the post with the hedgehog.

After I graduated from college and started my first full-time job, I was so lonely. I was living in my college town, but it wasn't the same. Most of my friends graduated with me and left to either go home or start grad school or their career elsewhere. I was living on my own for the first time, which had its advantages and disadvantages. Initially, I wanted a dog, but the pet deposit was $550. Ain't nobody got time for that. So I did some research to find a smaller pet that I wouldn't have to pay a deposit for.

Naturally, I decided to go with a hedgehog (not really naturally, but oh well). I had never known anyone that owned a hedgehog, and I've had so many other pets (several dogs, fish, turtles, hermit crabs, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, etc.) that I wanted to go with something I had never owned before. I drove about five hours with my boyfriend at the time to go get him. When my boyfriend held him, he pooped on his shoe. I knew it was meant to be.

On the drive home

 I didn't play with him at first. I was scared to touch him, to be honest. Those quills were very intimidating, and he kept hissing at me. Yes, HISSING! But over the past few months, we've fallen in love. More so me, than him. He still hisses at me sometimes.

Our first picture together. Once we got home, he wouldn't sit still.

I had a long list of potential names, and I finally narrowed it down to either Watson (Sherlock Holmes inspired) or Flitwick (Harry Potter inspired), and I went with Flitwick. He looks like a Flitwick, don'tcha think?

The hedgehog who lived

-- tiffanykhyla.