SILAS  DENT  ZOBAL

CURIOUSITY:

The hedgehog is not a ferocious animal. This one reminds me of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle in Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle.  (Did you know that Beatrix Potter had a pet hedgehog named Mrs. Tiggy-winkle?) Hedgehogs have about 5000 spines. That's a lot! If they are threatened, they roll up into little balls to protect their vulnerable stomachs, which is just what you should if you are ever attacked by a bear. I want to tell you about one of their very strange habits. (Do you have any strange habits?) When hegdehogs smell a strong smell, or taste a strong taste, they self-annoint. This means that they cover their spines in foamy saliva. No one knows why they do this.