Little Things Create BIG Problems

On 30th April I picked up a hedgehog from our local vet which I didn't think would still be here on the 2nd May. A large male who was named 300412 (also known as Hair Band) was in a pretty bad way. If he hadn't been found when he had he most certainly would have died.

Hairband was so unwell he was allowed to eat tea whilst still in bed!

He had been discovered caught on a nail on a fence (thankfully it had not penetrated too deeply) and had a hair band wrapped around his middle. He had endured the downpours we have experienced without shelter and was covered in mud.  He was very cold and in a great deal of distress and was having problems standing. Thankfully he appears to be on the mend, although I think it may take a few weeks before he sees grass again.

The sad thing is if that nail had not been sticking out and someone had picked up that hairband he may never have needed to come in to us.

So next time you're out in the garden try to think small things create big problems. Look around and ask yourself is there anything in your garden that could cause a problem to wildlife. For example an empty flower pot can be a death trap for a fledging if it becomes trapped and cannot escape. Also when out and about if you see an elastic band, hair band or one of the plastic can holders please pick it up, pop in your pocket and pop into the bin (once you've cut it up).

That small act can make a big difference!  

Behind The Scenes

Not many people get to see behind the scenes and inside the hedgehog shed. Which is lucky really because most of the time it smells of hedgehogs (not a good smell) and it isn't often tidy (much like my house). However I recently discovered there was a competition for Shed Of The Year. So decided our shed may just be different enough to have a chance of winning the prize.

So I gave it a quick tidy and took some shots. I then completed the application form and uploaded some images. If you'd like to see our entry please click here.

Now the hedgehog shed (also known as the hedgehog rehabilitation unit) was part funded by the Peoples Trust for Endangered Species and as you can see it looks an ordinary 6' x 8' green shed from the outside.

Tasha often helps at feeding time by picking up food I drop  

However a lot is packed into a small space. The shed can house (comfortably) 12 hedgehogs but there have been times when it's housed 16. This meant I had to prepare meals on the floor, as the work surface was covered by pet carriers housing hoglets.

The view as I open the door

On the left there are 8 purpose built hutches. All made by my Uncle Albert from reclaimed wood. These are lined with tiles for ease of cleaning and have a separate sleeping and run area. Each hutch houses (normally) a single hedgehog and on the front is a data card.

Cleaned with dinner ready and waiting

Under the work surface on the right there are two cages that house our really sick hedgehogs and hoglets. These contain plug in heat pads that keep a constant temperature. When unwell hedgehogs often have problems keeping their body temperature up, so a heat pad helps with this.      

Ready and waiting for the next unwell hedgehog

Above these I have two high sided grey pallets (donated by a friend) that are used for the very small hoglets. I use these as it allows me to keep a constant temperature (they also have heat pads in them) and also the hoglets can't escape by squeezing through the bars (which has happened in the past). 

The smallest hoglets raised to date weighing just 32 and 34 grams

Now you've seen inside HQ I'll take this opportunity to show you just two of the gardens owned by our carers. 

  

This is owned by Alan and is totally enclosed

Alan's job is to assess how a hedgehog will cope if released. Once a hedgehog has been with him for a couple of weeks we can decide if it is suitable for release or needs to live in one of our large enclosed gardens. 

This belongs to Rob and Di and is used as part of our release strategy

In here we can hibernate hedgehogs over winter. Then when the weather is right the door is opened and if they stay they stay if they go they go! We do try to alternate the gender of the hedgehogs in the hopes they discover one another and breed.   

I hope you have enjoyed seeing behind the scenes and if you have time please like our entry for Shed Of The Year 2012 clicking here.

Tripods Check-up

On the 22nd March I picked up from one of our carers a hedgehog who'd had a back leg amputated. As with all major operations we always play it safe and get our vet to do a check-up for us. Today Tripod (don't blame me for the name that was our vet Helen's suggestion) had his.

I just wanted to share with you how it went.

Now if you know anything about hedgehogs you'll know if they don't want to co-operate they just curl into a ball and refuse to uncurl. Therefore they often need a little persuasion. So Tripod was popped into a box and given a little whiff of gas:

After a while Tripod became sleepy and Helen was able to have a good look at his wound:

She found the wound was healing well however it needed a clean up. So poor Sophie (she needs hands-on experience with wildlife as part of her nurse training) was given the task of carefully cleaning with wash and cotton wool buds:

Once the wound was cleaned and checked again it was time for a little oxygen to help Tripod wake up and a little warm on a heat pad:

You may notice a few flakes of 'stuff' on the blanket. I had noticed Tripod was losing a few spines and hoped it was mange and treated. However the spine loss has continued and the skin is now a little flaky, so these were collected up and have been sent off to the lab. They're going to see if they can grow us anything nasty. If they do at least we know what to treat Tripod for.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the following:

John, one of our supporters/hog carers who did a little fund raising for us and the money he raised covered the cost of the lab test. 

The A120 Medivets for providing their expertise free of charge.

Attimore Vets in Welwyn Garden City for providing the primary care and the removal of Tripods leg.

Without the support of such fantastic vets we would never be able to do our job - so THANK YOU guys!       

An Update on Helen

Just three weeks ago when you last saw Helen the hedgehog she looked like this:

Recovering after the removal of ticks, a grass seed from her eye and a full exam

Today she was picked up by one of our fosterers and looked like this:

Weighing a massive 775 grams

What a difference three weeks can make.

This evening she will discover she has regained her freedom and her release site is this purpose built enclosure. The door will be left open, so she can wander in and out. Also a bowl of food and water will also be left out and the bonus is if she decides she's not quite ready she can stay at long as she likes.

And yes it is a huge as it looks!

We're keeping fingers crossed Helen the hedgehog bumps into Harry, who spent a pampered winter in the same enclosure and a little magic happens. 

We'll keep you updated.    

With A Lot Of Help From My Friends

When Herts Hogline first started caring for hedgehogs there was just me. However that was around 20 years ago. Now I have a lot, and I mean a lot of help from my hedgehog loving friends. As of January 2012 Herts Hogline is made up of:

• 2 full-time fosterers caring for disabled hedgehogs
• 3 supporters who donate food and collect used printer cartridges and old/foreign coins
• 1 supporter who makes and donates for resale fab key-rings and fridge magnets (click here to see the key-rings) 
• 14 carers who look after hogs in their back gardens 

Plus the support of Helen and her team of nurses at the A120 vets just outside Little Hadham, Bishop's Stortford.

Without the help and support of this dedicated 'team' Herts Hogline would not be in the business of rescuing hedgehogs. To prove this point I wanted to share the story of a visit to the A120 vets on 9th March 2012.

Our first hedgehog of 2012 came in covered in ticks, very skinny, unwilling to eat and she had something wrong with her eye. So off she went for a full examination. This entailed a whiff of gas followed by:

The deft removal of a grass seed that had become lodged in the eye, with the help of a damp cotton wool bud.  

This is the offending grass seed

The expert removal of the many, many ticks that had not been killed by the tick treatment the previous day. You can just spot a huge tick under her chin!

A good feel of all limbs to ensure there were no cuts or breaks. As it is common for hedgehogs to come in with horrendous leg injuries. And yes those grey ovals are ticks making a run for it! 

And once given the all clear this is 'Helen the Hog' (as she has been named) wrapped in a towel next to a hottie to recover from all the TLC she had just received.

'Helen' is doing well and is beginning to find her appetite. Although I doubt she'll be released back into the wild in time to have a spring litter of hoglets. I'm hopeful with a little help from a carer she'll be back in the wild in time to make some autumn babies.