Harry and Juliet not quite the same ring.

Just as well Krissie Cope decided to rename her little rescue guy Romeo. She’d had a few struggles herself and admits he rescued her as much as she rescued him. Although I’m pretty sure William Shakespeare didn’t originally have Romeo puffing up into a big huffy ball of quills when he first meets Juliet in Capulet’s house, Act 1 Scene 5. Maybe that bit was a DVD extra or something.

But one can understand why Romeo wasn’t exactly sociable at first. Far too many people rush into buying a pygmy hedgehog without even the slightest idea of their needs. Romeo was a prime example of this. Before he came to the rescue he was kept without a heat source or an exercise wheel, pretty much the two most important things after food and water. And his demeanour indicated a serious lack of handling time. All these signs are indicative of a now-bored owner who rushed into buying without research.

“Go wisely and slowly. Those who rush stumble and fall...” – Shakespeare

Luckily, Krissie picked up the baton very well indeed, and Romeo started letting his guard down. A regime of nightly snuggle time soon saw him become her “little spiky lap dog”. He’s a very spoiled boy now – he’s got the wheel, the warm home, and a cosy human who isn’t shy about distributing the treats!

PigAdvisor New Home Review:

Well, I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure about this one at first. She was just too nice. Warm house, wheel, treats One could have though she was trying to bribe her way into my affections – as if I’d let that happen! But that was before she broke out the pachnoda grubs. Every hedgehog has his price, I guess.

Turns out all she’s after is a bit of a cuddle. This works for me – after a tough evening wheeling and with such a full belly I’m not really good for much else! Plus, she’s got my affections well and truly bought by now anyway

Or, as some other human said:

“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the stomach; and therefore is winged Cupid painted as a mealworm”

Or something.