Hedgehog pet craze hits UK - pet health insurance

Posted : 16-04-2008

UK pet owners are jumping on the craze for a lovable, yet prickly, pet, it has been reported.

African pygmy hedgehogs have become a sought-after pet after being bred in captivity ten years ago, according to the Metro newspaper.

The hedgehogs, which are a cross between Algerian and white- bellied hedgehogs, are smaller than their UK wild cousins and brighter in colour.

Bonnie Martin, who breeds the creatures in Fairford, Gloucestershire, described them as "incredibly cute" and noted that because they were active in the evening, they make good pets for people who work.

"They are just as cute as a hamster or a guinea pig but they have the added 'wow' and novelty factor," she told the paper.

Although the hedgehogs can cost up to £150 each, making some kind of pet insurance desirable, Ms Martin said "they are a very easy pet to handle and cheaper to maintain than a cat".

Pet care website animalkeeper.co.uk claims that the spiky pets make good companions as they have no smell, are easy to feed and do not need walking.

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