Needy Hedgehog Homes

27/11/2021

This little pickle wanted to see what was going on while I cleaned out his box

27/11/2021

I have lost a couple of hedgehogs this week. It is heart breaking but I did what I could for them. One was the one with a wound in his neck which seemed to be healing but there could have been internal injuries that would only have shown up on xray. On the brighter side all the others are gaining weight.

12/11/2021

I thought I would post a fact finding feature every Friday. .
How many species of hedgehogs are there and where can they be found?

11/11/2021

A quick check up before they are tucked up in their beds for the day

11/11/2021

A short video to show how mucky their boxes get overnight

11/11/2021

This is my morning routine cleaning out the hedgehogs

11/11/2021

All hedgehogs doing well. Putting on weight

10/11/2021

Evening feeding time

10/11/2021

10/11/2021

10/11/2021

Hedgehogs have been added to the Red List for British mammals and are classed as vulnerable to extinction. 50% of rural hedgehog populations and 30% of rural hedgehog populations have been lost since 2000. 18 months ago I signed up with the British Hedgehog Preservation Society to offer to look after any injured or young hedgehogs that would not survive without some help. My phone number is on a list of other local hedgehog champions who can give advice and take in any hedgehog that needs medical care. I have to admit that I wasn't expecting that my help would be in such demand! I have successfully released 4 hedgehogs who had been in my care. At the moment I am looking after 6 hoglets who are too small to survive hibernation this winter. I receive about 3 calls a day, either asking for advice by people who have found hedgehogs in their gardens, asking me to take them in for medical attention or to take in any babies. I have set up a little hospital in my studio. The hedgehogs are kept in plastic boxes, holes put in the lids, with newspaper and terry towels as their bedding. They are very stinky animals and need to be cleaned out twice a day! They are fed on cat or dog food with some biscuits. The very small babies also have formula milk and mashed up food until they are big enough to go onto more solid food. In June of this year I went on a first aid course to learn about how to care for them and how to administer medications etc. I certainly learnt a lot during a very long day. I even learnt how to inject saline and antibiotics. Quite tricky with a very prickly patient! I have set up a 'Just Giving' page to ask for small donations to help go towards the cost of helping these lovely animals.
I have set up an Amazon wish list because the list of the basic essential equipment that I need to run my little hedgehog hospital efficiently and successfully is not particularly long but some equipment is costly. Some essentials like feeding bowls, tea towels, food I buy from supermarkets. The Just Giving page would cover those costs. O am waiting for the Just Givinh to be authorised and will add the link later. The Amazon wish list includes the medical, nutrition and accommodation side of their care.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/30XO68KRYTGTR?ref_=wl_share

Hedgehogs roam around 1-2 miles a night and they need to be able to roam freely. People have set up hedgehog highways to enable them to do this. In order to hibernate they need somewhere cosy, sheltered and quiet. If you are fortunate enough to have a garden where hedgehogs live, they will find somewhere like a pile of leaves, at the back of your flowerbed, or if you have been kind enough, a little wooden house that has been put out for them.
I have included some website links that you can access to find out more information.
www.hedgehogstreet.org.uk
www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk
www.ptes.org

10/11/2021

This is one of the hedgehogs that was released back into the wild after spending a couple of months with me. He was too small.to survive on his own. He gained enough weight eating some delicious food to be released and find some new friends. Hopefully he will find a partner in the spring and a new generation of hedgehogs will be born