Albino Hedgehog

[CharlieCreek]

Crazyjoe, I'm not going to keep batting this backwards and forwards with you and it is rather distracting from the point of the thread now, I stand on my point you are entitled to your point of view.

A lot of things are 'wooly' and this means they can be argued either way either by a party keeping an animal or of someone investigating.

In order to avoid any 'woolyness' I as I suspect other rescuers etc do abide by the act and by the advice of organisations such as the British Wildlife Rehabilitation Council, RSPCA etc in the effect that you have to provide darn good proof and records of why you have any wild animal in captivity.

So lets with all due respect let that be an end to this discussion and allow the thread to continue about the hedgehog rather than our views or takes on acts etc.

[thunder]

Originally Posted by CharlieCreek

The two mammals that are a threat to hedgehogs are foxes and badgers, although an owl would have a go as well and indeed other raptors if the hedgehog was out in daylight (as confirmed by a couple of bird of prey experts for me a while back).

You also have to take the human element into consideration, sadly hedgehogs get used as footballs and remember the five impaled onto railings a while back so being very visible by humans isn't a great thing either. There are also unscrupulous people who deal in wildlife as well, a lady was prosecuted not long back for trying to sell European Hedgehogs.

But since Hedgehogs are mainly nocturnal, and Foxes and Badgers hunt mainly nocturnally, I suspect that there will be little added disadvantage to a Hedgehog in being white - certainly not enough to justify taking it into captivity (assuming it is otherwise healthy).

henrya

[Hedgehoggy]

Hi again , regardless of colour, if the hedgehog was out in daylight it’s likely he’s in need of help. It’s not as if he has to wait long at this time of year for nightfall before venturing out foraging. If you see him again, it wouldn’t hurt to grab him and take him to your nearest hedgehog carer for a quick check over. Dr Toni Bunnell (Lecturer at Hull Uni) is an expert in mammal conservation and also runs her own hedgehog sanctuary in York. Toni has also had many hedgehog papers published in scientific journals - her latest publication detailed here Welcome to Toni Bunnell's Homepage (I’ll PM you her contact details - it might be a good idea to give her a ring to discuss the situation beforehand).

I noted you edited your location details in your profile after my query – thanks for that The location of the adult albino I mentioned earlier was just listed as ‘North Yorkshire’ – that’s such a coincidence and it would be interesting to find out if it was in York too – it could even be a neighbour a few door’s down from you!! I wonder if Toni Bunnell may know anything of the other albino?

Originally Posted by butterflybird

Does anyone know if it's sight would be affected as it generally is in the albino human?

Probably, but then hedgehogs don’t have exceptional eyesight anyway, they rely primarily on their sense of smell and hearing. They can detect their prey (e.g. earthworm, beetle) buried approx 1 inch under soil.

Do please keep us updated

[Hedgehoggy]

Originally Posted by CharlieCreek

The two mammals that are a threat to hedgehogs are foxes and badgers, although an owl would have a go as well and indeed other raptors if the hedgehog was out in daylight (as confirmed by a couple of bird of prey experts for me a while back).

I don’t know about all corvids, but twice I’ve rescued a hedgehog from magpies during daylight – on both occasions the magpies were pecking at the [live] hedgehogs.

[Farplace]

Yes we have rescued hedgehogs who were being attacked by magpies - although I suspect that other corvids would give it a go too.

[CharlieCreek]

Originally Posted by Hedgehoggy

I don’t know about all corvids, but twice I’ve rescued a hedgehog from magpies during daylight – on both occasions the magpies were pecking at the [live] hedgehogs.

Yes magpies certainly, one of our latest juveniles in trouble in daylight was surrounded by pecking magpies which is what brought the hog to the attention of the people who brought him in.