03/10/2025
The weather this year has been a bit nuts and has had some detrimental effects on hedgehogs. We went from high 30°c down to 5°c in a short space of time and there are mums still trying to raise their babies whilst thinking they should be nest making for hibernation.
The upshot of this is, down south certainly, we're getting calls for abandoned little ones. Saturday I took in a mum and 125g young girl and today a 70g little boy who was so cold he hurt my hand as I tried to warm him up whist getting the ICU ready. I removed over 20 ticks, a load of fleas whilst he thawed, gave him warm injected fluids and waited. I'm delighted to say he's now wandering around and slurping some baby nosh by himself.
IF YOU SEE A SMALL HEDGEHOG, out in the day in particular, or a tiny by itself at any time, grab it, get it indoors in a deep box with a hot water bottle, or drinks bottle, filled with hot but not boiling water, wrapped in a towel. Weigh it in grams so the rescue you call will have a better idea what to advise. Anything under 250g is likely to need help fast.
