The 8 Cutest Hedgehogs on the Internet

The video game star Sonic The Hedgehog may be the most well-known hedgehog. But today, the Associated Press published a trend piece about the growing popularity of hedgehogs as pets, specifically adult African pygmy hedgehogs, which can boast 6,000 quills and fit in the palm of your hand. Their button noses and tiny hands and feet have made them stars on the Internet, so NewsFeed has rounded up the most popular ones. Try not to overdose on squee-ing.

The hedgehog that plays with kittens

This clip of Harley the hedgehog having staring contests with Loki the kitten to a cover of “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from Toy Story boasts nearly 15 million YouTube views.

The hedgehog that likes underwear

This Vine profile for a now-deceased hedgehog named Hufflepuff has more than 153,000 followers and boasts scenes of the animal eating worms and going through the owner’s underwear collection (as most pets do at one point or another).

The hedgehog known as Tokyo’s “flying hedgehog”

Named after D’arcy Wretzky, former bassist of alt rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, Darcy belonged to Tokyo Instagrammer Shota Tsukamoto, who liked to photograph the animal inside mugs and in front of an unusual array of things like peacock feathers, a rainbow pinwheel, and a skull object. Darcy was one of the most followed pets on Instagram with 410,000 followers. In February, the account announced that Darcy had passed away, but the creature lives on in a picture book called Darcy the Flying Hedgehog.

The hedgehog that could be Governor of Oregon

This three-year-old hedgehog named Biddy is the one Instagram celebrity highlighted in the AP’s piece and appears to be known for traveling all over the most scenic parts of Oregon, from Arcadia Beach on the coast to the Painted Hills, based on the photo above which was just posted over the weekend.

The hedgehog that makes faces

In March, NewsFeed spotlighted Marutaro, the hedgehog with 63,000 Twitter followers that went viral for sporting cut-outs of cartoonish facial expressions. Based on the animal’s latest Vine, it seems to be gearing up for the World Cup.

The hedgehog that nuzzles against a dog

In a clip that has been seen more than 1.2 million times, “Poki-Hontas” gets her head stuck in a toilet paper roll and then presumably hides in shame by curling up in the thick white fur of a dog named Nimbus.

The hedgehog with a snaggletooth

Norman, a hedgehog who takes selfies with his owner Brett Jessie, can usually be found on a skateboard or in a sneaker on Instagram, where he has close to 4,000 followers.

The hedgehog in a superhero cape

Rescued by the Hedgehog Welfare Society, Kayak took the web by storm in a miniature cape last fall.