Hello everyone, (Bob, I hope you'll let this through-- I would never have met a hedgehog if it weren't for my work with ferrets) [You mean Bill? BIG] About a year ago a friend of mine that does ferret rescue south of me was out of the state and I was covering her humane societies for her. I got a call for a ferret and was asked if I could pick up a gerbil as well as a favor, since so many of our rescues go up to Reno, and gerbils are legal there. I said fine and my friend and I later drove the ferret and gerbil to the Northern Nevada Ferret (and now gerbil) Rescue. Well, we've opened a pandora's box it seems and now have another gerbil and a very strange little pin-cusion named Spike. I got a call from my humane society that they had a hedgehog and DFG actually suggested that maybe I could help. Well, I thought it would be easier than it is turning out to be to find a home for the little hedgehog. I was going to fly him to Mary Van Dahm in Chicago but there's a weather hold and Delta Dash was going to charge (gulp) $153.00! We're used to paying about $68.00-$73.00 to fly a ferret so this is pretty steep. What I'm hoping is that there's someone on the FML that lives in the Reno area that will help with the gerbil or either has hedgehogs, or knows someone who does and wouldn't mind taking in a little rescue from CA. Our rescue folks in Nevada probably won't have a problem with the gerbil but the special needs of the hedgehog should be met by someone with experience-- believe me, they're different! We'll probably wait until we have one or more ferrets that need to go out before we make the drive (hopefully that will happen before ski season is over). Please call me ASAP if you are in the Reno/Carson City/Sparks area and can help me find a loving home for Spike. Hedgehogs need special care and are not a domesticated species. I want to find an experienced owner who can meet his needs and will love him. He's 6-8 months of age according to his past owners. I'm really disappointed that there's apparently not a hedgehog rescue system in place, only a fancier's club. All animals need a safety net of the sort that ferrets, dogs and cats have and these truly exotic (wild, non-native species), with their very special needs, are extremely vulnerable. Please give me a call if you an help. Jeanne Carley Californians For Ferret Legalization (ferret and now apparently gerbil and hedgehog rescue) 415 851-3750 [Posted in FML issue 1832]