Hedgehogs welcome

Save the hedgehogs – their numbers are in decline.   We have hedgehogs in all shapes and sizes in our hedgehog hospital. This is one of the little ones and we’ll be keeping him over winter as he isn’t big enough to be released.   If they aren’t heavy enough with plenty of body fat when they go to sleep, they won’t wake up again.  Their fat reserves have to be sufficient to see them through the winter sleep.

We’ll release the youngsters in the Spring when they are all grown up and eating well.  If we get poorly or injured hedgehogs in we keep them until they are well again.  One of our present hedgehog residents has lost an eye and although he is a big lad he is a bit vulnerable so he’ll stay with us so we can make sure he is safe until hibernation is over.

If you find a poorly hedgehog please bring him or her along to us, the sooner the better as it increases their chance of survival.   It isn’t necessary to contact first but bear in mind our opening hours which are between 10.0am and 4.0pm.

When you find an injured hedgehog or a youngster or one who is sitting out during the daytime (a sure sign that something is wrong) put him in a cardboard box with hay or on a towel if you don’t have bedding.  If you can get here quickly we’ll check for injuries, dehydration, ticks etc.

If there is going to be a delay give a shallow dish of water and offer a snack – sunflower seeds, mealworms, peanuts, chopped chicken, cat food (fish isn’t usually liked).  Don’t give cow’s milk as hedgehogs have difficulty in digesting it.

It used to be thought that hedgehogs could ‘milk’ cows and this was based on farmers seeing them lick up the drops of milk that had come from a cow’s udder when she was waiting to be milked.  A few drops probably wouldn’t hurt a hungry hedgehog but a saucer full definitely would.