Dear Editor

I have recently noticed that African pygmy hedgehogs are on sale locally. Although it is claimed that they make good pets they are still a wild animal, although possibly captive - bred.

They come from arid desert areas and are not suited to living in a restricted captive environment. People who are reluctant to pay up to £200 for a pygmy hedgehog may be encouraged to take a wild native British hedgehog and keep it as a pet instead. Please do not either buy a pygmy hedgehog or keep a hedgehog that you find in your garden as a pet. By all means encourage hedgehogs to visit your garden and there is plenty of information online on this subject

Mary Harries

Ross-on-Wye