Hedgehogs in August • Kay Bullen, Trustee of the BHPS

Nest box tucked away in a quiet corner

There will be many newly independent youngsters around at this time and if there is a spell of dry weather, they may have problems finding sufficient food, this can apply to the adults as well, especially if females are still looking after their hoglets.

Providing extra food in dry weather can therefore be a life saver and a dish of water would also be invaluable.  Good quality hedgehog food, meaty cat or dog food or cat biscuits are suitable things to offer.  If you offer dry food, then the extra water is even more important.

If you want to encourage hedgehogs into your garden this is probably the best time of year to do it. There will be lots of youngsters dispersing from their birthplaces all looking for a new home patch, where they can build up weight ready for their first hibernation.  If you can provide a nest box for them, or even just a safe place for them to build a nest that may increase your chances of a long-term visitor. 

Should you have an unused or new nest box you could put a few dry cat biscuits in the entrance to encourage them to explore inside the box, once one starts using it, feed away from the box, as there may be conflicts between any new arrivals attracted to the box by the food and the new resident.

Hedgehogs having access to your garden by several “hedgehog holes” will also mean they can come into your garden more easily, some might pass through on their travels whilst others may be encouraged to stay, either in your garden or locally.  If neighbours are encouraged to do the same this will mean hedgehogs can move around your neighbourhood more easily.  However, do make sure gardens are hedgehog friendly before you encourage them to stay.

If you need advice about any hedgehogs contact the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, they can give general advice and perhaps details of a local hedgehog rehabilitator that you can contact.  Their website also includes ideas for feeding stations and nest boxes plus how to make your garden hedgehog friendly (see “Gardening with Hedgehogs” leaflet).  Contact them on 01584 890801 or for general advice and for leaflets visit their website. 

Hedgehogs in July • Kay Bullen, BHPS

Betty found out during the day

During July you can expect to see the first of the season’s hoglets coming out of the nest with mum. 

They will start to come out with her at around 4 weeks of age and continue to do this until they are around 8 weeks of age, after this time they will become independent and disperse.

There will still be new born hoglets arriving, born perhaps to last years later youngsters or perhaps when a mother loses her litter and starts a second one and later still when an early successful litter is followed by a second one.

Hedgehogs are not territorial although they can have home patches.  The females’ home patches will be smaller than the male’s.  She just needs enough space and a good food supply to rear her hoglets.  The males will wander further in the breeding season so have a larger home patch during this time.  Once the breeding season is over they will tend to range over a smaller area, concentrating on building a good fat reserve for their hibernation.

If the weather becomes very hot the ground will dry out and this can make foraging difficult as their natural food may burrow deeper into the leaf litter or retreat underground or under stones and paving slabs.  Putting out extra food during these times can help a mother hedgehog feed her hoglets and once they are coming out with her they may visit your feeding station for food. Good quality hedgehog food, meaty cat or dog food or cat biscuits are suitable things to offer.  Don’t forget to put out water for all your wildlife visitors as well, and keep ponds topped up so hedgehogs don’t topple in when looking for a drink.

If you are concerned about a hedgehog it is much better to seek advice sooner rather than later it is better to be safe than sorry.

If you need advice about any hedgehogs contact the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, they can give general advice and perhaps details of a local hedgehog rehabilitator that you can contact.  Contact them on 01584 890801 or for general advice and leaflets visit their website.

Hedgehogs in April • Kay Bullen - BHPS

The majority of hedgehogs will usually wake up during April and will be preparing for their year ahead.  

The first priority is to replace some of the weight they have lost during hibernation and they will be very thirsty, so make sure some clean ground level water is available for them.  Some may come out of hibernation in a very poor condition and may be found out in the day.  These will need to be rescued and passed on to a hedgehog rehabilitator.

If you have a hedgehog highway running through your garden make sure it has not become blocked up during the winter, access through many gardens is necessary to keep populations viable.  In the breeding season the males can travel several miles throughout the night in search of “love”.  

The males don't stay around to help raise the hoglets, they are nomadic wandering over a large area. They don't have territories to defend and any fighting is most likely be over a female hedgehog or a food dish. The females tend to have a smaller home patch in which they raise their hoglets, the size of the home patch is likely to reflect the amount of food available in the local area.

Hedgehogs tend to be solitary creatures only coming together for courtship or as a family unit when the hoglets are dependent on mum.  If hedgehogs should meet up there is often a lot of huffing and hissing, they also can do this when they feel threatened.  

Whilst not unheard of, April is generally a little early for hoglets to be born but there may well be some noisy courtship! There will be a lot of huffing initially and the male will circle the female, waiting for her to settle down before a very careful mating begins.  

If you want to attract hedgehogs to your garden have a look at the BHPS website for instructions on making a quick and easy feeding station and for more ways to make your garden safer for your visiting hedgehogs.  However firstly you need to make sure hedgehogs can get into your garden by creating a hedgehog highway visit www.hedgehogstreet.org and see how to link your garden to your neighbours.

If you are concerned or just need advice about any hedgehogs contact the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and they can give general advice.  Their contact number is 01584 890801 or email us at help@hertshgoline.com for advice.   

Chunkie Update

Isn't Chunkie absolutely gorgeous?
Taken 19/02/19 by Monique.

Monique and I have had a long chat about Chunkie and the feedback from the vet, who kindly looked at him today. 


Sadly we can't do anything about the scar tissue (caused by a plastic ring of a bottle caught around his middle when a very young hoglet). The vet discovered, that with manipulation whilst he was under anaesthetic Chunkie's leg can be pulled in. We could do therapy but it would be once a week under sedation. This is very risky, and we're just not prepared to risk his life and cause him additional stress. 

So... here's our plan:

Part one:

He'll stay with Monique for the time being in her indoor run, where we hope he'll lose some weight. It's hoped as he does (he's already lost 10 grams) it'll give some slack and he'll be able to pull his leg in. If this happens then he may have a chance to go back to the wild. 

Part two: 


If this doesn't work then we're looking for a very, very special home for him.


This home will have to have:


• A large secure, lush garden for the warm months. 
• A large area that can be kept warm during the cold months (as he can't hibernate). 
• An adopter wiling to cover the costs of his food and lodging. 
• An adopter who is prepared to make vet visits (we'll cover costs) as he may have additional health issues in the future due to the scarring. 

So...

If case part one of our plan doesn't work can you provide Chunkie with a forever home or do you know someone who does.

If so, please contact me at help@hertshogline.com

Alternately spread the word by sharing this link. THANK YOU!

How much to rescue a hedgehog?

I was recently asked how much time and money I spend looking after hedgehogs. I could give a rough estimate for the average cost over a year, as I always keep a track of income and expenditure. It tends to average between £1200 to £1500 per year. However, I've never worked out the monetary cost or time spent caring for a single hedgehog. So, I decided I'd work out how much it's cost to raise Doug over the last three weeks.

Doug enjoying his food.

Here's the results:

Time cost
For the first three weeks of his life Doug needed feeding on a continuous basis. For the first two weeks it was at least every three hours with the first feed at 6am and the last at midnight. On average it took 15 minutes. So over a three week period that totals approximately 36 hours!

Monetary costs
There's a lot of 'things' you need to care for a hoglet as young as Doug (approximately 2-3 days old when he was found). These include non-consumables such as:

• Towels - thankfully donated
• Pet carrier - again a much appreciated donation
• Heat Pad  = £30
• Small cage = £50

Plus small items such as storage pots, bowls and syringes etc.

Then there's food and cleaning products  (for the first three weeks):

• Goats milk x 3  = £4.95
• Puppy formula = £34.38
• Cotton wool balls = £1.50
• Sudacream = £3.00
• Napisan = £3.75
• Hand disinfectant = £18.15
• F10 cage cleaner = £11.99
• iD Hills food x 3 = £4.41

So to feed and keep him clean has cost around £80 for the first three weeks and we have at least 4-5 weeks to go!

Thankfully the next stage in his life is already covered because over the last 25 years I've managed to raise funds to purchase a range of items. This means I'm now in a position to care for up to eight hedgehogs at a time. This hasn't been cheap and the major purchases have been:

• A shed = £1200
• Six large hutches = £300
• Two small hutches = £60
• Nebuliser = £60
• Heater = £30
• Spare plug in heat pad = £30
• Snuggle safe heat pad = £10
• 2 spare pet carriers - donated
• Flooring - donated

So, in answer to the originally question I was asked. I think it's fair to say the cost may just surprise you.

Hedgehogs in June • Kay Bullen BHPS

This is the start of the breeding season and hoglets will be starting to arrive. You may already have seen the hedgehogs’ courtship with the huffing sounds and the male circling the female. Until she is ready to mate she will keep facing the male, so he will have to keep circling to try to approach from the rear.

If successful, after about 32 days 4-5 hoglets will be born. They’re naked, so no fur or prickles and they are deaf and blind as well. Within a few hours their first set of prickles push through, they are white and in straight lines down the back. The brown prickles start to appear after around 36 hours but the fur takes a little longer. Eyes open at around 14 days with the ears opening a few days later.

The babies would not normally leave the nest, to forage with mum, until they are about 4 weeks old and at this stage they are miniatures of their mother. Hoglets that appear before they are 4 weeks old are often orphans and they need help. Signs that hoglets are in trouble include, being out in the day, being lethargic and wobbling, squeaking loudly, flies being attracted to them. They soon become hypothermic, dehydrated and the flies will lay eggs on them that hatch into maggots.  Even the older ones will struggle if something has happened to mum.  uick action can save their lives. If you have any doubts about their wellbeing give the BHPS a call (01584 890801) or contact a local hedgehog rescue.

Until you’re able to contact someone put the hoglet(s) indoors on a covered, hand hot, hot water bottle (replace water as it cools). Put this in a high sided box and place a towel over them to keep in the warmth and give some security. Very small hoglets with their eyes still closed will be not able to take solids; for bigger hoglets you could mix some water with mashed up meat-based cat food to make it sloppy, don’t try to force feed them. Hand rearing is very complex, so they should be passed to a hedgehog rehabilitator as soon as possible.

If you only find one hoglet do bear in mind there could be others. Check your garden for more. If you’ve found the hoglet(s) on a walk, try to repeat that walk over the next 4-5 days or longer if possible to keep an eye out for any siblings that may also be in trouble.

If you are concerned about any hoglets or adult hedgehogs contact the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, they can give general advice and perhaps details of a local hedgehog rehabilitator that you can contact.

Hedgehogs in May • Kay Bullen BHPS

All the hedgehogs should be awake from their hibernation now.  The early risers may also be pregnant so now is a good time to think about making our gardens safer for them.
If you are setting traps put them somewhere where they cannot be reached by hedgehogs.   If you are using poisons again keep them out of reach of hedgehogs and any other animals, wild and domestic.  Many people do not realise that they have a legal duty to do their best to stop animals other than those targeted from accessing traps or poisons. The following is taken from an official Government web site.

Protecting other wildlife from harm you must protect other animals from traps or poison you put down for pests by:

• placing lethal traps under cover or so that other animals and birds aren’t caught

• preventing wildlife from eating poison you’ve put down

Many people use chemicals in the garden, some will be more wildlife friendly than others and there are various websites about organic gardening.  However if you feel you must use chemicals in the garden, especially if you have resident (and possibly pregnant) hedgehogs around here are a few tips.

Take time to read the instructions, when did you last read the suggested “dose” for the slug pellets you are planning to use. Try to restrict access to the chemicals, perhaps put pellets under a slate or old tile or a piece of old carpet and collect the dead slugs and snails up in the morning.  Please remember that killing slugs and snails reduces the amount of natural food in your garden for hedgehogs and some birds.

If applying a liquid application for your lawn perhaps use in the morning so it is dry by the time hedgehogs are out and about. Don’t leave any puddles of chemicals around that wildlife may drink or bathe in.  If possible cover the area treated to restrict access to other wildlife, you could perhaps use some carrot fly netting that allows light and water through but not animals. 

If you use ant powder or similar apply sparingly and wash it away before the evening – if a hedgehogs sniffs the powder it may be in serious trouble.

It is safer for you, your family, pets and wildlife to use non-chemical methods of pest and weed control where possible and appropriate, and when using approved humane traps check them regularly.

Hedgehog Awareness Week runs from 6^thto 12^thMay this year and is a perfect time to remind friends and neighbours to take care of hedgehogs when gardening you can find out more about the week on social media using #hedgehogweek or at the BHPS website.

If you are concerned about any hedgehogs you should see contact your local hedgehog rescue or the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (01584 890801), they can give general advice and perhaps details of a local hedgehog rehabilitator that you can contact.

Hedgehogs in April • Kay Bullen BHPS

More and more hedgehogs will be waking from their long hibernations. They will be very thirsty, hungry and in some cases weak and unwell.

Keep a good look out for any that need help, the sooner they are rescued the better the chance they will survive. 

Now would be a good time to introduce a new hedgehog box to your garden. Male hedgehogs are more nomadic in the breeding season so may only make and use a nest for a short time, indeed in the warmer weather they may just hide under a pile of leaves rather than making an actual nest. However, the females will be looking for a place to raise their family.  

If you have a new nest box you could sprinkle some hedgehog biscuits inside the box to encourage them in, but once there is an occupant stop leaving food in the box as it may attract other hedgehogs.  A female with new born would not welcome visitors and may abandon her young. Any feeding stations should then be a distance away from the occupied nest box.  

Do not be tempted to look inside the nest box, rather place a small piece of screwed up paper just inside the entrance, this will be pushed aside as the hedgehog emerges and you will know it is occupied.  Repeat after 3-4 days as sometimes a female will not leave the nest for several days after giving birth. It really is important not to disturb the box when it is occupied.

If you are concerned about any hedgehogs you should see contact your local hedgehog rescue or the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (01584 890801), they can give general advice and perhaps details of a local hedgehog rehabilitator that you can contact. 

Hedgehogs in February by Kay Bullen (BHPS)

Surprisingly there may still be a few hedgehogs around this month especially where people put out food regularly. This extra food allows the smaller hedgehogs to decide when they are ready to hibernate rather than be forced into a hibernation because of lack of food. However, some of the smaller hedgehogs will not have sufficient fat stored to allow them to even contemplate hibernation and the extra food is a real-life saver for them.

Tidying the garden

Do take care when tidying the garden, piles of leaves and compost heaps may well be providing sanctuary for hibernating hedgehogs.  Some hedgehogs hibernate in pampas grass so burning the grass to remove the dead leaves can be very dangerous for them, indeed any burning in the garden should be undertaken with caution.

What to do if you find a hedgehog 

If you should find a hedgehog out in the day, particularly if it is wobbling or has fallen asleep in the open, this is some basic first aid for it. It needs to go into a high-sided box, use a piece of towel or similar to pick it up without getting prickled and bring the box indoors. Cover a hot water bottle with a towel (use warm/hot water so as not to scald the hedgehog but to provide a nice gentle heat) and place the hedgehog on this leaving the cloth you that you used to pick it up covering it. It can have some meat-based dog or cat food and a dish of water.  Don’t forget to keep changing the water in the bottle as if allowed to go cold it will do more harm than good. If you don’t have a hot water bottle use a plastic milk carton or drinks bottle and loosely wrap a towel around the hedgehog and bottle to keep them together, remember this will lose heat more quickly than a hot water bottle so keep changing the water or swapping the bottles. Make sure the water isn’t hot enough to damage a plastic bottle, but warm enough to offer some heat for the hedgehog.

Where to find help 

If you are concerned about any hedgehogs you should contact the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, they can give general advice and perhaps details of a local hedgehog rehabilitator that you can contact.  Contact them on 01584 890801 or for general advice visit their website (follow link above). 

The Year That Was 2017

2017 was a year of successes and a year of frustrations. So, I wanted to share with you some of the highs and a lows. So here goes!

Our volunteers and supporters 
As always without the physical help and the generous support of the local vets and our supporters I'd never be able to do the work with the hedgehogs that I do. So thank you to the following vets for their continued support:

• The A120 Medivets
• Stansted Abbots Medivets
• The Bishop's Stortford Veterinary Hospital 
• Mercer and Hughes

One of the many lovely paths
in Birchanger Woods

Plus:

• Elaine - for taking on our latest disabled hedgehog
• Monique - for stepping in to take hedgehogs when we couldn't
• Rob and Di, Maddi and Helen - for being fab fosterers
• Michelle, Jayne, Michelle, Anne and Phil - for taking on the care and release of our successes
• Pat from Mutts in Distress for your support and supply of towels.
• Karen for running a quiz night for us and raising a staggering amount!
• Pat (warden of Birchanger Woods) - for your continued care of our two disabled hedgehogs and  allowing us to use the woods as a release  site 

AND everyone who kindly and generously donated either much needed supplies or cash!

Stats - calls

The shed after its revamp

I never keep a log of the phone calls I take but I'm guessing it's in the low hundreds. However, I've taken more calls this year from outside the area we cover. For example I've spoken not only to those local to us but also people in Watford, Hatfield, Luton plus a few from the other side of London.

Stats - costs
Last year was an expensive year with our paid for outgoings of just over £1,600. This figure doesn't include the generous donations that were paid directly into our local vets to cover vet bills (this was a couple of hundred - so THANK YOU). However, it does include the purchase of a lovely new hutch and run and the revamp of the shed (both we were only able to do because of all those lovely people who came along to the quiz night organised by the even more lovely Karen). I've just completed the end of year books and we're in credit! It may be just under £10 but we've covered all our bills for 2017 - so I'm a very happy hog carer (because that doesn't happen often).        

Stats - Hedgehogs
Since keeping records (prior to the year 2000 I didn't bother) we've had 761 hedgehogs come to stay in the hedgehog shed. This year we took in and cared for 42 hedgehogs (I only count those who come into the shed, not those who sadly didn't make it to us because they died at the vets). Of those 42, 19 survived and 23 died. Unfortunately the high mortality rate this year was because of the salmonella outbreak. It was perhaps one of the hardest times I've had to go through with the hedgehogs.  

Came in around 75 grams each.
That's a 50p next to them!

Ending on a high
Although part of this year was the hardest it's always outweighed by the successes and without a doubt these six little bundles of cuteness were that success. Sadly their mother died but the person who found them acted quickly and got them to us whilst they were still in good health. It may have taken a lot of late nights and a lot of very early mornings but all six survived and were released in late summer. Their survival is also due to the  wonderful 'day care' service provided by everyone at the A120 Medivet. I wouldn't have been able to juggle caring for them and keeping down a day job without that support.

Your continued support
Just before Christmas I was informed by Waitrose in Bishop's Stortford that we're in their blue token charity pot for January. So if you shop in Waitrose or know someone who does please do pop that blue token in our slot.

Lastly THANK YOU for your support during 2017 - it is appreciated more than you'll ever know.

With Fingers Crossed

Sadly earlier this month we had a couple of cases of salmonella and although we tried our hardest we still lost a couple of hedgehogs. So, I was forced to close our doors. In order to be able to open the doors again I've had to clean the shed from top to bottom. So as the sun was out yesterday (Sunday 19th November) this mammoth job was undertaken.

Firstly I invested in loads of heavy duty cleaners.

Then anything that could carry something nasty was burned. So paper, towels etc. are now ash. Thankfully loads of people donated towels - including the local U3A. This means all the towels I had to burn have already been replaced.

Bowls, spoons etc. have also been binned and new ones will be purchased within the next week or so.

Then all cages and equipment were removed from the shed - I didn't realise how much you could get in a 6' x 8' shed.

   

It was then scrubbed and scrubbed and left to dry in the sun.

  

Some five-ish hours later everything was back in the shed, looking cleaning and sparkly.

Then swabs were taken from the work surfaces, the shelves and two of the cages.

Finally, this morning I dropped the swabs off at the fab A120 Medivets and with fingers crossed the shed is given the all clear and the doors can be re-opened.   

How To Help Us Help Hedgehogs

I'm often asked by people who are passionate about hedgehogs how they can help us. Apart from spreading the word and making gardens a hedgehog haven there are a number of ways supporters can support our work and they are:

Method one: 
Do your online shopping via The Giving Machine and we receive a commission on all your purchases. It's free to join, they have a free to download app (so you won't forget to shop via their website) and now partner with over 1,500 different retailers, including many of the big chains.

Method two:
Buy something from our Amazon Wishlist by clicking on this link. An address is now linked to the Wishlist, so you shouldn't be asked for one. However if you are just email me at lynne@hertshogline.com and I'll provide an address.   

Method three:
Help us cover our vet bills by adding credit to the hedgehogs account at one of the vets below:

• A120 Medivet just outside Little Hadham - click here for their contact details
• Bishop's Stortford Vets on Rye Street - click here for their contact details

Method four:

Hold a fund raising event e.g. tea party, sell items on a stall, bring and buy sale etc. Then either give one of the vets above a call or purchase something from our Wishlist.   

THANK YOU!

Hedgehog Heros

There are some vets who simply don't treat wildlife. There are some who would give a check over, find a major injury and would put to sleep. There are others who would Xray but upon seeing the injury in the Xray below would put to sleep. There are others who will offer to remove the leg but will expect to be compensated for their expertise. I understand this, they're a business. Then there are vets who go above and beyond. Lucky for this little hog (now known as Patricia) was taken to Cheshunt Medivets who as you can see are willing to do what ever it takes.

What follows are some amazing photographs of Patricia undergoing a long and tricky operation which was carried out by the brilliant Lindsay and Patricia.

Patricia is still in the care of Cheshunt Medivet. I've been told she's doing well and have been promised to be kept up-to-date with her progress. So fingers crossed she'll make a full recovery.

Please note: I've been given permission to share these photographs. The copyright remains with Cheshunt Medivets - so please respect their copyright and do not copy from this blog and use for your own purposes  However please feel free to share the link to this blog, so everyone can see just how fab the staff at Cheshunt Medivets are.