The African Pygmy Hedgehog: A Delightful Ball of Thorns

The African Pygmy Hedgehog is truly a delightful animal. You may think, okay, it is a rodent, and now in the world could it be an interactive pet?

Well, firstly, it is not a rodent! Secondly, let me tell you from experience, that African Pygmy Hedgehogs are actually extremely intelligent and loving.

This is a photo of our little Pumpkin. I am unsure at to how old my hedgehog was when I got her, as I got her from a very uninformed pet store. In fact, we're not even sure if it was a girl, as vets could never tell me, but that's how we treated her. Her nickname was Tootie, don't ask why because it was just a name that stuck.

We had Pumpkin for 3 yrs before she passed away of unknown causes, according to the vet. We were told that little animals such as these can catch things like pneumonia and it can progress extremely quickly.

Here are some facts about the African Pygmy Hedgehog:

• Hedgehogs are often kept as pets in North America, and actually seem to be a mixture of a few species, which are really native to Africa. The name, "African Pygmy Hedgehog" is a descriptive term (coined by breeders), rather than an actual species name.
• Primarily, hedgehogs are insectivores meaning that they eat insects, for the mostpart, in their diet.
• Although the hedgehog's back is covered with rows of short prickly spines, their bellies are covered with very soft fur. When hedgehogs are threatened, they roll right into a tightm prickly ball with a mass of sharp spines poking out. Once relaxed, their spines will lay nearly flat.
• Due to selective breeding, hedgehogs are available in a huge array of color variations.
• They are quite compact, reaching a size of around 5-8 inches in length.
  
• It is estimated that hedgehogs have an expected life span of anywhere from 3-8 years, although 4-6 years is probably most typical. (Our Pumpkin lived at least 3 yrs)
• Hedgehogs are illegal in some areas, so check your local bylaws.
• Hedgehogs require only low maintenance.
• Typically, while hedgehogs don't mind handling once they get used to it, they don't really seem to "crave" human interaction.
  

(http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/hedgehogs/a/hedgehogs.htm, 2007)

* Note: However, our Pumpkin would beg for attention and interaction, and would really respond to us by snuggling and really "coming out of her shell".

In fact, Pumpkin loved to sleep or hide under a washcloth that we had in her aquarium, which she used as a blanket. However, whenever my husband entered the room or the apartment, she would immediately come out from under her blanket, stand up on her haunches and start smelling and looking for Kenney. She wouldn't stop until he came over to greet her.

She would love to snuggle after her bath, which she had every week in the sink. She would make herself a little nest on your lap and really cuddle in until she was good and dry. So sweet!

Pumpkin was low maintenance. We fed her and changed her water everyday. We made sure to take her out of her aquarium EVERYDAY for not only exercise and fun, but to strengthen our bond. We bathed her at least once/wk, depending upon what she got into. We changed her "ground cover" every few days, again depending upon the mess she made. We would make sure she got some new and interesting treat to eat on Sundays. That's it!

My husband loved Pumpkin so much that he made me a huge "dog house type" house for Christmas exclusively for her. It had lights installed, signs, windows, doors, furniture and even stairs to a 2nd level! What an amazing (and huge) job. It was so neat and ingenious. The entire 2nd floor would slide right out for easy cleanup. This is just a small piece of the house in the background with my Pumpkin sleeping tight. She just loved hanging out in her house, and there were times we would leave her in there for the night or day, instead of keeping her in her aquarium while we were out.

Well, we truly enjoyed having Pumpkin in our life, even if it was for a short time. She enriched our life and was always a great conversation piece. I believe it encouraged people to be advocates for exotic animals.

We never did get another one, not because we didn't enjoy it, but because we just felt we would never be able to find another hedgehog that could even compare to our Pumpkin.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you truly enjoyed this article.

Kimberly Edwards :D

P.S. If you're interested in more information on the Hedgehog, check out this book:

Technorati Tags: hedgehog | African pygmy hedgehog | exotic animal | unusual pets

Whale Shark-ing Wow-ness!

Yes, that's me! This photo is about 12 yrs old now, but whenever I think of my experience diving with whale sharks...I am just awestruck!

These gentle beasts are the size of a bus, and are majestic giants in the ocean. They are the biggest fish in the oceans, and the biggest shark! They are actually sharks, not whales, but they call them whale sharks because they look more like whales, and such a gigantic size that people mistook them for whales.

I lived in Australia in 1994-1995, and enjoyed every single minute of it...I almost didn't come home...LOL

Before I traveled back to my native Canada, I had the amazing opportunity to backpack around that great country for 1 month. My family and friends put their input into what they thought I should go see, etc., but I already had my plan...

I lived in Perth, Western Australia, and instead of visiting the big tourist cities such as Sydney and Brisbane, I revealed my greatest desire...To go straight into the outback and see what Australia is all about. I traveled from Perth, WA to Alice Springs & Ayers Rock in Central Australia, then up to Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory, and I followed the coast all the way back down to Perth, stopping in fabulous little nooks and cities along the way!

On this trip, I had a stop in Exmouth, Western Australia, near the end of my wondrous journey...And, yes, I decided to go all out and go diving (well, snorkeling really) with whale sharks for 1 day. I contacted a diving company/outfitter that takes experts and newbies alike (such as myself) out on tours between March & May to spot whale sharks and swim with them.

It is a huge operation really. We went out on a great boat into the ocean (pretty far off shore...I mean, I couldn't see any land in sight), and they have planes and/or helicopters spotting whale sharks, and directing the boats. The boats go in that direction and are told where to let off the snorkelers. There were about 12 of us on-board. We were never guaranteed to actually see these rare creatures who grace us with their presence in very few parts of the globe. Much of their lives is not extensively researched and unknown.

Well, before we knew it, we had found ourself a whale shark. Wow, I thought! The guides tell us to jump off the left side of the boat (we have wet suits and fins, equipped with snorkels and masks). I was a little frightened as I had never snorkeled or dove before. I excitedly plunged in, and when the bubbles fizzled up and cleared, boom, there was an enormous whale shark, mouth open whilst feeding, about 2 meters in front of me, coming straight for me. I just happened to just right in front of it...

As I hurriedly and, I must admit, with a little bit of panic, I started kicking to back up and off to the side of the shark. It's mouth was bigger than me in both directions, and it was a huge, gaping hole. Well, I happened to slightly kick the shark with my fin as I tried to swim out of the way. I by no means hurt the animal; on the contrary, I think it just was curious as to what I was. So, now, I have the whale shark turning to follow me to figure out what exactly I am. Now, I am a little scared; okay, quite a bit...

All of the other snorkelers were thinking this show was fantastic and were taking underwater video and photos of the whole thing. I'm thinking, ok, someone help me!!! Well, the estimated 15 ton whale shark caught up, and turned it's eye, which is on the side of it's head, and had a good look at me. It was satisfied with that, turned the other way, and allowed us to swim and follow it for a good 30 more minutes before it sped up and dove into the depths away from us. The whale sharks typically swim around 3 mph...a pretty good clip if you ask me, when you are a newbie "marathon" swimmer.

Whale sharks don't eat a people (don't worry), although their name suggests something completely different. These sharks actually eat plankton, etc. When we were snorkeling with the whale sharks, it happened to be jellyfish mating season, and the water was decorated with pink confetti-like eggs (as you may see the pink flecks in my photos)...It really was a site to see! Wet suits were absolutely necessary, as a few of us even got stung on the tops of our feet that were exposed outside of the flippers...But, needless to say, the whale sharks love jellyfish season because there is literally tons to eat!

All in all, we had a great whale sharking day! We got to swim with 4 whale sharks, and this occupied us for most of the day.

While waiting in between whale shark sightings, we also got to swim with a school of huge tuna, and a group of rays...

We even had the chance to catch up with some dolphins, but they tried to evade us, and we just puttered around inside of the reef for a while, where I actually got stung in the face by a jellyfish. I didn't even see it coming. I was coming up for air, and there it was right at the top of the water. And there I was with a huge, fat lip...Very attractive. Yes, it hurt, but I went on like a trooper to continue my snorkeling.

What an absolute blast! This was probably thee most amazing thing I have ever had the privilege to do. I would do it again in a heart beat. Who knows, maybe I'll see the same whale shark I saw 12 yrs ago, since they live 100-150 yrs!

The whale sharks are a rare and wonderful beauty.

Whale Shark Classification:

Kingdom Animalia (animals) Phylum Chordata SubPhylum Vertebrata (vertebrates) Class Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish) Subclass Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) Order Orectolobiformes Family Rhincodontidae Genus Rhincodon Species typus References: (Col, Jeananda. Zoom Sharks. http://www.ZoomSharks.com 1996)

I hope you enjoyed my story and photos. Come back soon and explore!

Kimberly Edwards :D

P.S. For more great information on the Whale Shark, please check out this book. It is a thorough examination of the lives of whale sharks.

The Whale Shark (Hardcover (Trade Cloth)) The Whale Shark Untold numbers of fascinating creatures inhabit the worlds oceans. Creatures of the Sea examines the strange and wonderful world of these creatures, their characteristics and habits, and their unique qualities. Volumes cover topics ranging from dolphins and humpback whales to sea stars and moray eels. Whale sharks are the worlds biggest fish, reaching as much as sixty feet in length. Yet despite their size, they are gentle creatures that may be approached without fear. This book examines the anatomy, living habits, life cycle, and feeding methods of these gentle giants.

P.P.S.: I have since fallen in love with snorkeling, and will definitely have to get my diving endorsements! If you are interested in snorkeling, just do it! You'll have so much fun, but be safe out there! Just click on the picture below to find out more information about this "all inclusive" set. Have fun!

Technorati Tags: whale shark | snorkel | Western Australia | diving | shark | Ningaloo Reef

Exotic Zebrafish May Help Cure Some Cases Of Blindness

I'm not sure if you checked out Yahoo! today, but I am a Yahoo-a-holic...

British researchers have been studying how the zebrafish has a great supply of adult stem cells to regenerate their retinas.

Basically, with nearly every disease of the eye there is neuron damage. The retina is the part of the eye that sends messages to the brain, and damage to the retina is found to be the reason for most cases of sight loss. The researchers have successfully grown, and tested in rats, the adult stem cells, such as those found in the zebrafish, that develop into neurons in the retina.

The University College London's Institute of Ophthalmology believes that these adult stem cells from the zebrafish could be injected into the eye as a treatment for diseases such as macular degeneration, diabetes-related blindness, and glaucoma (Limb, Astrid 2007).

These researchers seem to be aiming for these experimental human treatments within the next 5 yrs.

Apparently, these types of cell were easily grown in the lab, and they hope to eventually have stem cell banks, and have cell lines available to the general public. As with blood transfusions, a person would have to be typed for a certain kind of cell line.

All in all, very interesting and progressive studies and treatments.

How amazing would it be to regain your sight? Or to discover sight after a lifetime of blindness? What a wonderful gift to mankind!

Zebrafish:
The zebra fish has 2 common names: Zebra Danio, and Zebra Fish

They are from the family: Cyprinidae

There are 2 types of the zebrafish, one of which is a freshwater variety, the other is a saltwater species in the genus Pterois of the family Scorpaenidae.

The freshwater type is a classic aquarium fish, and is originally from Asia (Eastern India from Calcutta to Masuilpatam).

According to About.com, females are larger, fuller bodied, and have more subdued colors with silvery-white back-ground. Males have red lines between the wider blue lines with a golden-yellow back-ground.

I hope you enjoyed this excerpt of the Exotic Animals Blog...Come back soon!

Kimberly Edwards :D

P.S.

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Technorati Tags: zebrafish, zebra danio, freshwater fish, blindness cure, aquarium fish

Exotic Animals: An Introduction To A Blog About The Wonderful Wild Animals Of The World

Exotic Animals: An Introduction To A Blog About The Wonderful Wild Animals Of The World.

Thank you for visiting our blog. My name is Kimberly Edwards. This blog will be a multimedia blog, and it will contain video, audio, text, pictures, and all kinds of things pertaining to exotic animals, their lives and our love for them.

We are going to have a regular turn of info. Check back often. We look forward to your posts, comments, and interaction.

Thank you for visiting our blog. Have a wonderful and blessed day.

Kimberly


Technorati Tags: Exotic Animals | Wildlife | Nature | Wild Animals | Conservation | Endangered Species | Unusual Pets | Biology | Science | Fauna | Environment