So, the most adorable critters on Planet Earth are the hedgehogs, or hedgehog (singular), one of seventeen species prevalent throughout the developed and developing world, across five genera. Though not native to North America, many Americans enjoy their spiny friends, who can form lifelong (about six years) companions for any lost soul. Hedgehogs were known in antiquity, such as in Ancient Egypt, in Africa, where the more adorable African Pygmy Hedgehog is native, the most favorable species in terms of domestic ownership.
Competitive by nature, hedgehogs are not tolerant of their own sex, though females are capable of getting along. They are known to be pathogenic due to the higher levels of biologically-available bacteria in their mouths, and so large cities, such as New York City, have outlawed them, so as to prevent the spread of infection. Hedgehogs are a gentle creature, and they are known to have saliva on their backs, though why this is the case is still unknown.
Hedgehog spines are a natural defense, and they are known predators to snakes in the wild. Why nature made these adorable snake-killing machines in beyond mortal comprehension, but a hedgehog can easily kill a snake in mortal combat should it want to. What's more, they also play the piano.
The hedgehog was mentioned several times in the Christian Bible, which I occasionally reference. Without being too heavy-handed and disrespectful to my fellow forumers, I'd like to share my favorite, since its poignancy and relevance affects me even now:
"But pelican and hedgehog will possess it, And owl and raven will dwell in it; And He will stretch over it the line of desolation And the plumb line of emptiness." Isaiah 34:11
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Topic: The Hedgehog Appreciation Thread (Read 2404 times)