Meet Hedgie, Genoa library's newest member

GEONA – Hedgehogs like foraging in dense brush, snuggling under soft bedding and hanging out in quiet libraries — at least Hedgie the hedgehog does. He is the newest member of the Genoa Branch of the Harris-Elmore Public Library.

Hedgie arrived at the library on May 8 after a long drive from Pennsylvania. His owner, a recent college graduate, could not care for him anymore. The owner's father is a book salesman that came to the library on business and offered the hedgehog to Genoa Branch Manager Mimi Fintel.

"A week or two later, he and his daughter drove him over from Pittsburgh," Fintel said.

Fintel thinks the salesman may have offered the hedgehog to the library because he knows she is an animal lover. At home, she has a dog, a cat and two parakeets. She previously owned chickens and plans to have more next spring, and she keeps two fish at the library.

"The fish were always popular, but they've taken a back seat to the hedgehog," Fintel said.

Hedgehogs — which are native to Europe, Asia and Africa — are fascinating and unique critters. The animal got its name because it makes pig-like grunts while rooting through hedges in the wild. Their stiff spines are actually hollow hairs, and they have a unique defense mechanism of rolling into a ball when threatened.

They have a limited immunity to snake venom that protects them from bites — unless the bite releases a large amount of venom, and they even had an influence on a McDonald's dessert container design. About nine years ago, McDonald's U.K. redesigned the McFlurry cup to protect hedgehogs, which happened to really like the dessert. Previously, many hedgehogs died after sticking their heads in the lids of discarded cups and becoming stuck.

But Hedgie does not have such worries. He is safe and sound — albeit still a little nervous — at the Genoa library. It takes time for a hedgehog to get used to a new home.

"He's still timid, but he does seem like he's starting to be a little more interested in the kids," Fintel said. "Today, the Toledo Zoo was here, and kids started hanging around his cage. He's looking at the kids more."

Hedgehogs are nocturnal, so Hedgie spends a lot of time sleeping during the day.

"We think he uses his wheel at night. When we get here in the morning, it's dirty," Fintel said.

Erin Bach of Genoa said she and her three children, ages 10 to 15, stop by Hedgie's cage whenever they come to the library.

"I think he's an adorable addition to the library. Every time my kids and I come in here, we check him out and see what he's doing and talk about him," Bach said. "It's neat they have a mascot now."