Young Hedgehog out in daylight

[Purplepixii]

I have just been outside and there is a young hedgehog eating bird food that has dropped from the feeders above.

I filled the hedgehog food tray (I feed them daily, albeit usually overnight!) and put it down next to him. The hedgie is now sat in the food bowl stuffing its face!

The hedgie is a little bigger than the size of my closed fist. It looks healthy and is alert, but I'm surprised to see it in daylight. Has hunger brought it out?

Now the question:

Do I leave it alone and let nature take it's course or does it need human intervention?

Any advice gratefully received
Pixii

[Hedgehoggy]

Hi Pixii, I had exactly the same scenario in my garden last Saturday lunch time. I brought him in, checked him over for injuries etc., and concluded he was just very hungry. He also had quite a heavy worm burden, which was easily treated. Over the course of three days he stopped coming out during the daytime to feed and had established a nocturnal routine so I released him back into my garden on Thursday night. Ideally, I would have preferred to have kept him a little longer until he gained a bit more weight, but by Wednesday night he was desperate to be on his way again.
Could you possibly do the same?

[I've had a stream of hoglets passed to me by my vet over the last few weeks, all found out during daylight searching for food, most of which just needed fattening up before releasing]

[Purplepixii]

Hi, thanks for the fast reply

I've just been outside and the hedgie has gone, as has quite a bit of it's food! I am more than happy to keep an eye out for it and intervene as suggested, can I check a couple of things though please as I want to be prepared for it's return:

1) I have a spare plastic cat carrier (reasonable size). Is this an ok temporary residence for the hedgie?

2) What should I put inside the carrier with the hedgie?

3) Where should I keep the hedgie while I'm looking after it? Outside in the garden or in the house? Should it be kept in the dark or is daylight ok?

Many many thanks
Pixii

[Hedgehoggy]

Just keep checking to see if he comes out again, but hopefully he had a good feed and won't be back till tonight. If you do see him out again today, a cat carrier will be a perfect temp residence; line it with newspaper, and place an old towel or similar at the back of the carrier for the hoggy to bury into and sleep. Leave food and water in [preferably] heavy shallow dishes so they can't be tipped over. Keep him indoors in a quiet room with natural light so the hoggy will still experience daytime and nighttime.

I've got to pop out now, but will check back here later, so any other queries just shout!

[pattie may]

I bought some heavyish white flat bottomed dishes from Sainsburys. They are about 5" across and 3/4" deep. They cost 99p each. My inside hedgehogs couldn't knock them over very easily.

[Purplepixii]

I've been out for the past couple of hours but have just got home and checked the garden and there is no sign of the hedgie (I have a mental image of it lying on it's back with it's feet in the air going "ooooh I'm stuffed!" )

Being a smoker I'm often in the back garden so I will keep an eye out for it.

Thanks for advice, will update thread if it re-appears

Pixii