rescuing a sick hedgehog
OUT IN THE DAY
Hedgehogs are nocturnal so should NOT be seen out during the day. The only exception to this rule is for mums-to-be and new mums during the short summer nights of June and July ONLY, when, to extend their opportunity to find the extra food needed, they will stay up a little later in the mornings and rise a little earlier in the evenings. But these mums will look purposeful and will stick to the shade and undergrowth.
A hedgehog out in full daylight is very sick and needs urgent medical help. They may be lying still, walking slowly, wobbling, or rushing around.
Or walking around seemingly normally - not every sick hedgehog looks sick. But the fact they are out in the open, in the day, means they are.
Please pick them up gently using both hands, and take them indoors, away from flies. Put several sheets of kitchen roll or a clean tea towel on the bottom of a tall box or container and put some more kitchen roll on top of the hog, so she can hide and feel safe. Please do not use shredded paper or hay as this can contaminate any wounds.
Make up a hot water bottle (the temperature you would for a child), wrap it in a fleece and put it in with the casualty, ensuring she has enough room to move away from it once stable. Put a dish of water in with her, leave the box in a quiet room, then phone your local hedgehog rescue IMMEDIATELY.
DIFFICULTY WALKING
If you see a hedgehog at night who is limping or walking with difficulty, please rescue them straight away. Hedgehogs are prey animals and will hide weaknesses, so a limping hedgehog is in serious trouble and a great deal of pain. Please bring her indoors, as above, but provide her with food as well as water overnight, and phone a rescue first thing in the morning.
Please resist the temptation to keep peeking at her. Although they do not bite or run, a hedgehog is just as wild as a deer or a fox and human contact is terrifying for them. Stress kills wildlife, so please keep handling to a minimum.
You can find your local hedgehog rescue by searching on this site: https://helpwildlife.co.uk/
Or by Googling ‘hedgehog rescue’ with your postcode.