Temporary guest Spike the hedgehog!

[Eriathwen]

So technically not a pet, but while he's under my roof he's a member of the family

This is Spike (Or Harry, depending on who you ask )

I noticed a cat in the garden earlier stalking something, we have swifts nesting in our eaves every year and I was worried one of them had fallen to the ground. When I went outside however, I found a rather large hedgehog looking back at me!

Unfortunately there was no answer from the wildlife rescue when I called as all the staff were busy with other wildlife according to their automated voice recording. So as he was out during the day, potentially had been disturbed by the cat and refusing/unable to roll into a ball, I decided to pop him into a box with some hay and food until morning when I'll start phoning again trying to get through.

He has eaten all the food I've given him(2 meals) pooped and seems quite alert so I'm hoping if anything is wrong with him he will be back to health quickly. The rescue likes to return them to where they're found so it's nice to know when he has recovered he will be back in the garden somewhere. From the cursory health check I gave him getting him into his box, he doesn't seem to have any ticks, fleas or fly eggs, I couldn't see any obvious injuries although couldn't see his belly as he did manage to tuck his feet up (his feet are absolutely adorable!)

So fingers crossed we can get little man into hospital and/or released back into the wild very soon!

 

[Maz]

Goodness he looks quite big! I always though hedgehogs were really small.

 

[Eriathwen]

Hes the biggest one I've seen for a while! Easily the same size as a guinea pig if not bigger.

I'm kind of hoping he is actually a she and we get to see some babies later in the year

 

[Maz]

He's very cute. At least he's safe and cosy for now.

 

[elusive]

What a lovely hog! S/he does look big, I have one about that size in the garden & have seen other really big ones before, you never expect them to be quite that big!
Sounds as though s/he’s doing well having a couple of good meals & cosied up there, hopefully there’s nothing wrong, they are often infected with lung worm though so it could be that, hope you can get hold of the rescue & little hog is ok to go back into the garden soon.
It could just be this long dry spell is making it harder for them to find food as worms & slugs will scarce on the surface & that’s why it was out during the day.

 

[Frida]

I love hedgehogs I hope he/she is going to be ok. We have a hedgehog living under our garden shed. That's a big hedgehog too

 

[RainbowBrite]

How lucky you found these beautiful hedgehog. I hope the wildlife rescue are able to collect them. I know there are some hedgehog rescues too but I expect you already know that.

 

[Maz]

I haven't seen a hedgehog for donkeys years! Not since childhood in a garden. And we live in a rural area.

 

[elusive]

I don’t see as many as I used to but they are actually declining faster in rural areas than urban areas now.

 

[Maz]

I wondered if that was the case. I think there are also more foxes in urban areas now too.

 

[Eriathwen]

We're quite rural too, I think I've only seen one living hedgehog in the last 20 years other than this one! Such a shame as they used to be so common when I was a child.

We have just got back from dropping her (turns out she's a girl!!) off at Cuan wildlife rescue, we have a patient number we can quote to recieve updates on her progress after 24 hours has passed. Once she is fit and well, ready for release she can come back to the garden as long as we get a hedgehog house and feed her for a few days, which was already our plan anyway! Fingers crossed she hangs around and we see her with some babies later in the year

 

[Maz]

Ooh that sounds lovely. I hope the rescue check her over and all is well and look forward to hearing about your resident hedgehog in the garden! Do they think she is pregnant then?

 

[elusive]

Babies would be lovely!

 

[Eriathwen]

They couldn't feel any babies just yet but it's possibly just too early to tell. As she was being bugged by a cat though it's likely she will go onto antibiotics, I'm not sure if that would harm any potential pregnancy but I'd imagine as it's currently breeding season that as soon as she's home and healthy she will find a mate!

 

[Coco61]

What a lovely tale of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle! Once she is back with you in the garden, please do show us a photo of her new hedgehog house.
We had a leaflet pushed through the letterbox recently with a photo showing 2 hedgehogs in a garden in this locality somewhere. It was said to be after a 13cm hole had been cut into the garden fence. More such holes were needed to help with their movement.

 

[Riven]

What a beautiful hedgie (or ouch-mouse as we call them in our house). They are quite big and can move very fast when they want to

Cuan wildlife rescue isn't far from me, there's another rescue called Pricklebums near by for future reference.

We see a lot of hedgies, I had to help one last year but rescues were full. Took him to the vets as I know some of the people who work there also volunteer at wildlife rescues. Unfortunately he passed. I'm so glad Mrs Spike is doing well. Please keep us updated when you hear anything.

 

[Eriathwen]

Recieved an update today, how exciting!

 

[RainbowBrite]

What a lovely update!

 

[elusive]

Lovely to hear she’s doing well.
If she’s nesting I guess they’ll keep her there will they?

 

[Maz]

That is a lovely update. I wonder how long before babies are born.