baby hedgehog

cali · #1 (**permalink**) 24-08-2010, 07:48 AM

hi i have a baby hedgehog,he only weighs 63g but is eating well by himself,im told he is about 4 weeks old but seriously underweight..
he seems ok eating but i havent seen him drink yet,im feeding chicken cat food,i have tryed to syringe water into his mouth but he wont take it will he get the mositure he needs from his food??
also what is the ideal weight gain per day for his size?? when i got him he was 61g and put on 2g in a day is this ok??
thanks in advance for any advice.
cali

faz · #2 (**permalink**) 24-08-2010, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cali

hi i have a baby hedgehog,he only weighs 63g but is eating well by himself,im told he is about 4 weeks old but seriously underweight..
he seems ok eating but i havent seen him drink yet,im feeding chicken cat food,i have tryed to syringe water into his mouth but he wont take it will he get the mositure he needs from his food??
also what is the ideal weight gain per day for his size?? when i got him he was 61g and put on 2g in a day is this ok??
thanks in advance for any advice.
cali

hi cali welcome to WAB
if the hoglett is 4 weeks old he should weigh at least 113g meaqt pet food is good to give him DO NOT GIVE HIM COWS MILK AND BREAD it will upsett his tummy you need to keep him warm this most imporant 75f you could also give him dry cat food to keep his teeth sharp and clean you may also need to stroke to help him go the toilet as mum would lick his tummy in the wild up to about 4 weeks old they do needd water as they dont get it from ther food which in the wild is worms beetles etc as they are insect eaters they will hibernate usally from november and march the last bit of advice is to call a hog rescue center

SpikyPhasmid · #3 (**permalink**) 24-08-2010, 08:29 AM

Is this a wild British hedghehog, or is it one of the African pygmies commonly kept as pets?
I'm not knowledgable about hedgehogs but thatmay be important information for people answering. I hope he gets better. Hedgehogs are painfully cute.

cali · #4 (**permalink**) 24-08-2010, 09:07 AM

hi it is a wild hedgehog i found it in the middle of the day laying on its side, ithought it was dead but it soon responded when placed on a hot water bottle,and apears to be doing well,moving pooing and eating.
cali

paulinemiller10 · #5 (**permalink**) 24-08-2010, 10:22 AM

I would mash his food up to make a creamy mix, it will help get liquid into him, you can add a teaspoon of complan, oat one from boots, it has vitamins, also add goats milk to the mix, you need to treat him like a baby.

Hedgehogs that have been without food for sometime will eat huge amounts, it can upset their stomachs, best to give them a creamy mix a little at a time until their stomachs start working again. Pauline.

mbaldw · #6 (**permalink**) 25-08-2010, 08:01 AM

Hi Cali,

in addition to what the others have said, one of WAB's hedgehog carers (Hedgehoggy) has written some instructions on caring for young hedgehogs, which are on my website:

Caring for Hedgehogs

Other sites that you might also find helpful include:

Caring for Hoglets (British Hedgehog Preservation Society)
Caring - Epping Hedgehog Rescue
Hedgehog Bottom Rescue

Good luck with your new charge.
Cheers,
Marc.

cali · #7 (**permalink**) 25-08-2010, 08:18 PM

hi i have been in touch with a hedgehog rescue and they have kindly sent me a heat mat and loads of info.he seems to be doing ok put on 2g yesterday but hasnt eaten much today.thanks for your replys.cali

pattie may · #8 (**permalink**) 26-08-2010, 02:49 PM

Welcome Cali,

I found a 3/4 week old hedgehog two years ago. I also contacted a hedgehog expert. She suggested that I feed him cow's milk and then mashed a small amount of chicken cat food into it. I fed him though a plastic syringe for the first week or so. He gained weight very slowly but then put on large amounts of weight when he was eating by himself. He hibernated in the following January and was released in the spring near to the hedgehog expert who would feed him if he turned up in her garden (she was not as close to busy roads as I am). Hopefully he is still exploring the countyside by her. I became very attached to him and still think about him but he needed to be returned to the wild.