Cutest Hedgehog Online Has 1.6 Million Instagram Followers

What began as a text message has gone viral. A cute hedgehog called Mr. Pokee is currently the subject of pet attention on social media.

Talitha Girnus, a 27-year-old in Wiesbaden, Germany, was in a long-distance relationship with her boyfriend a few years ago, and he sent her a photo of a hedgehog to cheer her up when she was missing him.

She was delighted and thought it was a great way to cheer each other up, so they began sending hedgehog photos back and forth.

Talitha got the idea of getting a hedgehog for herself. So she began some research and realized it would be the perfect fit for her.

She gave a disclaimer to hopeful hedgehog owners though saying they are not for everyone. For one, they take a long time to warm up to people and need particular care.

However, she was up to it and when she saw "Mr. Pokee," she knew he was the one. She adds that from that time, she knew it was her and the cute hedgehog against the world.

She adored and bonded with Pokee for years, apparently. They created one of the most famous hedgehog accounts on social media, managing to garner 1.6 million followers on Instagram.

It became so involving; her full-time job became curating content for Instagram, answering emails, calendars and making stickers for the hedgehog merchandise.

One of the favorite clips for the followers was the hedgehog belly rub. Girnus claimed it was a sign of intense trust and took six months of bonding for him to let her do it.

She explained they have poor eyesight, so they get used to a person via smell and voice. When they are afraid of something or are suspicious, they curl up into a ball, so it is not possible to touch the belly.

The opposite is true, though, as they can be extremely trustful considering the way Pokee lets Girnus touch him.

Sydney Brehm, a veterinarian at Sweetwater Creek Animal hospital, stated it is not a good idea to let hedgehogs interact with other pets.

She said they can coexist with cats and dogs, but they will not typically make friends with any of them. It would be good to monitor the interactions between the animals.

They are also extremely active in the wild, so if they are not caged, they will prick other inquisitive pets until the other party loses interest and moves on. They are also typically nocturnal creatures.