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.

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 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 May by Kay Bullen - BHPS

Sadly not all have had a good winter - this is Percy
who is very underweight

Most of the hedgehogs out and about now will hopefully be in good condition and will have replaced any weight losses from their hibernation.

So the next step in the hedgehog calendar is the breeding season. Courtship is a noisy affair with lots of huffing and puffing and circling around (the male circles the female). Once completed the pair will part company and perhaps never meet again. After a pregnancy of around 32 days 4-5 hoglet will be born in a nursery nest.

It is very important, especially at this time of year, that hedgehog nests are not disturbed.  Disturbance may cause the females to abandon or even kill their hoglets. Nursery nests can be almost anywhere, under an old shed, under clumps of garden plants, even under old rugs or polythene used as a weed suppressor. So if you know you have a hedgehog that is a regular visitors then it is likely to be a female rather than a nomadic male. In which case do take care and perhaps watch at night to see where she is coming from so you have a rough idea of where the nest may be.

Female hedgehogs are often like clockwork, they appear from roughly the same direction at around the same time each night. She may miss a few nights after giving birth preferring to stay with her hoglets night and day.

Sometimes females are seen in the early morning gathering bedding, this could well be a female about to give birth, so again note where she is heading so you know the location of her nest. Perhaps have a word with a neighbour if it appears the nest may be next door. This depends on the neighbour – they are not all wildlife friendly so use your judgement. This is one of the few times when healthy hedgehogs are seen in the day and when they do not need rescuing. They will be busy and moving with purpose - so enjoy the opportunity to observe, whilst not intruding.

If you need advice or find a sick or injured hedgehog 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.  

Hedgehogs in August - by BHPS

Those hoglets born at the start of the hedgehog season will already be independent. Some of you may have had the unforgettable experience of seeing a mother hedgehog trundle across the lawn followed by 3 or 4 miniature replicas.

Once they are 8 weeks old they will tend to disperse and mum may even try for another litter. Although these juveniles have had some experience of foraging, if the weather is very dry, they will struggle to find food. Putting out a dish of hedgehog food or meaty cat or dog food and a shallow bowl of water at this time of year is a good way to encourage one of this year’s juvenile to settle in your garden. 

If you have an uninhabited hedgehog box, now is a good time to clear out any old bedding and replace it with new. To check the box is empty place a small piece of screwed up paper in the entrance late one afternoon. If a hedgehog is sleeping there it will push the paper aside as it leaves the nest. Repeat for a few days to be absolutely sure nothing is using the box before opening it up. If there is a resident, do not open the box or attempt to clean it. To attract hedgehogs to a vacant nest box initially you could leave a trail of biscuits in and around the box. Once it is inhabited leave the food further away as they may encourage other visitors into the box and your original visitor may be displaced. Using dry hedgehog or cat biscuits means there will be no smell from decaying food and they can be left out for some time before they become inedible. Slugs may also be less likely to be attracted to them. This cuts down on waste and cost. Do remember to supply extra water as dry food will make them thirsty.

The numbers of some parasitic worms can increase at this time of year and some of the smaller hedgehogs may end up with very heavy worm burdens. Do keep an eye open for any hedgehogs about in the day that seem to be in trouble. Back in June and July quite a few hedgehogs may have been seen around at dawn and dusk because there are less daylight hours for them to forage in. Those hedgehogs will have been moving about with a purpose i.e. searching for food. Ones that are poorly will be listless (or even static), wobbly or both. Hedgehogs that appear to be asleep in the open are in trouble and need your help immediately.

If you find an abandoned hoglet or a sick or injured hedgehog either contact us (if you live in the area we cover) or 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 follow the link above. For more general information about hedgehogs and how to help them visit the BHPS website. 

The highs and lows of hedgehog care

The last few weeks have really had their highs and lows.

Low one: 

We've received lots of calls about hedgehogs and sadly many of them were just too poorly for us to save. Our first two hogs of 2014 have sadly not won the fight. But at least someone took the time to pick them up and find help (so I suppose this counts as a high).

Low two:

Shirley on the day she arrived at Elaine's

I received an email about one of our disabled hogs, Shirley. Shirley had been found lying on her side in the middle of a playing field, close to death. Unfortunately she had also been attacked by a rook, raven or a magpie which had so badly damaged her eye that it had to be removed. Shirley had been living with one of our fab full time fosterers, Elaine. Shirley had full run of the garden which she shared with one of our other disabled hedgehogs, Vince. Sadly at the end of last week Shirley's body was discovered. We don't know why she passed but at least we can say she had a little extra time to enjoy being a hog. I'd also like to thank Elaine for taking such great care of her. Without full time fosterers like Elaine we'd not be able to do the work we do.    

High one:

Colin Woodward

We've had some fantastic news in that we've received a fabulous donation from County Councillor Colin Woodward (Bishop's Stortford, West Division). It will be used towards our running costs for the next few months. The money comes from the Locality Budget Scheme. When we applied we didn't think that being such a small organisaiton we'd receive anything. The money is a much needed boost and we have already used some of it to cover the cost of a series of lung worm treatments for one of our 2013 hoglets. Thankfully she has responded so well that she has been relocated to one of our carers. She is undergoing a 'soft' release and should be released back into the wild by the end of this month.

High two:

Helen of the A120 surgery

Our second high has really come from one of our lows. We picked up a hedgehog from the A120 surgery which we believe may have been Bubble Boy. He had been given the full treatment and we kept our fingers crossed he'd pull through, sadly he didn't make it. I called Helen (our award winning vet) to tell her the sad news. Helen being Helen asked me to take his body in so she could do an autopsy (typically she did this in her own precious time and made no charge). What she found was very interesting and she has offered to autopsy all our hedgehogs (that are suitable) over the next few months. She is hopeful she can come up with a method of screening hedgehogs that will allow us to determine much sooner if treatment is going to work or if this treatment is just delaying the inevitable. We also plan to share her findings with The British Hedgehog Preservation Society, so they can be shared with other hedgehog carers. So if you find a hedgehog that has died within the last 48 hours (at the most) and is not badly mutilated (e.g. road kill) then please help Helen with her research by contacting the A120 surgery (just outside Little Hadham) and dropping off the body. Hopefully Helen's research will help us save more hedgehogs by improving the care they receive from the moment they come into us.

Looking For a Very Special Home

On the 8th October 2013 we took in a little hedgehog weighing just 218 grams. She'd been taken to Cheshunt Medivets who discovered wire wrapped right around her body. It had caused a horrific injury. Gemma (one of the nurses) spent ages carefully removing the wire and cleaned the wound. For the following two weeks Gemma (named after the nurse who originally helped) was taken to our vet (A120 Medivet) every other day for the next two weeks, so the wound could be checked and cleaned. To begin with her chances of survival were low. But she proved to be a fighter.

Gemma's wound three weeks after coming into us.

Against the odds Gemma has survived and is now thriving. However she has left us with a little bit of a problem, or rather the person who carelessly left the wire lying around has. Gemma is now unable to curl up. This means she can never be released. The following images show the damage the wire has done.

This is how a hedgehog should look from the back.

This is Gemma - the muscle that should enable her to curl up is badly damaged.

This is how a hedgehog should be able to curl up.

This is Gemma trying to curl up. 

So we are now on the hunt for the perfect home for Gemma. As you can see she has very special needs and will be the same sort of commitment as taking on a pet. Although she is used to be handled she is never going to be tame. It would be unfair of us to expect her to live her life in a small hutch and run. So we are going to be very, very choosy about where she will spend the rest of her life. So here is what she will need:

• Someone willing to take on the full responsibly and cost of looking after her, all year round for the rest of her life.
• Somewhere very secure, large (much larger than the average garden) that predators such as foxes cannot enter and with lots of vegetation for her to sniff around and enable her to be a hedgehog. 
• A place that is large, full of lovely things to sniff and warm for the winter months.

So if you are lucky enough to have a totally walled mature garden and a very large green house then you may be the person Gemma is looking for. Alternately do you work somewhere that has these things and you think you could talk the manager (or you may even be the manager) into offering Gemma a home.

If you are willing to help and think you have what Gemma needs please contact me at lynne@hertshogline.com 

Note:

Please be aware the average garden will not do - the place we are looking for needs to be very special indeed. 

Hedgehogs in October by Kay Bullen (British Hedgehog Preservation Society)

Some of the really large hedgehogs may go into hibernation this month but the smaller hedgehogs will still need to put on weight.  The colder weather makes some of the hedgehogs’ natural food become less active and eventually disappears, so putting out extra food for the hedgehogs can be a lifesaver.  It is not the cold that will kill these juveniles but the lack of food brought about by the cold, so even in really cold weather they will have to continue to forage.

Do take care when raking up leaves and tidying your garden.  Check there are no hedgehogs in pile of rubbish that you intend to bin or burn.  If you can perhaps leave a pile of leaves in a sheltered dry spot for a hedgehog to use.  Other creatures may also use it e.g. a toad perhaps.  The birds also like to turn the leaves over looking for worms and other invertebrates.  If you are clearing any drains of leaves try to find a cover for the drain to stop both leaves and hedgehogs from falling into that drain.  Make sure any netting from the Runner Beans, fruit trees etc. is stored away safely so hedgehogs cannot become tangled in it.  There can be so many dangers for hedgehogs in our gardens and if there is something to get caught up in then the hedgehog is sure to find it.  Have a look at our ”Gardening with Hedgehogs” leaflet on our web site.

People often say to me hedgehogs are full of fleas.  I have to say that when I started to rehabilitate hedgehogs over 20 years ago this was the case.  However this no longer seems to be the case.  Many of the hedgehogs taken in by rescue centres do not have fleas, some will of course, but a large proportion do not.  This is a worry because will the cause of the flea decline work its way up the chain and eventually affect hedgehogs.  If you want to find out more about hedgehogs visit the British Hedgehog Preservation Society’s web site at www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk  We have a leaflet called “Autumn Juveniles” that you may find of help and interest at this time of year.

If you find a hedgehog needing help or if you need more advice call the BHPS on 01584 890801 – it is better to be safe than sorry.