'I used to call myself the Kris Jenner of hedgehogs as a joke. But the way I think of it, it’s more that we’re making money off our creativity than our pets.'
Photo-Illustration: by Stevie Remsberg; Photo: lionelthehog/Instagram When Anna Matthias got her first hedgehog, Lionel, in April 2015, she had no intention of turning him into a social-media phenomenon. Four years later, Lionel and Lilo have become lucrative animal influencers with over 100,000 followers, a portfolio of brand partnerships, and an online shop that sells T-shirts and other swag.
The first paid partnership we did was with West Elm. They did a Christmas series with different animals, and they made a Lionel tree ornament and a Lionel tea towel. When I saw the contract, I was like, “Wait, is this my money?” And they were like, “Yeah.” I think it was around $1,200. I had just graduated from college and it seemed like a lot, but now it’s pretty standard.
Do you ever worry that the hedgehogs don’t like getting photographed? Anytime they’re not in the mood, we just don’t shoot. We only shoot when they’re awake and happy. You can definitely tell the difference. When they’re grumpy and tired, they roll up and just sit there, like a ball of spikes with their head hidden, and they won’t come out. Mine don’t do that often. But it happens. If it takes longer than five seconds to get a shot, I’ll be like, “We’re done.
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