The weather was pretty crazy at the end of September this year. We had a couple of floods, and on one of those heavy rainy occasions, a small, very young hedgehog ended up trapped in the pool formed inside the drainage utility hole in front of my house. I don't know how long the hedgehog was swimming in circles, trying to stay afloat, probably for hours, but he was exhausted, at the end of his strength, when I pulled him out of the water. I was worried about his survival, but after a few hours of resting tucked inside the towel at home, he was in good shape and ready to eat something.
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In this opening shot, you can see him on a small coffee dish; you know, one of those dishes that go under a mug filled with tea or coffee, among the hedgehog food bought in the pet shop in the nearby city of Pula. The photograph was taken a few weeks later. At that point, I already named him Piko.
The following video was recorded during the same period. Have a good viewing.
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In this set of four photographs from the first days of October, Piko is exploring the garden.
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When the weather was favorable, we would spend an hour or two out of the house.
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It felt a lot like taking a dog for a walk, without a leash.
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In many aspects, Piko resembles a prickly litlle dog, a cactus terrier of sorts.
In the following video, Piko is exploring the area under the fig trees. Have a good viewing.
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When it comes to the name of the species, Piko is a Southern white-breasted hedgehog (Erinaceus concolor).
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This shot was taken with the mobile phone inside the house. Piko is sniffing one of the many fisherman figurines from the display cabinet in the living room.
In the following video, you can see Piko playing with another of those figurines. Have a good viewing.
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In this outdoor shot, Piko is considerably bigger. The photograph was taken on the last day of October 2025.
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While exploring the yard and garden, Piko has the opportunity to catch insects and other delicious small arthropods that are a big part of a hedgehog's natural diet.
On one occasion, when he was very small, in the first days of our friendship, he caught a big centipede almost his own size, but I didn't have the camera at hand, so now, I can't show you that event; you'll have to believe my word in this case.
The following video was recorded inside the house. It's a short, funny kitchen scene. Have a good viewing.
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Just like the previous video, this set of eight photographs shows Piko running around my feet in the kitchen.
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This shot was also taken in the kitchen. The cat called Farabuto is watching the hedgehog running back and forth along the straight imaginary line near the drawers, cupboards, and other kitchen elements.
As all of you who aren't new to my blog surely know, I have quite a few cats. The following video shows Piko's close encounters with three of those cats. Farabuto is one of them. Have a good viewing.
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The cat posing with Piko in this outdoor shot is Sivka. The following two photographs ...
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... show the same scene from a different angle.
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In mid-October, when the photographs were taken, Piko and Sivka weren't too friendly. They respectfully ignored each other for the most part.
That will change relatively soon.
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I took this indoor shot about a week or so later. At this point, Piko was completely confident around Sivka, but Sivka was a bit scared when that grumpy, prickly litlle thing was too near.
The following video shows Piko eating Sivka's dinner, and then, after my intervention, the two eat together, but at a safe distance from each other. Have a good viewing.
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Three weeks later ...
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... I caught this situation on camera.
In the following video, Piko and Sivka behave like good old friends. Have a good viewing.
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I took this photograph a few days ago. As you can see, Piko is a pretty big, robust hedgehog now.
In the following video, Piko, Sivka, and I are chillin' in the evening, after dinner. Have a good viewing.
In this shot, a much smaller, younger Piko is sniffing the humid autumn air near the garden wall.
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In this set of four photographs, you can see me playing with Piko in the kitchen.
The following video shows more or less the same thing. Have a good viewing.
In these two shots, Piko, I, and the cat called Palchich are posing together in the kitchen.
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The litlle dish with Pico's main food and a litlle cup with the water are in my room, near the door and the table that holds the computer I use to write this post.
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This very wide shot shows a good chunk of the room. The cat called Bembo is sleeping on my bed while the hedgehog is enjoying the dry food near the entrance.
That food is made of some sawdust-like thing, some dry chunks that look exactly like cat food, and two types of dry insect larvae.
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When Piko was very young and small, he often used to eat while standing on the food, right in the midlle of the dish.
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These four photographs show him drinking. He's holding the litlle cup with one of the fore legs while the hind legs are in the dish.
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Hedgehogs are predominantly nocturnal animals, so there is always a lot of activity all around the house after midnight. I often hear weird rumors while half asleep. Those sounds are entering my dreams and triggering strange situations in my unconscious.
The following video shows a glimpse of that nocturnal atmosphere. Have a good viewing.
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These two shots show an ordinary after-hours atmosphere in my room. The cat on the chair is Cmrk. Cmrk isn't my cat. He lives somewhere in the neiberhood and visits my house only occasionally. Piko is having a night snack on the floor.
In the following video, Piko is energetically playing with the trash bag in the kitchen. That big, black plastic bag holds a wide variaty of plastic bottles. Have a good viewing.
AND THAT'S IT. THE POST ENDS HERE. AS ALWAYS ON HIVE, THE PHOTOGRAPHS, THE VIDEOS, AND THE OVERALL VISUAL DESIGN IS MY WORK. THE MUSIC I USED IN THE VIDEOS IS SOME FREE-TO-USE STUFF I FOUND ON PIXABAY.
Such a nice story! ❤️ Will you keep Piko or release him somewhere suitable?
I'm not sure yet. We'll see in the springtime. I mean, I'll probably keep him if he doesn't show some crazy craving for a different, totally wild life. Since I found him, the doors of the house were often open for hours when the weather was pretty warm in October, but he is still here.
I think he likes the company of cats and the food 😄, so maybe he'll decide whether to stay or go 🦔...
😍
Good heavens!... What an adorable creature!... Fate has blessed you with a wonderful friend, I'm so glad you were able to save him and keep him with you!...
"Catus Terrier" hahaha 🤣🤣🤣... That made my day!....
Greetings to you and Piko, dear @borjan friend, thanks for sharing!!!
What a wonderful story! 🔟🔟🔟
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!PIZZA
Greetings @borjan ,
This story has the makings of a lovely book....even a children's book. Quite an enjoyable read.
Wee hedgehogs are not seen so often and such a pleasure to get a peek at.
It would be interesting to see if he becomes attached to you as some creatures do toward the person who rescued them.
Enjoyed your lovely post....thank you for bringing to Hive.
Kind Regards, Bleujay
NB Are you aware of the work of Jan Brett...an author and illustrator of children's books...and caretaker of a pet Hedgehog? I think her site is janbrett .com
Thank you so much!
You have been manual curated and upvoted by @ecency
Did you know that @stresskiller is also a witness now ?
Greetings!✨
I enjoyed this post from beginning to end 😅. It reminds me of those animal stories I used to read in elementary school, only that this one isn’t fiction.
You’re taking very good care of Piko, and your cats; they look so chubby, healthy, and clean.
Wow, seeing Piko’s mischief and his interactions with you made me really happy. These little moments truly brighten the heart.
$PIZZA slices delivered:
@jlinaresp(11/15) tipped @borjan
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We appreciate your work and your publication has been hand selected by the geography curation team on behalf of the Amazing Nature AN Community. Keep up the good work!
What a cool new friend rescued from the floods! I've never had a hedgehog but I've heard they make great pets. It was fun to see how Sivka and Piko have bonded and become friends. Now that he's pretty much domesticated I bet you'll have him as a great companion for years. He is a funny little creature, I loved the videos!
Great to see a post from you, it's been awhile!
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Oh my heavens. More videos to sleep by. I simply love hedgehogs. I can't believe the cats and Piko get along so well. That's a remarkable inter-species friendship!
Piko is never going to leaving. Keep the doors open. As with the cats, he is free to go whenever he wants, but he has imprinted on you, I believe, and you are his friend for as long as he lives.
Very happy viewing, @borjan
These kinds of animals are most commonly seen here on the streets, in farmlands, in shops, and in homes. However, very few are seen from such activities because they run away when they hear human noise. Beautiful photography.
<3
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