Wonder If They’ll All Be Named ‘Sonic’?

See that fluffy-looking little ball to the right of the Hedgehog Palace? This is what your new pet will look like during daylight hours.

The newest pet craze to hit Tokyo: hedgehogs. For full enjoyment of your new pet, it would be best to adopt a schedule that includes all-night video gaming, as they are primarily nocturnal and will Assume The Position (shown above) for most of the day. Also, although they look cuddly, that fluffy-looking fur is actually spines. Just sayin’.

The chronically adorable little critters are being sold right now at the Tokyu Hands in Shibuya, along with all the equipment you need to keep your very own live Sonic. They even sell bags of Hedgehog Chow! Although they’re not as insanely expensive as puppies and kittens, these little dudes will set you back about ¥30,000 each.

Better hope they don’t turn their noses up at it and hold out for fresh insects, snails, toads, snakes, bird eggs, carrion, mushrooms, grass roots, berries, melons and watermelons. (Which is what they’d be running to the super for if they were foraging for themselves, according to Wikipedia.)

Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.