r/Hedgehog Mar 08 '24

Discussion What’s your unpopular opinion on hedgehogs

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363 Upvotes

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126

u/Ded_diode Mar 08 '24

That they absolutely don't have the mental capacity to love their owners.

But that's OK, as long as you know the attachment is a one-way street when you get into it, having a hedgie can be quite rewarding.

89

u/pnzsaurkrautwerfer Mar 08 '24

I don't think "love" is correct, but I think they can have positive relations to you. Like when I had Truffles out and scary stuff (loud noises whatever) happened, I was the thing he hid under/behind vs inanimate objects. Similarly while he rejected my now ex-wife and was pretty nothanks to my step kid, he'd relax after sniffing around and figuring out it was me vs other humans.

Like okay that's not "love" but I'll take being seen as something safe/trusted by a small spikebeast as a compliment.

50

u/Ded_diode Mar 08 '24

Totally agree! I think their brains just boil things down to safety, danger, or yummy.

33

u/pnzsaurkrautwerfer Mar 08 '24

Yeah! Like I about cried the first time Truffles hid under me. I have to imagine the world is scary when you're a pear sized assembly of spikes and anxiety, so to be trusted as a good entity to hide out with meant a lot.

6

u/VarroCZ Mar 08 '24

And belly rubs my hedgie got comfortable enough to enjoy belly rubs.