Now for a real challenge

[Sheepshape]

British wildlife is not exactly doing well....habitat loss mainly. I do my best to preserve it. I have 'overwintered' hedgehogs who have turned up on site who are too thin to hibernate over the winterThey live over the winter keeping them in an old chicken coop in the sheep shed.They are fed jelly cat food. When the spring becomes warm enough I release them back on site without interfering with them much at all throughout the winter so they stay 'wild'. I have released probably 6 or 7 this way, most in very good shape, but one came out positively huge.....a massive male. Since his release the hedgehogs on site seem to have increased in size!

Yesterday I stumbled upon a baby hedgehog out on the drive in full sunlight. It was cold and frightened, but seemed unharmed. A search of the area revealed no other hogs at all. So, back to the house and phone the national helpline. The hog was assessed to be about 3-4 weeks old, still ought to be on milk, needing to have a heat source, and utterly incapable of independent survival. No local carers.

So I have the poor little mite. (S)he has a heating pad, cat food and water and is in a box in the kitchen.

This is going to be difficult.

 

[AmberLops]

Wow...that was really nice of you to care for it!
I studied Wildlife Rehabilitation but we don't really have wild hedgehogs around here...I had a pet one but it's not the same. Here's a link I found about hand-rearing wild hedgies. Hope it helps!
https://littlesilverhedgehog.com/2019/06/14/baby-hedgehogs/

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Hope you can pull her through!

 

[Sheepshape]

Thank you for the link, AmberLops.

The poor little thing is very immature.She is not even good on her feet, but is eating some of the cat food and moving on and off the heat pad which is under the old towel.

She doesn't even roll into a ball yet. Goodness knows how she managed to survive out in the open until i happened on her.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Ahhhhh - so darn cute. You're doing a good thing.

 

[AmberLops]

Aw she's so adorable!
Please let us know how it goes

 

[Baymule]

Should you offer her any milk? I know nothing about hedgehogs, other than they are small, rather prickly and cute. I hope she pulls through, you are doing a good thing.

 

[Sheepshape]

Should you offer her any milk?

When I contacted the 'Hedgehog Helpline' they said not, but I've read a few articles and they suggest mixing chicken 'recovery' type dog food (a tin of which I had left from when my dog had surgery) with hedgehog milk substitute.....so some 'hedgehog milk' should be with me today.

The little fella......I've noticed that she is definitely a he....is still with us. I was going to call 'her' Pandora.....the Amazon box he was in bought to mind Pandora's box.....you never know what is inside until you open it....so I guess he's Pan.
He is in his box next to the stove with a heating pad. One of his eyes was puffy and closed, but is beginning to open.

Reality tells me that he is unlikely to survive as he is so immature. However...Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

My daughter just says 'How cool is it to have a hedgehog for a pet?' If he does survive, then that is what he will be as he won't have much by way of 'wild instincts' . The hedgehogs which I have found in the autumn, too thin to hibernate and stealing the dog's food, are kept 'wild' They spend their winter in an old chicken coop inside the sheep shed with loads of bedding and tons of cat food.They remain nocturnal and I don't touch then. This little guy has to have his cuddles...

 

[AmberLops]

I love the name Pan. Still super cute
I hope he makes it and grows up to be a big, strong hedgehog!

 

[Baymule]

I'm with you on that.....you just can't leave him to die. So do your best as I know you will do. At least he has a chance.