Dr. Allison M. Nishitani, a new science teacher and an adviser at Library, recently adopted a baby hedgehog named Calliope.
Dr. Nishitani’s decision to get a hedgehog was “very random.” After seeing Mr. Ben Small’s pet snake, Max, in the science center, Dr. Nishitani decided that she wanted to have a classroom pet as well. Recalling an interesting story her hairdresser had recounted in the past about an adopted abandoned hedgehog, she Google-searched “Connecticut Hedgehog,” emailed the breeders nearby, and adopted Calliope.
Calliope is named after Dr. Nishitani’s favorite character in Grey’s Anatomy. She is also named after the main character in the book Middlesex. The book is about a male intersex (a person with both female and male biological attributes) individual. “It’s a very good book that is beautifully written,” commented Dr. Nishitani. Dr. Nishitani also liked the name Calliope because it was unique.
Calliope is eight weeks old and about the size of a tennis ball. She may be small, but she is adventurous. During the night, Calliope likes to run on a hamster wheel. She also loves eating live mealworms. Dr, Nishitani has two tanks of worms underneath Calliope’s cage, from which she feeds Calliope each day.
Calliope does not like loud noises and strong scents. She also doesn’t like being picked up by people. When she gets angry or scared, her quills stand straight up in every direction. “She’s pricklier than I thought,” Dr. Nishitani commented. “The tips are sharp as needles.”
Currently, Dr. Nishitani and Calliope are working on building trust. Before, when Dr. Nishitani tried to hold her, Calliope would curl her body into a tiny ball the entire time. However, now, she’ll walk around a little bit. After Calliope gets settled in, she’ll move into Dr. Nishitani’s office in the science building.
