May 11, 2007: Albino hedgehog

[Undertoad]

Via the Daily Mail comes this shot, hard to resist. And another full story has more detail:

Mr and Mrs Pricklesworth are normal brown African pygmy hedgehogs, so it came as quite a surprise when one of their three babies was born totally white with pink eyes.

It is believed only one in 10,000 thousand hedgehogs are born albino, and few in the wild make it to adulthood because their colour makes them more visible to predators.

But safely inside Bank Mill Nurseries, Beckfoot, near Silloth, Mrs Pricklesworth's son tucks into slugs and spiders away from the harmful rays of sun which could give him sunburn.

His carer, Melanie James, who helps run the nursery with her father Bill, said: "There are three in the litter -- “ Salt, Pepper and the albino, which is yet to be named. They're 12 weeks-old now.

"Everyone who sees him reacts the same -- “ 'Wow... I've never seen one of those before'!"

Wait, what? They had three, two were regular-colored and one was albino, and they named one of the regular ones Salt?

[Spexxvet]

I hope they name it ""Edgar Winter"

[Sheldonrs]

If I were Mr. Pricklesworth, I'd demand a DNA test on the baby.

[Sundae]

It's the end of days I'm sure

"And lo, a mutant hedgepig will appear bearing quills of salt and it will be a sign...." or something like that

[HungLikeJesus]

Quote:
It is believed only one in 10,000 thousand hedgehogs are born albino, and few in the wild make it to adulthood because their colour makes them more visible to predators.
-----------------------------------

Do you think they mean 10,000,000?

[ferret88]

Wait, no one has begun the customary discussion of the eating of the Friday animal IoTD yet?

What kind of wine, do you suppose goes with albino hedgehog?

[DanaC]

Chardonnay?

[Griff]

Albino hedgehog, the other white meat. White meat = white wine?

[ferret88]

(found it)

Hidden Creek Winery's Hedgehog Apple Wine

[monster]

We saw an albino skunk when we were camping near Chicago last year. It was an adult.

[HungLikeJesus]

The great thing about albino skunks is that they don't smell. The same gene that produces the color also produces the stink oil. Whenever we see an albino skunk we chase it around and try to grab it by the tail. It's a lot of fun.

[SPUCK]

Yeah right ... You're just tryin to sucka us hicks right?

[HungLikeJesus]

I would like to apologize to all the hicks who got suckered into chasing albino skunks and grabbing them by the tail. I was only intending to sucker the city slickers.

The management.

[zippyt]

all the hicks

Hey , we KNOW better !!!!
A skunk is a skunk !!!!!

[Hoof Hearted]

ACtually, color CNA be linked to some things...
In horses, particularly pintos with the "frame" or "overo" markings, there is a disease called LWOS (lethal white overo syndrome). In foals born with LWO both parents must be carriers of the gene (heterozygous for LWO) and each passes the LWO gene to the foal so the LWO foal is homozygous for the LWO gene, having two copies.

These foals are born white, and due to the absence of color their intestines are also missing an important link. Because the gene for color (LWO) and the gene for intestinal nerves are so close together on the chain, when the color is missing it affects the other...and the poor foal is born with no nerve connection for his intestines, so the foal cannot move the contents through his system, becomes impacted and dies. Humane euthanasia is preferred as there is NO cure.

It is recommended now to DNA test every suspected paint/pinto horse and if the horse is a positive carrier of LWO to NEVER breed them to another carrier. Carriers exhibit no problems of the LWO disease.