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[HedgehogsX2]

I would like to introduce my baby boy, Igor.

He passed away on the 19th January 2022 and it killed me. He was my everything. I loved him dearly.

In December 2018, my female cousin came to our home with a hedgehog in a bin. She got it as a early Christmas gift. She admitted that she actually wanted a parrot but didn't get one due to how expensive they are.

I remember thinking how stupid it is to have a hedgehog as a pet. You can't even cuddle or pet it. "I'd stick to a dog, thanks." I said.

My cousin, though, took this as an invitation to pester me and forced the hedgehog onto me. It was a female salt and pepper called Lulu. To say I fell in love immediately would be a understatement. She was such a sweetheart with the kindest personality.

She climbed all over me and onto the couch. After that, I couldn't leave her alone. I took her out of her cage during the day and she slept onto of me or against me. I'd give her food and water and make sure her poop is cleaned.

She lived in a tiny bin with cat pebble litter and one blanket and a hide. She had cheap food and her water was dirty. So I took it upon myself to try and give her a better life. My female cousin though, wasn't happy with how much attention I was giving the hog.

She saw me bonding with her, and noticed that the hedgehog didn't like her as much as she liked me. She'd eat worms out of my hand, yet flinch and ball up when my female cousin came closer to feed her one.

My whole family noticed my attachment to Lulu and decided to get me my own hedgehog. My uncle's girlfriend, (now fiancé) said she knows a guy who opened a pet shop recently and had a litter of hedgehogs. She'll check if she can get me one.

I denied the request and told her I do not wish to buy from pet shops due to their lack of animal care and where they come from. She ignored this.

On December 16th, they arrived at our home with a box. Inside the box was an Albino hedgehog. I was ecstatic. I took him out and took photos of him and immediately set up his box with cat litter, cheap food and a blanket with a hide. He ate his food like a champ.

My cousin's immediate thought was, "Let's breed them." And I again, refused. I detest the breeding of animals without a legal permit and proper knowledge. She was upset. I didn't care.

A little while later, my aunt proposed we introduce Igor and Lulu with eachother to become friends. (BIG mistake). I, not knowing any better at that moment, agreed. Igor was ready to mate. He chased after Lulu making squeaking sounds and poor Lulu wanted nothing of it. She came to me and stood up against me leg as if to ask me to pick her up.

This turned out to be the worst thing I've ever done. The testosterone rush made Igor want to mate, and then being denied to mate, made him aggressive and grumpy. He then in turn, bit my cousin and learned that it gets people to leave him alone. Everyone got scared of him due to his biting.

After a while, I noticed that this hog of mine is nothing like Lulu. I wasn't really happy about that and wanted to trade my hedgehog for my cousin's. She mentioned she wanted an albino beforehand. She refused.

The day came that Lulu had to leave and I was left with Igor. He had a habit of biting and wasn't a friendly hedgehog. He didn't want to sleep ontop of me like Lulu did.

Though, I refused to give up and I continued to take him out of his cage daily and put him in my bed to sleep with me. He bit me every now and then, disliking the fact that I didn't give up.

It took about 5 months and hundreds of bleeding fingers before he finally learned that I am not going to leave him alone. He stopped biting me, instead, he'd open up his mouth and then close it slowly, to show me he means business.

He stopped huffing at me and he never balled up. He'd even start sleeping in my shirt when it was cold and he'd eat from my hand. He became my pillar. Everytime I got an anxiety attack or irrational emotional outbursts, I'd go lie with him and it'll all fade away.

He allowed me to kiss him on the head and ears and cheek. I was allowed to pet him and nuzzle him and hold him. At night he'd climb all over me and roam the bed. He picked up weight and he ate alot. I had to limit his food intake due to the fear of obesity.

And so I started weighing his food. Later I started watering his food down to make it soft. Then I started warming it up in the microwave cause he liked it warm. He had me wrapped around his quills lol.

He got live insects every night, ranging from Mealworms to Calci worms, Madagascar Hissers, Red Runners, Dubia Roaches and Lobster Roaches. Even Silk Worms on occasion. Once a month I'd give him wet cat food as a treat, and I'd even feed him from my plate some meat.

He loved his food but only meat. He was a total carnivore, didn't want anything to do with veggies or fruits.

Everything went well up until 2021 December. On his 3rd birthday. Two months prior, he started having loose stools and so I started saving up money to go to the vet. I changed his food in the meantime, cleaned his cage completely, gave him probiotics.

I few months prior to that, he started losing weight excessively. He weighed 520 Grams at his prime time, he passed away weighing less than 300 Grams. I tried everything to get his weight to pick up. I gave him extra food, extra insects, extra wet cat food.

When it finally came time to go to the vet, it seemed promising-ish. She told me that if it was a virus like salmonella, he would've been dead within 3 days, not 3 months. So it's probably just an imbalance of gut bacteria. She gave me antibiotics and deworming.

If the stool didn't fasten within 5 days, I were to call her again. It didn't get better.

She called me in and did a sonar scan on his tummy. She then discovered he had a shrunken liver. She gave me vitamins to try and kick start the restoration of the liver, but before anything could go better, I went back within two weeks.

She then felt a lump in his stomach and did another scan. It was his kidney. He had cancerous tumors on his left kidney.
Now, at that time, I had two choices.
Either I operate on him which would cost around R18 000, (1 176 USD, 1 025 EUR, 856 GBP) to remove the kidney. This was a very risky operation. They never did this before and if I want to get a specialist, it'll cost even more.

So either I remove the kidney with a 27% success, put him through post surgery pain and healing, just for his liver to take his life, or I take it day for day with him and give him the best life I possibly can.

I chose the latter. I took him home and cried on him. I started thinking, maybe I can somehow save him if I look after him really well. I gave him my best.

Unfortunately, on 19th January, 2 weeks after his cancer diagnosis, he started being super lethargic and refused to eat. I always said that the day he stops eating is the day he's ready to go. He couldn't move without stopping and panting heavily, trying to breath.

We took him to the vet and she said that the cancer progressed drastically. His kidney was the size of an eraser. He was struggling to take in air and was ultimately suffering. It was time to let him go.

I hugged him tightly and told him that I am sorry. That I am sorry I couldn't give him a longer, happier life. That I couldn't SAVE him. After his euthanasia, I held his body and told him again how sorry I am and how much I love him. I love him so so much.

We sent him to get cremated and he got a special, pretty box for his ashes. Gosh he was my everything.

In the car back home I cried so hard, I cried and screamed and yelled and sobbed and whimpered and pleaded and begged. I wanted to turn back and go get him. I wanted to bring him home, bring him back. I wanted him back.

I went through so many emotions. So many awful, irrational, desperate emotions. I realized that I really really don't like griefing. Who does?

A month later, after I've healed enough to be able to say his name without crying, I went and got a tattoo of his paw print and name on my wrist. His cremation box still stands on my table. I even put some of his teeth I had kept in there aswell. I'm still deciding on what to do with it.

I still sleep with his blanket. The one he last slept in when he passed. I still dream of him and I still miss him so so much. I still think of him everytime I see cat treats or meat or wet cat food.

Sorry for such a long post. I bet no one would even read this to the end, but either way, thank you for reading and listening. I'm very thankful to have shared my Big Boy's story.

[Kikya]

I would like to introduce my baby boy, Igor.

He passed away on the 19th January 2022 and it killed me. He was my everything. I loved him dearly.

In December 2018, my female cousin came to our home with a hedgehog in a bin. She got it as a early Christmas gift. She admitted that she actually wanted a parrot but didn't get one due to how expensive they are.

I remember thinking how stupid it is to have a hedgehog as a pet. You can't even cuddle or pet it. "I'd stick to a dog, thanks." I said.

My cousin, though, took this as an invitation to pester me and forced the hedgehog onto me. It was a female salt and pepper called Lulu. To say I fell in love immediately would be a understatement. She was such a sweetheart with the kindest personality.

She climbed all over me and onto the couch. After that, I couldn't leave her alone. I took her out of her cage during the day and she slept onto of me or against me. I'd give her food and water and make sure her poop is cleaned.

She lived in a tiny bin with cat pebble litter and one blanket and a hide. She had cheap food and her water was dirty. So I took it upon myself to try and give her a better life. My female cousin though, wasn't happy with how much attention I was giving the hog.

She saw me bonding with her, and noticed that the hedgehog didn't like her as much as she liked me. She'd eat worms out of my hand, yet flinch and ball up when my female cousin came closer to feed her one.

My whole family noticed my attachment to Lulu and decided to get me my own hedgehog. My uncle's girlfriend, (now fiancé) said she knows a guy who opened a pet shop recently and had a litter of hedgehogs. She'll check if she can get me one.

I denied the request and told her I do not wish to buy from pet shops due to their lack of animal care and where they come from. She ignored this.

On December 16th, they arrived at our home with a box. Inside the box was an Albino hedgehog. I was ecstatic. I took him out and took photos of him and immediately set up his box with cat litter, cheap food and a blanket with a hide. He ate his food like a champ.

My cousin's immediate thought was, "Let's breed them." And I again, refused. I detest the breeding of animals without a legal permit and proper knowledge. She was upset. I didn't care.

A little while later, my aunt proposed we introduce Igor and Lulu with eachother to become friends. (BIG mistake). I, not knowing any better at that moment, agreed. Igor was ready to mate. He chased after Lulu making squeaking sounds and poor Lulu wanted nothing of it. She came to me and stood up against me leg as if to ask me to pick her up.

This turned out to be the worst thing I've ever done. The testosterone rush made Igor want to mate, and then being denied to mate, made him aggressive and grumpy. He then in turn, bit my cousin and learned that it gets people to leave him alone. Everyone got scared of him due to his biting.

After a while, I noticed that this hog of mine is nothing like Lulu. I wasn't really happy about that and wanted to trade my hedgehog for my cousin's. She mentioned she wanted an albino beforehand. She refused.

The day came that Lulu had to leave and I was left with Igor. He had a habit of biting and wasn't a friendly hedgehog. He didn't want to sleep ontop of me like Lulu did.

Though, I refused to give up and I continued to take him out of his cage daily and put him in my bed to sleep with me. He bit me every now and then, disliking the fact that I didn't give up.

It took about 5 months and hundreds of bleeding fingers before he finally learned that I am not going to leave him alone. He stopped biting me, instead, he'd open up his mouth and then close it slowly, to show me he means business.

He stopped huffing at me and he never balled up. He'd even start sleeping in my shirt when it was cold and he'd eat from my hand. He became my pillar. Everytime I got an anxiety attack or irrational emotional outbursts, I'd go lie with him and it'll all fade away.

He allowed me to kiss him on the head and ears and cheek. I was allowed to pet him and nuzzle him and hold him. At night he'd climb all over me and roam the bed. He picked up weight and he ate alot. I had to limit his food intake due to the fear of obesity.

And so I started weighing his food. Later I started watering his food down to make it soft. Then I started warming it up in the microwave cause he liked it warm. He had me wrapped around his quills lol.

He got live insects every night, ranging from Mealworms to Calci worms, Madagascar Hissers, Red Runners, Dubia Roaches and Lobster Roaches. Even Silk Worms on occasion. Once a month I'd give him wet cat food as a treat, and I'd even feed him from my plate some meat.

He loved his food but only meat. He was a total carnivore, didn't want anything to do with veggies or fruits.

Everything went well up until 2021 December. On his 3rd birthday. Two months prior, he started having loose stools and so I started saving up money to go to the vet. I changed his food in the meantime, cleaned his cage completely, gave him probiotics.

I few months prior to that, he started losing weight excessively. He weighed 520 Grams at his prime time, he passed away weighing less than 300 Grams. I tried everything to get his weight to pick up. I gave him extra food, extra insects, extra wet cat food.

When it finally came time to go to the vet, it seemed promising-ish. She told me that if it was a virus like salmonella, he would've been dead within 3 days, not 3 months. So it's probably just an imbalance of gut bacteria. She gave me antibiotics and deworming.

If the stool didn't fasten within 5 days, I were to call her again. It didn't get better.

She called me in and did a sonar scan on his tummy. She then discovered he had a shrunken liver. She gave me vitamins to try and kick start the restoration of the liver, but before anything could go better, I went back within two weeks.

She then felt a lump in his stomach and did another scan. It was his kidney. He had cancerous tumors on his left kidney.
Now, at that time, I had two choices.
Either I operate on him which would cost around R18 000, (1 176 USD, 1 025 EUR, 856 GBP) to remove the kidney. This was a very risky operation. They never did this before and if I want to get a specialist, it'll cost even more.

So either I remove the kidney with a 27% success, put him through post surgery pain and healing, just for his liver to take his life, or I take it day for day with him and give him the best life I possibly can.

I chose the latter. I took him home and cried on him. I started thinking, maybe I can somehow save him if I look after him really well. I gave him my best.

Unfortunately, on 19th January, 2 weeks after his cancer diagnosis, he started being super lethargic and refused to eat. I always said that the day he stops eating is the day he's ready to go. He couldn't move without stopping and panting heavily, trying to breath.

We took him to the vet and she said that the cancer progressed drastically. His kidney was the size of an eraser. He was struggling to take in air and was ultimately suffering. It was time to let him go.

I hugged him tightly and told him that I am sorry. That I am sorry I couldn't give him a longer, happier life. That I couldn't SAVE him. After his euthanasia, I held his body and told him again how sorry I am and how much I love him. I love him so so much.

We sent him to get cremated and he got a special, pretty box for his ashes. Gosh he was my everything.

In the car back home I cried so hard, I cried and screamed and yelled and sobbed and whimpered and pleaded and begged. I wanted to turn back and go get him. I wanted to bring him home, bring him back. I wanted him back.

I went through so many emotions. So many awful, irrational, desperate emotions. I realized that I really really don't like griefing. Who does?

A month later, after I've healed enough to be able to say his name without crying, I went and got a tattoo of his paw print and name on my wrist. His cremation box still stands on my table. I even put some of his teeth I had kept in there aswell. I'm still deciding on what to do with it.

I still sleep with his blanket. The one he last slept in when he passed. I still dream of him and I still miss him so so much. I still think of him everytime I see cat treats or meat or wet cat food.

Sorry for such a long post. I bet no one would even read this to the end, but either way, thank you for reading and listening. I'm very thankful to have shared my Big Boy's story.

It sounds like an emotional roller coaster but you both had a good time together. I'm glad you learned to love him and he you. HUGS!!!

 

God bless, this little hedgehog <33