Rescued hedgehog family

It’s hard to see these tiny baby hedgehogs in the tangle of their nest.  Thankfully their mother was saved too and is still with them.  There were four babies when they were first brought in but one died almost straight away.   A gardener found the family in long grass as he was mowing it so they had to be moved.   We’ve tried to disturb them as little as possible, we’ve put what’s left of their nest into a safe pen with them still in it.

We were worried that Mum would abandon her babies which often happens when there’s a disturbance soon after birth but she is still feeding and loving her little family.  The babies are snuggling into her and suckling and she is eating herself – coming out for a feed and then going back to nurse.   These are the tiniest hoglets we’ve had brought in alive, hopefully they are doing well and will survive.

We’re still hand rearing the four orphan hoglets brought in a week ago – every two hours with a bottle!  It’s much easier when Mum is around.