©2003-2009 TheHedgieDen  All rights reserved.

Hello

My name is Nancy and I am a hedgehogaholic.  Fortunately there is a simple cure for my addiction.... hedgehogs.

I am married to a wonderful and very patient husband.  We have 20 and 22 year old daughters.  We are all animal lovers. 

In May of 2003 my oldest daughter Jess and I met and bought our first hedgehog and it was love at first sight.  I researched and researched all about hedgehogs and by December 2003 we owned 8 pet hedgehogs. 

I discovered there was no place in southern Ontario that sold things for hedgehogs so I put my sewing skills to good use and designed some hedgehog items, first for our gang then sold them over the internet.

December of 2003 was also when I first started thinking about breeding.  At the time there were quite a few breeders in southern  Ontario but they were not easy for the average person to find. Many of them did not have websites and it was mostly by word of mouth that people heard about them.  There were a couple of hedgehog breeders in towns in the Kingston area but both were downsizing to retire.  

I did extensive research about breeding and became friends with some great breeders in the US and Canada who have mentored me and are always available to help me with any question I have.  Thanks Becca http://daisymeadows.com/, Jeanne http://pickyhedgies.com/ and Bonnie (now retired). I bought my first breeding quality girl from Bonnie and in May of 2004 we had our first litter which sadly didn't survive.

I have babies available at times throughout the year to approved homes only.  I sell hedgehog bedding, wheels, cages, carriers and liners.  All my items are my design and are totally hedgehog safe and tested by our panel of experts. 

I am friends with Renee DeVry who has recently retired after years of running the Ottawa Hedgehog Rescue. 

I am the Canadian Liaison for the HBA

http://www.hedgehogbreederalliance.org/index.html

I am a super moderator on

http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/index.php

I am a member of...

http://hedgehogclub.com/

http://www.hedgehogwelfare.org/

http://hedgehogregistry.org/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/breedershelpingbreeders/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hhrescue/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hedgehog_help/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hedgehogwelfare/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HedgehogFreeShare/

I first started sewing when I was 5 years old.  I learned from my mother and grandmother who was a seamstress.  As a child I made Barbie and doll clothes for myself and friends and as a teenager made and designed my own clothes as well as things for friends.

When my children were young I made clothes, costumes, designed doll clothes, bedding, curtains and all kinds of sewing projects for them. 

Over the years I have designed many custom items for people.  I have sold custom orders for curtains, slip covers, bedroom sets, clothing, costumes as well as alterations. 

When we got our first hedgehog, I discovered that many of the custom doll items I had made for my girls would be perfect as bedding for our hedgehog.  I started sewing first for our gang and then for people who saw and liked what I had made.  I started taking orders in Dec 2003 for my hedgehog bedding. 

 All the items, photos and designs on this website are property of TheHedgieDen and cannot be copied or reproduced in any way. 

On May 25, 2003 I walked into the pet store my daughter worked at to see the little creature that she had been talking about. It was love at first sight.

The obsession begins!

A month and a half later in comes another hedgehog. A tiny little dark huffy girl. Emma. Emma became Jess’ birthday present. One week after Emma in comes a little boy. He was so sweet, so Jess bought him for me. Teasel, my first hedgie and my first boy.

Well that should have been enough hedgies? Ya right! We said NO MORE HEDGIES unless a white one comes in. Two weeks later in come more hedgies. On our way there we said no more unless it’s white. Well there is a little albino girl. What a sweet tiny wee thing she was. How could we resist? Snow started out as Jess’ but very quickly became my girl.

So then we said NO MORE HEDGIES unless someone can’t keep their’s anymore. We hear about a family who doesn't want their boy anymore.  So we get Freckles who was originally named Sonic. How anyone could give up that boy is beyond me. Freckles is Jess’s.

Well once again we say NO MORE HEDGIES unless a cinnacott or apricot comes in. One Saturday in October we find out that one of the other stores has two white baby hedgies in. Well how could we not go and see them but all the way there we were quite definate that we were not getting another albino hedgie.

Yes there was an albino but the other was a little cinnacott girl. Home comes Peaches and what a wonderful girl she is. Jess bought Peaches for me as an early Christmas present.

After that day we quit saying NO MORE HEDGIES.

Then came Bandit, Smokey, Missy, Lily, Kei, Peanut, Cinder, Daisy, Pagen, Kenya, Roll, JubeJube, Quillson, Truffles, Pebbles, Toby, Abby, Pixie and Nemo and many more.  Some are from breeders, some from the pet store, many are rescues and rehomes. 

In 2004 I became a rescue contact for the Hedgehog Welfare Society,  http://www.hedgehogwelfare.org/, and in 2008 was approved to be an International Hedgehog Association rescue.  http://hedgehogclub.com/  Since 2004 I've taken in more than 35 hedgehogs needing a new home.  Some have gone on to other new families but many have stayed here as our pets. 

Can't resist those hedgies.

All of our hedgehogs are our pets first and foremost.  Their health, welfare and happiness is our first concern!

Might as well face it I'm addicted to Quills!