SOFT and furry they might not be but there is no shortage of cuteness when it comes to the latest in miniature pets.
About 30 pygmy hedgehogs went head to head in a competition that attracted visitors from as far afield as Leicestershire.
One of the stars of the show in Bishops Hall, Pilgrims Hatch, was Truffles, the spikey but adorable pet of Emma Styles, 30, from Nevendon Road, Wickford.
Emma was delighted when Truffles, aged two months, won the best male under five months at the contest on March 23. She said: "They are really fun to own and be with. They have different colours and completely different personalities. They love being cuddled."
Pygmy hedgehogs are a quarter the size of a normal hedgehog – and unlike their larger cousins cannot hibernate and need warm conditions throughout the year.
African pygmy hedgehogs are a cross between an Algerian and white-bellied hedgehog, and were first bred in the US about 25 years ago. They come in 92 different shades and albinos are relatively common.
They grow to just two pounds and have a lifespan of between thre e and five years. They are normally fed on a diet of cat food but love grasshoppers, crickets and other small insects.
As they are nocturnal, they are more active at night, when they can spend hours clocking up several miles on a treadmill.
Kevin and Rachel Barker had come from Colchester to show 14-month-old Lola. "They are just great pets to look after," Rachel said.
Jo Davies, from Leicestershire, brought three-month-old Holly and Coco, two, which won overall best in show.
She said: "I love my pets and I love the fact they all have their own personalities."
Roisin Seale, from Kent, who organised the event and who brought her own pygmy hedgehog Ralph, said: "The event has gone really well considering the weather. I'll put another show on at a later date."
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