I Loved Him First

As some of you may know over the summer I had a dream come true and I got a little baby hedgehog of my own. I saved up my waitressing money this summer and in June I found a hedgehog breeder that had very good reviews and were reasonably priced. I contacted the breeder from Renn's Hedgehog Heaven via Facebook and she quickly got back to me saying that I can pick any one of the hedggies on the Facebook page. After a few hours of going back and fourth I picked out a little light colored male named Vance. After giving the breeder a 50$ down payment she sent me new pictures of Vance and the date I would be able to pick him up.  A few short weeks, I was able to pick up Vance. He was so teeny tiny and sweet, it didn't take long for him to stop hissing in my hands and he rode well in the car. I had changed his name form Vance to Hamlet. He came in a little tupperware box with holes drilled on the top, but instead I held him in my lap as I drove home from Omaha. When I took him home I had his little habitat ready for him. The habitat had a little hut I painted for him to hide in and a snuggle pouch as well. I even got him a little wheel and dig box that he loved to play in. Almost every morning I would have to put his rocks back in his dig box because he love to push them out. I had a little fleece cut out so I could hold him without worrying about his little quills poking me. It was great, until I moved back to college. Ang and I moved back to Cedar Falls and into the dorm Campbell this time. We had a cute little set up with Hamlet in the middle section of shelves about our tv. We had a cute little curtain covering him up as pets were illegal in the dorms, but Hamlet was too cute not to sneak in. Life was great, we had friends coming in to visit Hamlet and he was getting used to being held by strangers. Unfortunately the good life didn't last long.

It wasn't even two weeks into school and the allergies started. I woke up in the middle of the night sneezing more than 6 times in a row. Ang woke up to ask me if I was okay. I ended up having to take my inhaler and medicine until I could fall back asleep 2 hours later. I was hoping it was just seasonal allergies and not from my little hedggie, but I was proven wrong when the next three nights went the same way. I even tried taking allergy medicine before I went to bed, but alas, it did not help. After along discussion with my mom and talking to other friends for advice I decided to have Ang take Hamlet home as she was headed there that weekend anyway. After a few days of talking about it Mom and I decided to sell Hamlet to one of Mom's friend's daughter. She was more than thrilled to finally get a hedgehog as I did and she decided to keep his name Hamlet, which I am very thankful for. I know it was not something I can control, but it breaks my heart having to give my baby up. All the time and love I put into getting his home ready and making sure he was happy. I am just thankful he is happy with his new owner and I know that she will love him as I did.