Well, That Was Unexpected

[AlbertaGirl]

As many of you probably know, my sweet old gal Ronnie passed away last Friday. I'm still processing that, and haven't even cleaned her cage out yet. I knew that at some point, someone would email me and tell me about another hedgehog in the Calgary area that needed adopting... what I didn't know was that it would happen just yesterday!

Nancy sent me a PM on Monday about a man whose daughter had brought home a hedgehog without permission and was not caring for it properly. I have talked to him a couple of times, and learned a whole lot of nothing, basically. They don't know the gender or the age, and I have no idea what it's eating or what it's habitat is like. To his credit, the man is very concerned with finding this hedgehog a good home and isn't interested in dumping it on just anyone.

And you all know where this is going, don't you?

The hedgehog's new home will be with me. I am picking the little one up tomorrow evening. Part of me feels that I'm being disloyal to Ronnie by getting another hedgehog so quickly, but another part feels like she would want me to help a hedgehog in need. It's not like I went looking for a new hog... this one, like all my animals, found me. The timing isn't great but that's just the way it is sometimes.

And of course, my darling Phoebe has somehow sensed a disturbance in the force and quit eating again. Back to syringe feeding, yay! :hair:

 

[Courtney]

Aww...I bet Ronnie knew exactly what she was doing. I bet she made sure the little guy ended up with you. Nothing like a little intervention from the dearly departed, eh?

PHOEBE! Be a good girl for once, LOL.

 

[shetland]

Sandi, I told you once that you don't find these little hedgies-they find YOU! It is an honor to Miss Ronnie that you will again share your care and love with another in need little hedgie. And as Courtney said, I'm sure little Miss Ronnie actually had a divine hand in all of this!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chinniechantel]

That is an awesome story and I think it did happen for a reason. Congrats!

 

[Nancy]

I can't wait to hear about the new one. I know Ronnie will be pleased that you are taking in another one in need. It is difficult at times not to feel rather weird about a new one arriving so quickly. The majority of my rescues have arrived within days of one passing, or one has passed within a week of an arrival.

I'm excited for you.

 

[charlie]

I think it is all meant to be, Ronnie would be pleased. Please be sure to give us pictures as soon as possible. And Phoebe, my goodness, you are such an attention seeker. Oh well what can we do but love 'em.

 

[3CsMommy]

Ronnie wouldn't want you to be lonely would she? Sending some distant cousin by marriage that needs a good plan from the Great Beyond to me.

 

[AlbertaGirl]

I went and picked up the little one tonight. He is a male, and according to the man is about a year old. Apparently what happened was the daughter brought him home and promptly lost interest in him. She wasn't cleaning his cage so it started to smell up her room, so she put him down in the living room. Dad didn't care for that and put him back in her room. Then Dad didn't see him for a few days and figured she'd gotten rid of him. Then Dad found him... OUTSIDE!!! With no food or water!!! :realmad: He had been out in the rain for three days. Overnight temperatures here have been within a few degrees of freezing. This little guy is lucky he didn't die. Dad was really upset by that and contacted Nancy and the rest is history. I scooped him up and brought him home. He had very weird looking diarrhea on the way home - it was basically just mucus and undigested cat food. They were feeding him some kind of multicoloured crap - I didn't even ask what it was - so I cold switched him to Wellness. They had him on shredded paper, and it clearly hadn't been changed or cleaned in quite some time. He had no wheel and nowhere to hide. :impatient:

Even with all that, he's in pretty good shape. His fur is clean and his eyes are bright. His ears are a little tattered, but not too bad. His nails don't look too bad either. Just now I went in to the bedroom to give him his dinner and he was busy wheeling. He is completely unsocialized, but seems to have a very curious personality. I'm hoping he'll come around quickly. He has a very dark mask and dark coloured legs. His belly fur is snow white. He is really, really cute!

I took a short video of him that I'm uploading to Youtube. Once it's done I'll post the link. I haven't come up with a name for him yet. The name "Alexander" popped into my head, but I'll have to wait and see if it fits.

 

[Courtney]

Poor little man. I bet he's counting his lucky stars that he found you.

I think Alexander is a great name.

 

[AlbertaGirl]

All right, here is the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrXSdjidPLU

It took Youtube almost an hour to upload and process a 35 second video! :hair:

 

[Melissa]

He is a beautiful little boy! Im sure Ronnie is so happy that you took this little guy in!


ETA: I think I like Alexander.. I read it and thought "Alexander the Great"

 

[Nancy]

OMG, the poor little guy. I'm amazed he survived outside in those temperatures. He is a gorgeous little guy.

I think Alexander is a wonderful name and my mind went immediately to Alexander the great.

Congratulations Alexander or whoever you may end up being. You have arrived in a wonderful home and will be spoiled rotten.

 

[shetland]

He is just gorgeous! And you can see it in the video. He is going to take over!!!!!!!!!!! What a lucky little boy he is!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[AlbertaGirl]

He had a great first night. He wheeled like crazy all night, trashed his cage, ate all his food and drank some water. He's got his fleecy hat jammed under his wheel and he's under there too! :laughitup:

 

[Courtney]

HAHA, well apparently, he doesn't care much for YOUR idea of interior decorating.

 

[charlie]

He is beautiful and you know you have my vote for Alexander (I love brave historic names for our brave little hedgies, especially if it is a nice sophisticated name like Alexander).

 

[AlbertaGirl]

Well, I think Alexander is going to stick. He seems to like it... I used it while I was talking to him and he stopped huffing and popping for half a second to look at me. He's a funny little monkey.