Whats best for a baby hedgehog

[zippy00]

Hi first post from a lurker

I have quite a few hedgehogs visiting the garden every night and i've been lucky enough this year to have lots of babies. Most of them have put on weight nicely, but i'm a bit concerned about the smallest of the littler. He's still very small and the only one who spends the evening in the garden, the others mostly eat their dinner and run.

I've just ordered him a nice warm house house, but i'm wondering what to do for the best now with the nights getting cold, should I weigh him with view to bringing him in or hope he settles in the new house and keep putting food and water out for him throughout the winter. He looks half the weight of the other babies and I would guess nowhere near 600g. Catching him is going to be a problem though as he runs rather than curl up in a ball!

Many thanks for any advice, if I need to bring him in, please can someone explain exactly what I need to do, what to put him in, how big should it be, will he still hibernate and should I keep him in the house or garage, should I feed as I am now etc, sorry lots of questions thanks again x

[mbaldw]

Hi zippy00,

I'm sure one of the experts will be along shortly to give you advice, but in the meantime 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.

[zippy00]

Thank you for the links i'll have a read through x

[Hedgehoggy]

Hi zippy00, it very much depends on how much the little guy weighs as to the best advice to give you. Depending on weight, there is still plenty of time for him to gain the necessary weight to hibernate if you continue to leave food and water out for him and the addition of a warm cosy des res would be an added bonus. You would need to weigh him regularly, say every couple of days, to ensure he’s gaining weight and take that opportunity to check him over for ticks etc (these brief ‘alien encounters’ won’t frighten him off, his need for food is far greater!). The little ‘uns usually hibernate later than the large ‘uns, with some still out and about as late as end of December.

Alternatively, still depending on weight, you could bring him in now and keep him until he reaches 600g+ then release back into your hog house in your garden on a mild winter’s day (no later than end of December).

The minimum weight recommendation for intervention varies around the country and is therefore guidance only. One factor accounting for such a variation is geographical, i.e. winter generally arrives earlier (and is colder) in the north, so southern hedgehogs have a little longer to build up their fat reserves than their northern counterparts.

Hedgehogs will periodically rouse from hibernation and some leave the hibernacula to search for food and water, or even build a new nest during the winter. It is important, therefore, to continue to leave food and water out for your garden visitors all during the winter as the process of rousing from hibernation expends huge amounts of energy and calories and leaves them in a weakened state.

Good luck catching Sonic for a weigh-in!