African Pygmy Hedgehogs are currently illegal to own as a pet in the state of Georgia, as are all species of Hedgehog.
They pose no threat to humans nor native wildlife or ecosystems, read below if you are interested as to why!
The reasons for their ban is due to the fear that they will become an invasive species and/or they will spread disease to humans, but, both reasons are simply not true nor plausible. Firstly, African Pygmy Hedgehogs are native to--you guessed it, Africa. This means that they are designed to survive in warmer temperatures, and with Georgia temperatures hitting below freezing in the winter, any escaped or released pets would not survive or become invasive. Furthermore, on the issue of disease, yes, it is true that hedgehogs do have diseases such as salmonella. But so do most reptiles kept as pets, animals are unlikely to spread the salmonella to you, as long as you follow the standard animal handling techniques, basically, don't lick or kiss a hedgehog! As long as that rule is followed the probability of contracting a disease from a hedgehog is unlikely. Hedgehogs make fantastic pets with proper care and are just like any other small animal. And, ironically enough, it is legal to own and breed hedgehogs in Georgia, just not as pets, which is a bit strange as Hedgehog breeders have hundreds of hedgehogs in their care at any given moment, so why not let citizens have one as a pet?
In conclusion, the ban of African Pygmy Hedgehogs as pets in unnecessary, and should be lifted. They pose no threat to the lives of humans nor the environment and make spectacular pets. Please help support this testament and sign!
