Not technically a pet- hedgehogs- need advice!

kyh

We found an adult hedgehog this morning on our patio. Hubby had seen 2 younger ones yesterday at the side of the garage which is where their nest seems to be.

She (educated guess as little ones close by!) seemed a bit disorientated and was out there for 2 hours before I went to work. Hubby then put her down by the nest where he had seen the little ones and it seems she may have been just lost.

I did ring Tiggywinkles for advice and they said if she was out during daylight something must be wrong but it is too far for me to take her there. I don't drive anymore and hubby is too cynical to "help" her any more than putting her by the nest. He said it is the natural order of things and hedgehogs have to die sometime

I tried putting down water in a shallow lipped plate and also some dog food as recommended on website about hedgehogs. Also tried to give her a slug as I know that is a small part of their diet but she didn't seem interested in any of it.

Any advice as to what else I can do to help if she is ill/ in need of help? Or should I just let nature take it's course?

roguebrogue

Have you tried searching the web/yellow pages for any wildlife rescues near to you? As many of them would probably take on hedgehogs. As tiggywinkles is too far it may be ideal if you can find somewhere nearer to you than can take them if they do need help.

kyh

I tried that this morning - Tiggywinkles gave me the number for someone supposedly close (12 miles away) who was exceptionally grumpy (she said she had been up with the babay hedgehogs until 3am!!) who was more cross at Tiggywinkles for saying she was the closest - but she is! Unfortunately although it is only 12 miles it is across NW London so would take for ever even if I could drive and she wasn't willing to come to me obviously.

I will assess again when I get home tonight and see how she seems - if no better then may take her to my local vet if they will see her! Just worried how much they will charge me?!

McKneff

Please just leave her alone - she will find her own way #
You'll be frightening her even though you are just trying to help

kyh

Annie

Thanks - by assess I meant see if she is still out in daylight as Tiggywinkles saw that as a sign of a problem - don't worry I'm not going to do anything to stress her but she really didn't seem well this morning - I'm hoping she was just disorientated.

roguebrogue

Whereabouts are you?

Probably best to just keepy a distant eye on her, and maybe leave the dog food out so at least you know there's food there if she wants to get it.

princess_loki

hello!

a few years ago i found a poorly hedgehog and took it to the vets. they didn't charge me as it was classed as a wild animal. unfortunatley they did have to put it down but i felt happier knowing that i had done something.

loki x

kyh

We are just outside Watford inside M25 - have been trying to look whilst at work today but doesn't seem anywhere close enough to us that I could get her if I needed to considering my unsympathetic/ realist hubby won't drive us. Will leave out food and water anyway and just see what happens.

cheepskate_2

can you not ask them what exactly should you be doing for the next few days, in regards to feeding and warmth, and if not better then quick trip to the vet, who should't charge.
Good luck keep us up t date on how it is. I hate to see wild animals hurt, you feel so helpless at least with a dog we know about them more.

kyh

Well Mrs H and her 3 little ones were seen out and about on the lawn yesterday afternoon by hubby so she seems to have just got herself lost in our garden. Put down water and some dog food for them last night then watched from upstairs window later on. Little ones definately found the food and we ended up having to put a bit more out for them. Also have been having water so I am wondering if they were dehydrated. We have had little decent rain here and there is no areas of standing water for them to access.

Hopefully this means she is ok - we will now leave down water for them and food every so often - don't want them to become completely dependent on us as a source of food.

Thanks for your advice!

Sirbendy

I only tend to disturb them if I find them curled up on roads or similar..I found a baby sat in the road the other day, balled up. I tend to find a convenient hedge or field to plonk them in.

I had one roaming around the house a few years back after finding it in the garden half dead..they're really rather fun. We built a hedgehog shelter in the bottom of the garden..still in use to this day.