The first one he found a few days ago was alive but poorly so he carefully put it in a cardboard box with some shredded paper, a saucer of water and some cooked chicken to see how it got on. It ate some of the chicken but was still obviously quite poorly so he took him/her to The Hedgehog Lady of Peel.
This woman is dedicated to saving hedgehogs. This is her profile on her Facebook page...
For over 30 years I have been taking in sick/injured or just Autumn juvenile hedgehogs. They are not pets, they are wild animals, and I treat them as such. My aim is to be able to release them back into the wild when they've recovered or overwintered.
It can be heart-breaking and expensive, but it's such a great feeling watching them wander off into the wild when they're ready to leave.
It can be heart-breaking and expensive, but it's such a great feeling watching them wander off into the wild when they're ready to leave.
She has around 40 hedgehogs at the moment which she is caring for. She took a quick look at "our" hoglet and said it was a male, recently born and in need of feeding up. She is going to build him up then call us when he is ready to be released back where we found him.
This evening P saw another hoglet on the drive but when he took a look it was too late. The poor little thing was dead.
We are not sure but they could have come from the same litter, perhaps from the two adults who may have been killed by slug pellets somewhere in the vicinity.
I am a bit of a softie but it makes me feel sad.
EDIT: For northsider .....
There is a virus that is killing hedgehogs I was told last Summer and there is a website where they like you to record your findings so that the virus can be tracked. I did this last summer when I found a dead hedgehog in the garden for no reason. I am sorry to be vague but if you Google it you can find it.
ReplyDeleteOh thank you Rachel. It has been troubling us that we have been finding them recently. I shall do a Google search.
DeleteOurs are back - we've spotted them up with the night cam and they are feeding from the hedgehog biscuits we put out. I hope they're not going to catch a fatal virus.
ReplyDeleteThe poor things have enough trouble contending with speeding motorists without a virus as well.
DeleteWhat a wonderful service to care for and rehabilitate the hedgehogs.
ReplyDeleteP says that her house is full of cages, all stacked up and housing hedgehogs. It must cost her a small fortune in food and baby milk etc. At the moment she is asking for old newspapers for the cages as she has run out!
DeleteWhat a wonderful lady. Hope the hedgehog grows strong and can be released.
ReplyDeleteShe is certainly dedicated. They have taken over her house.
DeleteAw how sad, poor hedgehogs. We don't seem to get hedgehogs here, I've never seen one. I hope the little one survives and thrives and goes back to the wild. Fingers crossed. x
ReplyDeleteAs Graham says, we don't generally see them as they are nocturnal so it has been unusual to see them out during the day. I hope ours survives too!
DeleteI would feel the same sadness. Hedgehogs were once so common in these islands but their decline in recent years has been alarming. They need all the help they can get and that is why I heartily applaud The Hedgehog Lady.
ReplyDeleteShe certainly deserves it.
DeleteMuch as I love hedgehogs I was one of those very concerned when they were introduced on Lewis in the 1980s to get rid of slugs. They also eat the eggs of ground nesting birds which had always flourished here. The soon spread from Lewis right through the Outer Hebrides. Fortunately on many places I understand they have now been eradicated. Generally speaking, by the way, hedgehogs seen during the day are often unwell. They are a nocturnal animal.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Lovely creatures as they are, it is not always a good idea to introduce new species elsewhere.
DeleteThere was talk here a few years ago about introducing red squirrels onto the island but luckily nothing came of that.
We used to have loads of hedgehogs in the garden in Havant, F built homes for them (pattern from internet), but after a couple of years we never saw hedgehogs again. It was sad, because they used to come onto the patio at night in the summer time and sit near the human feet to get some catfood.
ReplyDeleteWe used to have a family of them in our garden when we lived in West Sussex. They liked our empty milk bottles out on the doorstep. They must have been able to smell the milk residue (even though the bottles had been washed).
DeleteI feel the same sadness when I see wild animals killed on our country lanes by speeding cars.
ReplyDeleteThey don't stand a chance do they?
DeleteNorthsider plans to make a large financial donation to The Hedgehog Lady of Peel but how should he do this? I might send a quid or two myself.
DeleteYou could send me your first few thousand and I'll pass it on. Honestly, I will! 😉
DeletePlease send me full details of your bank account including P.I.N. number and I will send my donation. Honestly I will!
DeleteWhy don't you post the address of the hedgehog hospital on your blog JayCee and I will send them a tenner. I am sure others will.
ReplyDeleteThat's very kind of you Dave. I have added a screenshot of her contact details to my blog post. Thank you x
ReplyDeleteNot at all JayCee. It's a very worthy cause.
DeleteThank God for people like the Hedgehog Lady of Peel!
ReplyDeletexxx
Amen x
DeleteThis is a sad story and especially as your first reader says they may be suffering from their own virus too. But we'll done you for saving one.
ReplyDeleteHugs, x.