In just a few months a hedgehog and her sister have become some of the most widely followed spiny mammals in Vancouver.
Meet Pepper and her little sister Potato - and their owner and the one who curates their online presence, Tina Wang. Wang got Pepper in 2018 and made an Instagram account for her called @pepperthebabyhedgie which eventually got a following of around 600. Last December though things really started to take off for the account, with it currently hovering just below 15,000 followers, something Wang says she could never have predicted.
“I was uploading pictures of Pepper honestly just because she's so cute and I really wanted to share it on Instagram with other hedgehog lovers,” Wang said in a recent Q&A with Vancouver Is Awesome. “It's still crazy to me because the page really only took off since December so it's only been about eight months!”
This year Wang got Pepper some company: the six-month-old Potato. And yes, Potato also has her own Instagram page @potatothebabyhedgie. Since Potato is still so young she is going through a phase called "quilling" where they "shed" their old baby quills for new ones, Wang explained.
“She's a bit feisty because when they go through quilling it can get quite irritating,” Wang added. “She loves to run on her wheel and she's a super fan of worms and other treats like strawberries and bananas. We haven't got her to enjoy belly rubs yet but we're working on it!”
Pepper, on the other hand, adores belly rubs and the vast majority of her photos on Instagram depict as much with Pepper lying on her back and giving a very contented smile.
“She loves cuddles and belly rubs and she's really comfortable with people. It definitely took time though, and I handled her a lot as a hoglet. They're naturally defensive in the wild and can get scared easily,” Wang explained.
Pepper and Potato don’t just have each other for company; the sisters recently visited what Wang calls their “hoppy cousins,” two rabbits named Loki and Azumi. The hedgies have also met with a fellow Vancouver hedgehog named Lou, but Wang said they are always up for playdates.
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