It's thirsty work being a baby hedgehog!
This is 'Wilbur' rescued this afternoon from a local school playing fields. He is in very poor condition, his body is literally nothing but skin and bone, icy cold and severely dehydrated. Weighs only 300gms, less than half what an adult hedgehog should weigh. He was given sub cut drip fluids and placed on a heat mat to get him warm. Here he is a couple of hours later up on his feet and eating. He is extremely weak but he's trying bless him. I don't know how he is still alive.
Baby 'Guzzle' doing what she does best, tucking into her breakfast.
Remember 'Scarface'? She was admitted with a terrible injury to her face. She was treated with antibiotics which cleared the infection but she was left with a gaping hole which just wouldn't heal. A few days treatment applying Manuka honey sorted it and it healed up well. Brilliant stuff! Here she is going for release back into her garden this evening.
Baby Boris (now renamed Betty) now feeding for herself. Prognosis now much improved.
'Mick' having his nebuliser whilst fast asleep. It's so quiet he doesn't even know. His breathing is much easier today so hopefully making some progress.
This is 'Wilma' who was rescued out of the road at Windy Harbour on July 10th by Janine who bravely stopped all the traffic to pick her up. Wilma was diagnosed with a head injury and has subsequently lost an eye. Over the next 10 days she gradually got more and more agitated to the point where I knew I couldn't keep her caged any more, so she has been transferred into an enclosed garden to see if she copes better there while she recovers. A new nest box has been installed today and she has everything there she needs. She tends to be active during the daytime which may mean she is completely blind. She just needs time to get used to her new surroundings and hopefully will settle and recover from her injury. If it's decided though in the coming weeks that she wouldn't be able to survive on her own back in the wild, then she would have a permanent home in this garden. Will keep an eye on her.
Said goodbye to 'Billy' this evening. He was admitted on 26th June as a 4-5 week old baby weighing just 90gms. Now weighs 460gms and ready for the outside world. Plenty of food and water left out for him and other visiting hedgehogs at the release site, so he will be fine.
Arrived this afternoon from the Bilsborrow area, this is little 'Billy' aged around 4-5 weeks. Was seen to be out in a garden during the daytime. No sign (yet) of any of his siblings. This is one very hungry baby.
'Dippy' is looking so much better this morning. Just finished his breakfast and has eaten well overnight.
Good to see these two enjoying a good scoff.......
Another hungry baby from Gladeway in Thornton......one of six more youngsters admitted today.
'Biscuit' arrived this afternoon from the Arundel Drive Estate in Carleton after he was found out during the daytime. Only 4 weeks old and 99gms. As you can see, he loves his biccies.....
Baby 'Clifford'
Baby 'Clifford' arrived yesterday from the Out Rawcliffe area after being found out in the open. His sibling unfortunately was already dead. He was icy cold so was placed in an incubator. Last night I gave his chances of surviving as nil but today his condition has much improved. This baby at four weeks old already has plenty of attitude. He is not the slightest bit interested in formula milk and is demanding meat on the menu!
This is baby 'AJ' weighing just 64gms. He was found lying on his back in a garden at the bottom of a slope. His nest with Mum and siblings was at the top of the slope underneath a woodpile. Yesterday another baby was found at the bottom of the slope and unable to get back to the nest. He was carefully put back. Have advised that if possible and without too much disturbance that the nest complete with its contents be transferred to a hedgehog house in the garden, and hopefully the family will stay put there. Fingers crossed I hope it worked. No more babies falling out of the nest!
