Wednesday, June 3, 2009

My run in with a Swiss Igel - that's a hedgehog folks!

These signs are all over the place since Spring - notifying drivers to 'Please let (the hedgehogs) live.' I had never seen one of these little creatures - that is until last week! I was out tending to the garden, staying out a bit too late perhaps trying to get my weeding up to par with the neighbors, and while walking home just as darkness fell, I rounded the corner and nearly stepped on a football sized hedgehog.

After screaming a few profanities, I proceeded to talk to the little guy, as you do, you know, when you meet a hedgehog face to face - and to calm you both down - and I told him I was sorry for the outcry and that it was ok, I wouldn't hurt him and he could cease from burying his face into the dirt. The poor little nocturnal fella was no doubt collecting some tasty morstle when I, a crazy girl with a weird accent, shocked the spikes right off of him.

Upon realizing that having a conversation with a hedgehog is about as pointless as ... well... as it comes... I hurried home and dragged Jace out to show him this unique creature, but alas he had trampled off into the dark... probably to go get hit by a car.

So please, let these guys live - will ya? At least for my sake! :)
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9 comments:

JuanitaTortilla said...

I DO love hedgehogs!
Wait, why wasn't Jace there with you with his rake and overalls, both of you tending the soil together? You poor woman.

Shaun said...

A little bit fatalistic of the hedgehogs lot in life I think... perhaps he went off to his nice wife and family of hedgehogs, where she had baked him a nice pie of your vegetables which you had grown for them.... do they eat vegetables??

Jessica said...

LOL. I love it. Someone else with a good imagination...

I imagine they did have a pie made with my vegetables and some grubs.

Googling 'hedgehog diet' one finds that they eat plants and animals... interesting:http://www.mihog.org/diet/index.phtml

Stephersplatz said...

I saw a hedgehog one of my first days and I couldn't believe it.
I saw those signs a few days later. :-)

btw, I love reading your blog....It's helped me out a lot my first few months here! thanks!!

Jessica said...

Aw geez. You are all so nice today with the comments. Thanks, Stephenerplatz. I hope you settle in well here and make sure you join the Swiss Expat Bloggers group if you have not already!

Virginia said...

Oh, how cool, you got to see a hedgehog! I've seen a polecat (or some other sort of slinky type critter). Hopefully he wasn't after your little guy. I guess those spikes can be pretty helpful.

Kylie said...

I saw my first one about 5 minutes ago.
It scared the be-jeebers out of me. Then I told myself it was only an echidna, only to be reminded by myself that I'm not in Kansas anymore.

Tina said...

Wow! I've never seen one. Do they roam around the streets of Zurich? Or just in a residential area?

Kerrin @ MyKugelhopf said...

can't say i ever saw a hedgehog either. hedgehog - groundhog ? well, never saw the latter either. but um, it's good and all of you to be all friendly and nice - but watch out for your garden !!

speaking of which, when's the big garden party when you invite all your friends over to taste the fruits (or rather, vegetables) of your labor ?! ha ha! :)

 

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