Hedgehog help please

[Farplace]

Excellent news. Well done!
Jan

[Susie]

Thanks, Jan.

It's been a pleasure having him to be honest. I think next year we'll volunteer to take a few on if our local nature sanctuary need any helpers as it has been such a good overall experience plus we are learning all the time.

[Hedgehoggy]

Fantastic, Susie! Well done indeed Wonderful news too that this has been such a positive experience for you, that you're thinking of fostering for your local sanctuary next winter, and which I'm certain they'd be ever so grateful for

P.S. We're forecasted low temps for some time to come still, so your hoggy may probably best remain with you over the winter. Do you have a shed/unused garage/greenhouse you could now place him into? Even though your kitchen is unheated, it will still be much warmer in your house than a totally unheated outbuilding and moving him into a colder environment should induce hibernation. He sure has plenty of padding on him to see him through hibernation now!

[Susie]

Thanks.

Yes, he can go into the garage, although there isn't much natural light in there.

We were wondering if it would be alright just to carry on doing what we are doing, after all, there is no reason why hedgehogs have to hibernate and surely it must be a risky business for any creature albeit necessary in the wild when temperatures drop and food supplies run short?

[Hedgehoggy]

My only worry about not hibernating is if they become obese and will therefore not be able to curl up fully in defence upon release (end of limbs and snout will protrude when curled up if obese and this will offer no protection from a predator). In warmer climates where it's not necessary for them to hibernate, they continually have the freedom to roam long distances whilst foraging and this 'exercise' naturally keeps their weight down - something which they're unable to do in captivity whilst being over-wintered.

By all means, continue with your set up but perhaps look into switching his food to a lighter diet, especially when he reaches around 1.2kg. 'Lighter diet' is any wet/dried food specially formulated for overweight cats, e.g. Iams Proactive cat bics for overweight cats (which my blind hog is on! - not that she has to worry about predators, just her health). There are lots of animal diet foods available on the market, and you could introduce the new food a little at a time mixed in with his regular food, building up the amounts until all he's eating is the diet food. The diet formulas still contain all the nutrients they need, just a little less calories