Our Hedgehog Stories
Snuffles
Snuffles was a juvenile, weighing just 216g, when she came to us towards the end of autumn. She has been spotted outside by the finder who was concerned, and rightly so, that she was too small to survive hibernation. She stayed with us over the winter putting on much needed weight and hibernating for some of it. Once spring came, and she woke up, she spent a little bit of time in our outside enclosure to get used to being in the wild again and then released back into the wild.
Pearl
Pearl was found by the roadside one Sunday lunchtime and was brought to us. She was suffering from dehydration so was immediately given subcutaneous fluids. After a poo sample was tested she was then treated for roundworm and fluke, and ringworm on her ears and nose. She was with us for almost a month and then returned back to a hedgehog friendly garden near to where she was originally found.
Big
Big was big when he was found, hence the name, but being outside during the day indicated something was wrong. He had a dreadful barking cough and tested positive for lungworm. After being treated he was still a good weight but it was now early winter and, due to lots of rain and flooding and a sudden temperature drop, the decision was made to overwinter him with us. Once he was ready to go back to the wild he was released in grounds of a hedgehog friendly school, near to where he was originally found.
Nemo
Nemo came to us one morning having been fished out of a garden pond. we 've no idea how long he had been in there but he was freezing cold and exhausted. He was put in our incubator and took over 24 hours to get him warmed up. After a faecal sample test he was started on a course of medication including antibiotics and he soon began to recover. Nemo stayed with us until he was ready to go back to the garden where he was found. In the meantime though the finder was busy making the pond hedgehog friendly by building a ramp. After Nemo was successfully released the finder then continued making a hedgehog friendly garden by putting out food and water each night and building several hedgehog houses. These are now occupied on a regular basis and 4 to 8 diners visit each night for their tea.