Northwest Traveling Hedgehog Becoming Internet Sensation

MyNorthwest.com: The adventures of a tiny hedgehog born in Washington are drawing the interest of hundreds of thousands of people.

Biddy the hedgehog has over 400,000 people following his every move on Instagram, and Biddy gets around. The 10-ounce hedgehog is pictured all around the Northwest, in Washington, Oregon, Montana, and Wyoming. He’s even posed before Mount Rushmore in South Dakota.

Biddy has taken his Instagram followers to several spots around Seattle including the gum wall at Pike Place, the Space Needle, the Fremont Troll, and Snoqualmie Falls.

Biddy, who hails originally from a hedgehog breeder in Port Orchard, travels with his parents, Toni DeWeese and Tom Unterseher of Troutdale, Ore. They say his first trip was to Lincoln City, Ore. when he was just a few months old.

Toni and Tom love to explore the Northwest and say bringing Biddy along actually came about partially because it’s important to spend a good deal of time with little hoglets, or baby hedgehogs.

“When we first got Biddy, he was shy and stayed in a tight ball a lot of the time. We made sure to handle him as much as possible. Taking him with us on our adventures has definitely helped with this. He has opened up a lot more with us.”

Biddy goes along with them on hikes and road trips courtesy of a couple carrying cases. They use a bigger one in the car, so he can run around, and a mesh carrier with some fleece pouches, so he’s nice and comfy on the trail.

“He is a great travel companion for us and he truly seems to love exploring outside and digging in the dirt,” they say.

The couple hasn’t heard of any other traveling hedgehogs, but so far, they seem to be finding success with it. They do, though, make a point though to keep an eye on Biddy’s interest. If he doesn’t seem keen for a day out, they follow his cues.

“Biddy does have his days when he isn’t up for running around and we call it quits and bring him home.”

Biddy’s cuteness will likely inspire many other would-be hedgehog owners, but Toni and Tom say folks should do their research first. They say hedgehogs can be easy pets, but they require some special care including a specific diet and a good deal of exercise. There’s also no guarantee that all hedgehogs will be as up for adventures in the outdoors as Biddy.

Luckily, even if we don’t all take up hedgehog ownership ourselves, we can all share in the wonder of Biddy’s travels via his Instagram postings. Follow Biddy’s travels.

DCG