Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Brillo the Hedgehog and the Crunchy Treat

"Hedgehog Treat! VERY CUTE!
(You'll have to follow the link to YouTube to see this particular video. I think it's worth the effort.)
Tahoe9901, YouTube (August 16, 2007)
video, 0:42

"Brillo enjoys a snack!
"THIS IS THE ORIGINAL! There are some people who took this video and are posting as their own. If you came here to view Brillo, you came to the RIGHT place! Thanks! :)
Just as an FYI, there seems to be a big debate as to what Brillo is eating. It is not a carrot or a jawbreaker (rediculous). It is a nugget that I got from a can of treats made specifically for hedgehogs. She is not in pain and this video is not cruel. She actually loves her treats and she wouldnt eat them if she didnt....
"

Here's Brillo (what an appropriate name for a hedgehog!), same video, same hedgehog nugget, from an embeddable YouTube video:

"Hedgehog Eating a Carrot!" (hedgehog, treat, actually)

cheezburger, YouTube (January 5, 2009)
video, 0:40

"For more info, visit http://icanhascheezburger.com

"View the original here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn0flJ..."

Enjoy!

Animal Cruelty is Real, but Get a Grip

I've run into the sort of clueless compassion that Tahoe9901 mentioned. I'd never have thought giving a hedgehog a treat designed for hedgehogs was an act of cruelty - but there are folks who will do that.

Why, I don't know. My guess is that seeing a real animal behaving in a normal fashion doesn't fit what's expected - and that this dissonance gets perceived as evidence of bad behavior on the part of whoever is making the video.

Watch Brillo again, while remembering Thumper and Flower from Disney's "Bambi," and you may see what I mean. Brillo's expressions indicate to me that:
  • Hedgehogs aren't human
    • The skin on their heads is much looser than it is on ours
    • Their tongues are longer and narrower, relative to their heads, than ours are
  • Whatever that hedgehog kibble is
    • Brillo likes it
    • Would like another
      • This is another guess
        • Based on the alert visual scan following his finishing the first nugget
In a way, the sort of silly accusations of cruelty are harmless - apart from a degree of emotional war and tear on Brillo's owner.

On the other hand, saying that giving a hedgehog a treat that he obviously relishes is cruel behavior may be more than just a quirk of human nature. There's real animal cruelty out there folks. I think screwball claims tend to desensitize folks - making it easier to dismiss or ignore reports of cruelty that really hurt animals.

Enough of being serious.

2 comments:

Brigid said...

Like the dog and rabbit playing together. "Animal cruelty!" Uh, or the dog thinks the rabbit is a funny looking dog and the rabbit is frolicking. Some folks really need to work on reading animal body language.

Brian H. Gill said...

Brigid,

Agreed. "Body language" could be added to my discussion of professors, in the comments of "Mice Feel Pain (We knew That) - And Show it Like We do ("No One" Knew That)" (May 11, 2010). But I won't - not now.

Unique, innovative candles

Visit us online:
Spiral Light CandleFind a Retailer
Spiral Light Candle online store

Pinterest: From the Man Behind the Lemming

Top 10 Most-Viewed Posts

Today's News! Some of it, anyway

Actually, some of yesterday's news may be here. Or maybe last week's.
The software and science stuff might still be interesting, though. Or not.
The Lemming thinks it's interesting: Your experience may vary.
("Following" list moved here, after Blogger changed formats)

Who Follows the Lemming?

WebSTAT

Family Blogs - Blog Catalog Blog Directory