Frosty hedgehog!

[Nick Smith]

We have recently moved into a new house and the previous occupant left a huge pile of rubbish behind the shed. We want to create a vegetable garden and decided to start clearing the rubbish away. This evening whilst moving piles of debris I found a hog, half submerged in a pile of earth half covered with leaves that had been under some timber. Because I had uncovered him I decided the best course of action would be to move him somewhere warm and safe. We have also been piling dried leaves up in a sheltered corner of the garden and surrounded them with a loose brick pile with gaps to allow creatures to come and go. The hog did not wake when I picked him/her gently up, I moved some of the leaves and placed the hog in the pile of leaves about 4-6 inches from the ground, about 4 inches from the bricks and covered by about 1 foot of loose leaves. My question is, will she/he be OK? I don't think the hog was very old, he/she fitted quite snugly into my cupped hands, was breathing rhythmically and didn't seem too bothered by the whole experience.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated. We have decided to make our garden a haven for wildlife with new hedgerows being planted soon, a wildlife pond will be dug also. We have seen one hedgehog but I doubt it is the same one as this one was smaller. It is great having at least 2 living in our garden

Thanks, Teddy and Peggy

[Hedgehoggy]

Hi, Teddy and Peggy the hedgehog will need taking into care. If you could let us know whereabouts you are in the UK, we should be able to give you details of your nearest rescue centre.

In the meantime, please bring the hedgehog indoors and keep it warm – place it in a high-sided box (hedgehogs are adept at climbing!), cat carrier, or similar secure container. Line the base with newspaper and loosely wrap the hedgehog in an old towel/fleece. If you can’t get the hedgehog to a rescue tonight, leave a little food and water in the box for it for when it eventually rouses from hibernation.

There are two reasons why I advise on rescuing this hedgehog:

Firstly, from your description, the hedgehog sounds too small to hibernate. Young hedgehogs can, and will, hibernate at 450g (1 lb) or less, but are unlikely to survive. It is preferable for them to weigh 700g+ (1.5 lbs) in order to hibernate successfully and be in sufficiently good condition to survive post hibernation.

Secondly, a hedgehog hibernaculum is constructed intricately so that the ‘sealed’ insulated nests remain at a steady temp inside* -- it's essential that a hibernating hedgehog’s body temp doesn’t fall below 1°C, or it will suffer frostbite or may even freeze solid and die if it fails to rouse from hibernation in time – the process of rousing from hibernation can itself take many hours and uses up valuable energy reserves. Therefore, placing an already hibernating hedgehog into a hand-made un-insulated nest could prove fatal for the hedgehog.

*Experimental work on hibernacula has shown that internal air temperatures range between 1 and 5oC for more than three-quarters of the time whilst external ambient temperatures are -8 to +10oC (West European hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus - Nests / Burrows / Shelters (Literature Reports))

Apologies for the long-winded reply! And thank you for caring and seeking advice

[Hedgehoggy]

Just re-read your post and noted you said the hedgehog was 'breathing rhythmically', which suggests it wasn't hibernating, just sleeping! Active hedgehogs have a heart rate of 190-280 beats per minute; this drops to less than 14 during hibernation and their breathing rate declines from 50 breaths per minute to 13 or less.

Nevertheless, the hedgehog sounds too small to hibernate so will benefit from being taken to a wildlife rescue centre for the duration of the winter.

[Nick Smith]

Originally Posted by Hedgehoggy

Just re-read your post and noted you said the hedgehog was 'breathing rhythmically', which suggests it wasn't hibernating, just sleeping! Active hedgehogs have a heart rate of 190-280 beats per minute; this drops to less than 14 during hibernation and their breathing rate declines from 50 breaths per minute to 13 or less.

Nevertheless, the hedgehog sounds too small to hibernate so will benefit from being taken to a wildlife rescue centre for the duration of the winter.

Hello, we live near Brandon Suffolk (closest largish town).

Think our nearest centre is East Winch near Kings Lynn.

(edit) Or there is one near Watton also, we live in Norfolk, just across the border with Suffolk.

Regards, T n P

[Hedgehoggy]

Thanks for getting back to us with those details

I'm sending you a PM of the contacts I have for Norfolk, but you may find a nearer rescue centre via this link (scroll down to Norfolk):

HelpWildlife.co.uk - Wildlife rescues in the east of England

[Nick Smith]

Originally Posted by Hedgehoggy

Thanks for getting back to us with those details

I'm sending you a PM of the contacts I have for Norfolk, but you may find a nearer rescue centre via this link (scroll down to Norfolk):

HelpWildlife.co.uk - Wildlife rescues in the east of England

Thanks, message received and understood.

Teddy and Peggy

[Nick Smith]

Well I got home this afternoon to find Henry/Henrietta as we christened him/her had decided my temporary residence was not to his/her liking and had scurried away to find somewhere better, or had dug him/herself deeper into the pile of leaves.

Oh well, our garden has loads of deep dense places to find a snug spot to spend the rest of the winter, fingers crossed he/she is fit and well and will make it.

Thanks, Teddy and Peggy.

[Hedgehoggy]

Aaw, typical eh?! At least you tried to help it, and your garden sounds ideal for wildlife . In the meantime, leaving a little dried food and water out would provide a lifeline for any hogs still trying to fatten up for hibernation/survive the winter. Kitten/cat bics are preferable, but if neighbourhood cats could be a problem by leaving these out, some dried mealworms, chopped (unsalted) peanuts, sunflower seeds/hearts (in fact most foodstuffs you would feed to your garden birds) would be equally appreciated by a hungry hedgehog