Hedgehog Help

DoraMac · #1 (**permalink**) 20-03-2011, 10:21 PM

I found a cold small hedgehog in the garden on Friday morning. It had a very slow wobbly gait. Brought it into the house and weighed it - 480gms - now 500gms.

Gave it box, warm waterbottle, towels, water bowl and a variety of food with a lot of hope.

I have contacted a rescue centre and taken the advice but I'm not over optimistic about the hogg's future survival. It fights against captivity, wastes energy trying to escape.

It is eating and drinking at present, but if it starts failing on these counts I will consult a vet.

Hedgehoggy · #2 (**permalink**) 20-03-2011, 11:27 PM

Hi DoraMac, well done for rescuing the hog in the first instance.

The cause of your hog’s hyperactivity could be due to a few reasons:

1. When hogs first wake from hibernation, they’re very weak and very thirsty and will have lost approx 1/3 of their bodyweight, so must find food asap, as well as plenty of water to drink. Your hog may have just roused from hibernation and was suffering with dehydration and hypothermia. Now that he’s recovered from dehydration/hypothermia and is eating and drinking well, and gaining weight, it’s possible that he’s anxious to return to the wild.

2. He could be suffering with heavy worm burden/intestinal bacterial infection. What are his poos like? I think the best course of action (to err on the side of caution after getting him this far) would be to get him checked over by a wildlife friendly vet, who’ll treat him for any worms/infection. Most vets will treat wildlife for free, but best to ring in advance to check their policy. If the rescue centre you spoke with are local, ask which vets they use and take hoggy there.

If the vet gives the all-clear and hog is continuing to eat, drink and gain weight, and poos look normal, release at night back into your garden. Leaving a little food and water in your garden for hedgehogs (all year round) is a real life-saver in many, many cases.

Let us know how you both get on.

CharlieCreek · #3 (**permalink**) 20-03-2011, 11:35 PM

They are coming out of hibernation now and the hog can have lost in the region of 1/3 of its body weight during hibernation. So at 500 grams this could have been 700-800 gram hog before it went down.

How early in the morning did you find the hog as being out in daylight does point at issues.

However...

If it has just started to come out of hibernation it can be quite wobbly and slow initially.

Hedgehogs will tolerate being in captivity but some get very stressed by the situation, which is why they do need somewhere they can feel safe e.g. somewhere quiet, with materials in the box it is in that it can go under (old towels / straw / torn up newspaper.

With the water bottle this needs to be kept warm, if left to go cold it will have an adverse effect. If this is not possible then it is better to have it in a room at around 18 degrees without the water bottle rather then have it on a cold one.

If the hedgehog has no signs of visible injury, is eating and drinking and continues to gain weight over a couple of days with the wobbly gait being lost then I think it is safe to assume that it will be OK to release back outside (taking in account any reports of sudden temperature drops).

If it looses weight, the wobbly gait remains, or it shows other issues etc then contacting a rescuer or vet in your area would be the best thing to do. If you have any doubts then a rescuer will always be glad to help.

Cross posting with Hedgehoggy here and she has good points in there which I missed out! - must be slow at typing!

DoraMac · #4 (**permalink**) 21-03-2011, 08:07 AM

HH and CC

I found him early morning initially curled up ans pressed against a tree trunk. Initially I thought he was a mole hill - until he tried to wobble off.

I'm not sure what normal hog poo looks like but see pic below. He is still eating and drinking well and has gained another 15grams. His walking is much more steady.

If the vet gives him an all clear should I release him tonight? He spent most of last night trying to dig his way out of his box. The weather forecast is good here for the next few days. The rescue centre I contacted advised that they keep their hogs until the second week in April.

Sorry,I've previewed this post and see the pics are duplicated - not sure how to edit!

mbaldw · #5 (**permalink**) 21-03-2011, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoraMac

I'm not sure what normal hog poo looks like but see pic below.

There's a picture of the sort of hedgehog dropping I normally find on my site here:

Hedgehog Food (Scroll down a short way)

Bear in mind, though, that the exact nature of the scats will vary with the diet, but should generally be pretty consolidated, not green and runny.

Cheers,
Marc.

CharlieCreek · #6 (**permalink**) 21-03-2011, 04:41 PM

The thing to watch out with their poo is if it becomes green or a slimy green / gray or has stringy worms in it.

I would keep him for three or four more days and if he continue to gains weight and shows no issues then I would release. Release him back where you found him then he can find his way back to wherever his hibernaculum is. It would be a good idea to leave some water and food out in the garden on the nights to help him on his way for a while.

We have had a little wobbly hog in over the last few days who has now gained a good amount and we will release her back to the wild in a couple of days time rather than possibly stress her out by keeping her until mid April (Unless we suddenly had severe frosts or snow).

DoraMac · #7 (**permalink**) 21-03-2011, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CharlieCreek

The thing to watch out with their poo is if it becomes green or a slimy green / gray or has stringy worms in it.

I would keep him for three or four more days and if he continue to gains weight and shows no issues then I would release. Release him back where you found him then he can find his way back to wherever his hibernaculum is. It would be a good idea to leave some water and food out in the garden on the nights to help him on his way for a while.

We have had a little wobbly hog in over the last few days who has now gained a good amount and we will release her back to the wild in a couple of days time rather than possibly stress her out by keeping her until mid April (Unless we suddenly had severe frosts or snow).

CharlieC,

The hog has started squeaking loudly from time to time - I have never heard a hedgehog squeak like that before. It sounds a bit like a duck!

He does not appear to have any external injuries. His eyes and ears are clear and his breathing is not laboured. He is still eating and drinking with normal poo (I think), but I now think he needs a proper vet examination.

I tried releasing him in the garden thinking that he was so stressed in captivity, but although he no longer wobbled he moved very slowly and did squeak a short time after being set free. He is back in the box now and has settled under a towel but still squeaks frequently.

Can you, or anyone else with hedgehog knowledge advise?

I hope he is not in pain.

h3ath3r · #8 (**permalink**) 21-03-2011, 08:21 PM

for help, try Hart wildlife rescue 01420 562335 or hartwildlife.org.uk - they specialise in hedgehog rescue and could give advice

CharlieCreek · #9 (**permalink**) 21-03-2011, 08:22 PM

Screaming is associated with distress or pain. From a distance it is hard to really give any advice in this instance beyond if the hog is doing this on a regular basis then it is a trip to a vets or rescuers.

Please let us know how it goes.

Hedgehoggy · #10 (**permalink**) 21-03-2011, 09:06 PM

DoraMac, if he's squeaking he'll need to see a vet/rescue asap. Have you been able to check if all four limbs are fully intact, and functioning properly? Put him on the floor indoors and watch carefully how he walks, and look for any dragging limbs, or limping. Also check that he has all four limbs.