
The History of the Hedgehog - pepys
https://web.archive.org/web/20151226024230/https://thebrowser.com/articles/the-history-of-the-hedgehog/
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dang
Url changed from [https://thebrowser.com/articles/the-history-of-the-
hedgehog/](https://thebrowser.com/articles/the-history-of-the-hedgehog/),
which is dead.

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pvg
Unedited source, with a date:
[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/c...](http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm151110/debtext/151110-0004.htm#15111048000002)

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adam-a
And the video, for those who are interested.
[http://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/2fed57d5-68f3-4867-bdfa...](http://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/2fed57d5-68f3-4867-bdfa-44f68ab93ee5?in=19:27:28)

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ZenoArrow
> "This strange animal was known, of course, in Scotland, Wales and Ireland
> originally in Gaelic as that demonic creature, that horrid creature, and is
> the hedgehog celebrated by Shakespeare:

“Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen… Come not near our faerie queen”,"

It surprises me that they were ever seen that way. They weren't natural
predators for any human livestock, and speaking purely unscientifically I'd
say they're pretty cute...

[https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=hedgehog&source=lnms&tbm=i...](https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=hedgehog&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjByb-
lpu3JAhXG1BoKHaqyBX0Q_AUIBygB&biw=581&bih=351)

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art0rz
IIRC* the hedgehogs from your search results are African hedgehogs and are
commonly kept as pets (because they are just so adorable, I agree). The
European hedgehog is larger, can be quite vicious and AFAIK often carry
rabies.

* my ex-girlfriend had one of these as a pet

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pvaldes
The rabies mention is notable.

Hedgehogs rarely bite unless you treat them really bad. They can deliver a
strong bite but only as last resource. I never has been bitten. They will
"bite you" with the spines and as they clean and cover the spines with their
salive (nobody knows really why) this could lead theoretically to a rabies
case. I think that is a very low risk because rabies is almost erradicated in
many countries of Europe. It should be noted in any case that rabies has
returned recently to Greece by the big scam (Macedonia, 2012). The first cases
since 1987. Starting with a few and with about 50 cases registered of rabid
animals between 2012 and 2014 at least.

Most hedgehogs in two or three minutes will relax, specially if petted. They
seem to enjoy it. I have manipulated a few and is a very gentle insectivore.
Shrews in the other case will readily try to bite a finger if trapped with the
bare hands.

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pvaldes
s/salive/saliva/

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robmil
Rory Stewart, the speaker here, is a slightly unconventional politician,
having in 2002 walked across Afghanistan:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rory_Stewart](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rory_Stewart)

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hias
No Sonic? :-(

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anon4
I too sort of expected an artice on the video game mascot, but this is pretty
interesting too.

