization, 
       access to the breeder referral network and listing, 6 issues of 
       _Hedgehog_World_International_, various free merchandise (N.A.H.A. 
       registered breeders in the U.S. must be U.S.D.A. registered, non-U.S. 
       breeders are exempt, at least until equivalent programs can be 
       determined in other countries), and numerous other items of interest 
       to breeders.  Fee is $60.00 U.S./year.


Unfortunately, of late, the N.A.H.A. appears to have become rather dormant.
I don't know if all the principals have turned to other things, but they
do not appear to return phone calls (they only have a message system that
is always full) or letters, and there have been virtually no publications
from them.  While I hesitate to call them defunct, their lengthy period of
inactivity does not  bode well.

I will continue to fill in information about the N.A.H.A., here, as I 
learn more about them and their services.

------------------------------

Subject: <2.7> International Hedgehog Fanciers Society

I have recently learned more details about the IHFS, which appears to be
a very well organized and growing organization.  To put it in their own
words, ``The IHFS represents hedgehog pet owners, hobbyists, and breeders 
who are interested in expanding the knowledge and understanding of the 
animals they love.''

In addition to producing a newsletter called ``HEDGEHOG CENTRAL,'' the IHFS
also sponsors shows, and produces standards booklets for hedgehogs and
for colours.

The International Hedgehog Fanciers Society can be contacted at:

   In Canada:
       	International Hedgehog Fanciers Society
       	Box 426
       	Keremeos, BC
       	Canada   V0X 1N0

       	Phone or Fax:  (604) 499-5143

   In the U.S.:
       	International Hedgehog Fanciers Society
       	Box 1417
       	Oroville, WA
       	U.S.A.   98844-1417

Annual membership options and fees are:

       	Individual:    $50.00
       	Family:        $65.00
       	Student:       $40.00

These include:

       	- Monthly newsletter:  HEDGEHOG CENTRAL
       	- By-monthly bulletin
       	- Official Booklet of Standards, and Colour Standard
       	- Access to the Pedigree Database service
       	- Full benefits of sanctioned shows

I want to thank Doug Dorer for first passing along information on the
IHFS to me, and to an unknown person or persons at the IHFS for sending
me an information packet with all the details in it.  I will add more
information over time as I learn more about the IHFS.

------------------------------

Subject: <2.8> Other Hedgehog Organizations

Aside from the N.A.H.A. [2.6], and IHFS [2.7], there exist a number of other 
organizations dedicated to hedgehogs.  Many of these organizations discussed 
in this section are generally involved with the wild European hedgehogs, 
rather than pet hedgehogs.

Before we get to the European hedgehog organizations, one regional outfit
to note 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, working in conjunction with the International 
   Hedgehog Fanciers Society (IHFS), has 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.

   For membership information contact:
       	Hedgehogs Northwest
       	c/o George Kugler
       	P.O. Box 40447
       	Bellevue, WA 98015
       	(206) 828-0193

My thanks to Janet Jones for sending me the info above.


Moving on to the European hedgehog organizations, first is the British 
Hedgehog Preservation Society, run by Major Adrian Cole, sent to me courtesy 
of Bill Corner, Vanessa Purvis, and Seabury Salmon:

   I thought I would let you know that here in the UK there exists a 
   society called ``the British Hedgehog Presevation Society'' (BHPS). 
   Their address - in case you want some more info! - is:
   -- Bill Corner

       	BHPS
       	Knowbury House
       	Knowbury
       	Ludlow
       	Shropshire

       	SY8 3LQ
       	UK
       	Tel: 44 1584 890801 or 890287.


Tom Weston sent the following around about another organization dedicated to 
rescuing and helping hedgehogs:

    Having looked after hedgehogs for a number of years, Janet Peto founded
    Hedgehog Welfare officially in December 1993. It is a small rescue 
    centre, based in Misterton [U.K.], taking in and caring for sick, injured 
    and orphaned hedgehogs. No hedgehog is ever turned away.

    The aims of Hedgehog Welfare are:

    To take in sick, injured and orphaned hedgehogs, to care for them and 
    return them to the wild.

    To encourage the finders of hedgehogs to care for them wherever possible
    with full assistance from Hedgehog Welfare, including the loan of 
    equipment (when available) to do so.

    To promote public awareness of the hedgehog in the wild (and of 
    conservation in general) and how everyone can assist.

    To run courses which will improve the general knowledge and standards of 
    carers and veterinary surgeons.

    If you would like to help or just know more about Hedgehog Welfare, its 
    work, or its courses, please write:

       	  Janet Peto,
       	  Hedgehog Welfare,
       	  P.O. Box 1003,
       	  Misterton,
       	  Doncaster DN10 4JT
       	  England

    Janet has requested that when writing to her, could you possibly include
    a stamped return envelope, or at least something to cover the return
    cost.  This will serve to help ensure the funds that Hedgehog Welfare
    has will go to hedgehogs.

Barry Turner (who is the Newsletter Editor/SWRRC) contacted me recently with 
info on WildAid (formerly the SWRRC):

    I help out with the Staffordshire Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation 
    Centre, an animal Sanctuary at Kingsley near Cheadle, Staffordshire, 
    England.

    Jonathon Hodges, the Curator, takes in large numbers of rescued, sick or 
    injured hogs and hoglets throughout the year.

WildAid is a U.K. registered charitable organization which looks after sick, 
injured, and otherwise endangered wildlife, primarily throughout the British 
Isles, as well as now helping other Sanctuaries with advice, practical 
assistance and sometimes financial help. 

The address for WildAid (formerly the SWRRC) is:

       	  WildAid
       	  Sprinks - Lane Kingsley - Near Cheadle
       	  Staffordshire
       	  England        ST10 2Bx

       	  Telephone:  01538 754784
       	  Fax:        01538 756702

You can also contact them via email at:  101330.3231@Compuserve.com

Almost last, and certainly far from least (how can anything hedgehog related 
be least?) is ``St. Tiggywinkle's'' hospital, etc.  The following information
on it was sent along by Willard B. ``Skip'' Nelson, DVM, with the phone 
number coming from LeAnne and Adrian:

    I see that you are looking for Mrs Tiggywinkle's hospital in the UK. 
    I have corresponded with Mr. Les Stocker, M.B.E. of the Wildlife 
    Hospital Trust aka ``St. Tiggywinkle's'' and I can report that his 
    address is 

       	  Aston Road, 
       	  Haddenham, Aylesbury,
       	  Buckinghamshire  HP17 8AF 
       	  United Kingdom

          Telephone: (44) 1844 292292

Crossing over to the mainland of Europe, there is Norway's Hedgehog Fan 
Club, known as ``Hedgehog Friends.''  I received the following information 
from it's president Sigrun Seetrevik:

       	  PINNSVINENES VELFORENING
       	  C/O SIGRUN SAETREVIK
       	  DALANEVEIEN 20
       	  4015  STAVANGER
       	  NORWAY

Cost is 50 kr. (= ca.7-8 dollars) which includes their magazine (most of
the articles are in the Norwegean language, but Sigrun indicated that they
were open to articles in English as well).  You can also try contacting
him by email at:  SIGRUN-S@gribb.hsr.no

The club is quite informal in nature, and members often get together
socially to have a good time and talk hedgehog, which belies the origins
of the club:

    The actual reason for the foundation of our organization is the 
    fact that thousands of wild hedgehogs are run over by cars in the 
    streets. It's really tragical to witness this. Our job should be to 
    care for hedgehogs so that car drivers pay more attention. However, 
    this is an almost impossible task, and therefore our ``mission'' has 
    become quite ridiculous. But we won't give up!
    -- Sigrun Seetrevik:

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, sugargliders and others, we have a
    contactperson 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

    Contactperson for different species of hedgehogs is:
 
       	Anja van der Werf
       	Siriusstraat 16
       	1622 ZH Hoorn
       	Tel. 0229-246499
       	The Netherlands

       	E-mail adress: 101621.2230@CompuServe.COM

    -- Anja van der Werf


For hedgehog lovers in Sweden, I heard from Siw and Anders, who do take in 
injured and sick hedgehogs, and can help with advice.  They don't have a
large organization, so please don't innundate them with questions or 
hedgehogs that you can help look after yourself, but they can certainly help
out, especially if you don't know what to do and don't have anywhere to
keep a convelescent hedgehogs.  You can contact them at:

       	Siw Bjorkgren
       	Dagermansgatan 6nb
       	754 28 Uppsala
       	Sweden
       	Telefone: +46-(0)18323565


------------------------------

Subject: <2.9> 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.  In short, the things here probably mean I need to
reorganize the FAQ in some way, but either I haven't figured out how to
do it in a way I'm happy with, or I'm too lazy just yet (or maybe both).

The first item on our list of interesting stuff is the
_Spike_&_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 
       	  U.S.A.   60401-3347

       	  email:  SunSpike@aol.com  (new, as of late July, 1996)

       	  Phone:  (708) 534-3296
       	  Fax:    (708) 534-3277

The Spring/Summer 1996 version of this catalog is now available, with far
more things in it than the first version.  There is a $1 charge now to cover 
postage and handling, but which can be redeemed with your first purchase.

The Ain't No Creek Ranch now also 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, this
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.  I know that more things are on the way for Christmas, so I can only 
try to imagine what will be there in the future.  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 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 out own.  And we've even 
    included books, toys, and t-shirts for a few other exotic/alternative 
    animals as well.

    In addition to the catalog, we publish a quarterly newsletter, The
    Hedgehog Herald.  A one year, four issue subscription is just $4.00(US).
    Sample copies are $1.00(US).  Just write in item number HH-4 and a price
    of $1.00 for a sample, or add $4.00 in the subscription box on the order 
    form for four issues.

    Dawn Wrobel
    Ain't No Creek Ranch

Disclaimer: I have no connection with the Ain't No Creek Ranch, other than as
a happy customer.  I found Dawn Wrobel to be very cheerful and pleasant to
deal with, and the items in their catalog a little too interesting to 
resist.


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 previous 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
       	U.S.A.

       	(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 the 
largest selection of hedgehog figurines that I have seen.  

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.  Aside 
from a couple of the more common books being available from both, and both 
carrying different brands of hedgehog wheels, everything is different.  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

Disclaimer: I have no connection with the Exclusively Hedgehogs, and, as yet,
I cannot comment on service or quality, although they certainly present 
themselves in a pleasant way, and what they offer does appear interesting 
to anyone with an interest in hedgehogs.


Peter Captijn sends along this item of interest to European hedgehog lovers:

    Special hedgehog nest boxes are available from Garden
    Wildlife Product, 15 Malvern Buildings, Fairfield Park,
    Bath, Avon.


Another great source of hedgehogabilia comes from Penny Jackson:

    Country Artists, the people who make the wonderful hodgie statues

       	Country Artists
       	Avenue Farm
       	Stratford upon Avon
       	Warwickshire CV37 OHR
       	United Kingdom

   I am pretty sure they have a catalogue.

Finally, last and far from least, the British Hedgehog Preservation Society
[2.8] produce a _Hedgehogalog_ containing lots of great hedgehog stuff.
Contact the BHPS for more information.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

-- 
My opinions belong to me and my company can't have them!
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