The Virtual Pub
Come Inside... => The Snug => Topic started by: Grumpmeister on April 17, 2008, 11:06:58 AM
-
Looks like Snoop could be in trouble if this trend does take off...
LONDON (Reuters) - Can man's best friend be replaced by a prickly pal the size of your palm?
Busy pet lovers have been buying hedgehogs, whose nocturnal habits make them appealing to the modern worker because they wake in the evening when their owners arrive home after a day in the office.
Although Britain has its own wild breed of hedgehogs, the latest pet craze focuses on African pygmy hedgehogs -- a cross between Algerian and white-bellied hedgehogs.
"They are unbelievably pretty little creatures&, the way they bumble along, the way they poke their noses into everything," hedgehog breeder Bonnie Martin told Reuters.
Initial costs for the animal and accompanying equipment can run to 300 pounds. But hedgehogs, who can survive on cat food, are cheaper to feed because they eat a third of the household cat's daily diet, Martin said.
"People will travel vast distances to get them in order to get them from reputable breeders...there's about eight to 10 serious breeders in the UK. It takes a lot of travelling in order to get a good hog," said Martin, who has sold two litters already and has a waiting list for the rest of the year.
But animal conservationists said the trend poses a serious threat to the declining population of Britain's native wild hedgehogs, which last year made the government's species protection list.
British Hedgehog Preservation Society trustee Kay Bullen said the expense of buying rare types of hedgehog could tempt people to lure a cuddly British cousin in from the garden.
"Why buy that when you can get one for nothing from the wild?" she told Reuters.
The impact from poaching on the wild hedgehog population could be greater in the next month if mothers are removed from their litters during the Spring breeding season, Bullen said.
"The babies will die without their mum," she said. "They're completely dependent for four weeks."
Bullen also said that the introduction of a foreign species could cause a secondary wildlife problem if pet owners who tire of their hedgehogs attempt to release them into the wild.
"People will probably think they can exist in our country, but I don't know if they can."
-
<Stalks off in a Huff that even Wenchy would envy>
-
I have to admit, with the hours I work normally I'd quite like one. whistle:
-
We had to fill in a questionnaire from school recently.One of the questions was "Do you have a pet python"? eeek:
-
They are probably working out worse case scenario with you and the school pets Nick.. whistle:
-
The unfortunate Welsh woman who has the current task of educating Minimus asked, at a recent parents evening, after our dog. She says that Minimus tells wonderful stories of his adventures with the animal when they have "News" in the class. She was very upset when we told her we do not have any pets and that the little sod, havng nothing he considered worthy of "News" was making it up as he went along. She was even more upset when we told her that his brother, who she had taught two years ago, had suggested this solution to the anguished question of "What can I say when it's my turn to do 'News'?" Minor had pulled the wool over her eyes for a year too. point:
-
Chips off the old block then hound? whistle:
-
Want one! cloud9:
(https://www.virtual-pub.com/SMF/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.postimage.org%2FaV2eUPfS.jpg&hash=d483066e2cdbf1f09a6d4bb4862301088113f24d) (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV2eUPfS)
-
Want one! cloud9:
(https://www.virtual-pub.com/SMF/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.postimage.org%2FaV2eUPfS.jpg&hash=d483066e2cdbf1f09a6d4bb4862301088113f24d) (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV2eUPfS)
Now I really want one, but I give it a couple of days before Wenchy announces that she's bought one of them after seeing the picture.
-
Be a bit traumatic for both parties if you trod on it in bare feet though. eeek:
-
So in other words Nick is banned from owning one. point:
-
http://www.winrosevet.com/Pet_Health/Hedgies.htm
Dont need much looking after either. I'll have two. cloud9:
-
Cypriot ones are cuter...
(https://www.virtual-pub.com/SMF/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi96.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fl194%2Fmarkfrank19%2Fhedgy.jpg&hash=c30d14dd5f1536cd1b6c80c435b906eb6c92d4e9)
whistle:
-
Cypriot ones are cuter...
(https://www.virtual-pub.com/SMF/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi96.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fl194%2Fmarkfrank19%2Fhedgy.jpg&hash=c30d14dd5f1536cd1b6c80c435b906eb6c92d4e9)
whistle:
Possibly, especially if you chopped its legs off.
-
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Off to research breeders! cloud9:
-
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Off to research breeders! cloud9:
I'll get BaldyMort to smuggle a couple over (down his trousers perhaps eeek:) on the wedding visit whistle:
-
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Off to research breeders! cloud9:
See I told you she'd want one, that's our wenchy. whistle:
-
I wonder what they taste like? In case you get bored with it like. rubschin:
-
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Off to research breeders! cloud9:
No need!
We have loads in the garden - I'll pop one in the post to you! whistle:
-
You may want to send a few of them, Wenchy may want to breed.
-
Oooh! Recipes!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/14/nmenu314.xml
chop hedgehog into small chunks eeek:
-
eeek:
TG NO!!!
So what should I call them? rubschin:
-
eeek:
TG NO!!!
So what should I call them? rubschin:
Tatty and Chocco...
-
eeek:
TG NO!!!
So what should I call them? rubschin:
You could call one Snoops.... whistle:
-
And you would have to call one Spike.
-
Now i want one too. Group purchase p'raps? ;)
I likes 'edge 'ogs. cloud9:
I get one creeping in here for a kip in my garage office sometimes. cloud9:
-
I have an urge to call one fluffy. redface:
-
The ice cream shop is partly run by some wumman who rescues dogs. She is advertising a MALE Border Collie at the moment..... whistle:
-
The ice cream shop is partly run by some wumman who rescues dogs. She is advertising a MALE Border Collie at the moment..... whistle:
Is it called Fluffy? rubschin:
-
Growler is after a MALE dog of this variety going cheap.
Dolt
-
Growler is after a MALE dog of this variety going cheap.
Dolt
Oh I see... whacky115
I thought birds went cheap? whistle:
-
Ho ho ho
-
Ho ho ho
happy001
-
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Off to research breeders! cloud9:
I'll get BaldyMort to smuggle a couple over (down his trousers perhaps eeek:) on the wedding visit whistle:
You could use them at the reception with little bits of cheese, pineapple and cocktail sausages sticking out of them. Might as well earn there keep
-
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Off to research breeders! cloud9:
I'll get BaldyMort to smuggle a couple over (down his trousers perhaps eeek:) on the wedding visit whistle:
You could use them at the reception with little bits of cheese, pineapple and cocktail sausages sticking out of them. Might as well earn there keep
I'm not sure the cheese 'n stuff would be very popular if they'd been down my trousers... noooo:
-
Would explain the state of the last load of bar snacks you made BM sick2:
-
Sorry, didn't you get the memo not to eat them?
-
Give me some credit Wenchy, I turned my nose up at them, the smell was bad enough.
It was the hound that polished them off, but then again dogs eat most things... whistle:
-
He eats anything and everything, in fact he probably ate the memo. ::)
-
evil: I am listening you know.
-
point:
-
evil: I am listening you know.
You are Captain Calamity and I claim by £5 point:
-
I would love to stay and parry with you but I have to go and cook!
-
I would love to stay and parry with you but I have to go and cook!
Just stay away from the microwave point:
-
Snoopy meets his match
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSLbRP72xR4&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSLbRP72xR4&feature=related)
whistle:
-
The way to deal with one of those is to cock your leg on it. It will then uncurl and that will enable you to roll it over and savage the b@st@rd thing.
-
Is that when its convulsing with laughter at the sight Snoop whistle: