OUT IN THE DAY

A hedgehog out during the day is normally a MEDICAL EMERGENCY. The hedgehog should be picked up gently, wearing gloves, placed in a tall cardboard box / cat carrier on a towel. An additional heat source like a covered hot water bottle or plastic bottle full of very warm water should be place under the towel at one end of the box. Call a rescue or vet immediately.

 

The ONLY time a hedgehog out in the day should be left is if it is moving with purpose or has with a mouth full of leaves/nesting material. These are likely to be breeding female hogs.

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SUNBATHING

OR STATIONARY

Hedgehogs do NOT sunbathe. If you find one, it is in trouble and will need help. It is lying in the sun to get warm so please provide a heat source in the box you put them in.

If flies are buzzing over a hedgehog it is at risk or already affected by flystrike. This is where flies lay eggs on sick animals which rapidly hatch into flesh-eating maggots. Time is of the essence here. Call a rescue or vet immediately.

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INJURED

If a hedgehog is dragging one or both legs, limping, running around in circles, has an open wound, been picked up/attacked by a dog then it needs help URGENTLY. Please call your nearest vet or rescue asap.

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TRAPPED

If a hedgehog is caught in netting, free it from the netting BUT DO NOT RELEASE IT. The hedgehog needs to go to a rescue along with the netting as it will need observation for at least a week for any infections.

Rescue any hogs fallen in holes, or stuck anywhere and call a rescue or vet immediately.

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DISTURBED NESTS

Hedgehog nests can easily be disturbed or destroyed during shed removal, building works or a by a pet dog The most important thing to do is to contain the mum as she will normally abandon the nest and babies if there is a significant disturbance. Once abandoned she is unlikely to return. The mum should be picked up with gloves and contained in a secure, high sided box. The babies and any nest material (picked up with GLOVES) should be contained in a separate box with a heat source so both boxes can be transported to a rescue where they can be carefully reunited. This way the mum has the best chance of rearing the hoglets in safety. If the mum abandons the hoglets they will need to be hand reared. This is time consuming and difficult. If the babies are only a few days old the likelihood of successful rearing is very low. Call a rescue immediately if you disturb a nest after containing the mum. 

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​ORPHANED BABIES

Babies live with their siblings and mum in a nest. If a baby or babies are found outside the nest without mum, they will need help. Babies need specialist care which only rescues can provide. They need to be placed in a box on a towel with a heat source as they lose heat very quickly when away from the nest. Please do not attempt to hand rear orphaned hoglets yourselves and call a rescue immediately.

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SMALL HOGS 

Hedgehogs need to be at least 600g to survive hibernation. Any hedgehog under 600g found in the middle of winter will need rescuing. In Autumn/early winter the minimum weight will vary depending on weather and time of year so ring a rescue for advise regarding individual cases. ANY size of hog out in the day at any time of year is potentially critically ill. 

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Do NOT attempt to care for sick or injured hogs yourself. You may mean well but the longer the delay before getting professional help means the chances of saving the hedgehog are greatly reduced.

You can help hedgehogs best by getting them to an experienced rescue or vet asap. ALL hog casualties need heat, fluid and medicine injections and provision of food and water is not enough.

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IF IN DOUBT CALL A RESCUE FOR ADVICE