Hedgehogs

[EvanDavis]

A friend of mine has one of them silly big American Bulldogs He is really a huge softy. Anyway at the weekend he was at the end of the garden. They have a huge hedge ( conifer I think) anyway said beast was barking and barking, they went to have a look and found the little hog that is in the attached pics. They have contacted the local hedgehog society, but they said there was no rescue service in their are and rather to try bring the kid up on their own, rather than contact the RSPCA, as they would more than likely put it down.
Anyway pics, lil one is about 6 weeks old, and his name is Sonic (yeah I know, origianal)

 

[Anon_F]

Evan, not sure the distance from you, but check out Wildlife Aid in Leatherhead.



Randalls Farm House, Randalls Road Leatherhead Surrey England KT22 0AL

09061 800 132 (50p/min)

Fax: 01372 375183

Administration Enquiries only :01372 377332
If you need to report an animal casualty please call the emergency helpline on 09061 800132. This line is available 24 hours a day, all year round.

 

[muckshifter]

If that HH is around 600grams, then it was perfectly ok to leave it be ... this time of year, especially when we get a couple cold mornings, HHs go in search of a good place for hibernation.

Hope you can find a shelter for it.

 

[EvanDavis]

Hope you can find a shelter for it.

wELL i HOPE MY FRIENDS CAN SHELTER IT.

 

[TriplexDread]

Aww it'll be fine. A few day's and itll be jumping through Hoop's and chasing after squirrel's

 

[Taffycat]

Aww it'll be fine. A few day's and itll be jumping through Hoop's and chasing after squirrel's

Flippin' 'eck TXD, sounds scary!!

Aww, it's a very cute little fellow Evan, I hope he thrives

 

[cirianz]

I do know that, if they grow up tame, hedgehogs make very good pets and are much smarter than most people realise, but if they are raising it tame then they will have to keep it. It just won't have that fear of humans that is so essential for survival for any wild thing.
By the look of it it is quite old enough to survive on it's own, we get hogs that sort of age around here all the time in late summer-autumn, laying down the fat after leaving the nest. Getting ready for the winter sleep. Usually it's enough just to leave out some food for them (they love cat bikkies) to help them build up the layers if all your friends are out to do is give a helping hand.
But my feeling from the pictures is that they want to make a pet of it, which is fine if they are prepared to follow through. As I said hedgehogs make good pets and can live long, happy lives that way. But, if they think they can look after it for a while then 'release it into the wild' then they are not doing it any favours and will likely reduce it's chances of survival by removing that fear

 

[historian]

I can`t believe that the RSPCA would put down that little feller

why?
historian

 

[historian]

Hello Cirianz.

Can you tell me if hedgehogs are natural to NZ,or were they "imported" to NZ by early European settlers?
historian

 

[cirianz]

New Zealand does not go big on native mammals, even our rats & mice were accidental imports from the very first moriori colonists. I think we have some native bats, but that's about it so yes, hedgehogs were imported. It's hard to imagine why except perhaps as some attempt at biological pest control but I have to confess to a complete lack of personal remorse, having grown up leaving out saucers of bread & milk for them (I didn't know then that it was bad for them ) And having spent such a lot of time as an adult rescuing them from roadside injury, mange & flystrike I still adore them and still bawl like a baby whenever I have had to have an injured hedgehog put down. I am very lucky in that I have a very good vet who treats all of the injured wild animals that I bring in for free, up to & including surgery, on the understanding that, if the treated animal cannot be released into the wild after recovery then I will continue to look after it properly and well afterwards. It has led to some very interesting, sometimes fun and sometimes heartbreaking, but never regretted, animal adventures over the years.