Found a hedgehog?
Hedgehogs are nocturnal and they very rarely venture out during the day unless they are in some kind of trouble - however, there are exceptions to this rule
Is the hedgehog obviously going somewhere? What we mean by this is that if you spot a hedgehog running along a fence line in the daytime it might just have been disturbed and should not be picked up.
Is the hedgehog carrying grass, leaves or similar? If so, it is probably just out gathering nesting material and should be left alone.
When we refer to daytime, we do not mean dusk or dawn. If your garden is shaded or the weather is overcast, please take this into account.
When should a hedgehog be taken to a rescue centre?
If a hedgehog is out in full sunlight and is found either sunbathing or sleeping in the open; staggering; dragging its legs; screaming; or collapsed it should always be taken to the nearest rescue centre to receive medical attention.
If you find a hedgehog trapped somehow, and even if you manage to free it from the trap, the hedgehog should always be taken to the nearest rescue centre so that a professional can check for internal damage.
If a hedgehog has an obvious injury it should always be taken to the nearest rescue centre to receive medical attention.
In late autumn and winter, any hedgehog smaller than a grapefruit should be taken to a rescue centre as it will be too small to hibernate. If you are not sure about the size, weigh the hedgehog. If it is less than 500 grams the hedgehog should be taken to a local rescue centre.
When in doubt, contact us and ask!
How to transport a hedgehog
STEP ONE
Put the hedgehog in something secure. Remember, hedgehogs are great climbers so something with a lid is best.
Unless you are taking the hedgehog directly to a rescue centre, try to make sure the hedgehog has enough room to move around. We have had adult hedgehogs brought to us in very small shoe boxes, which is not ideal.
Make sure the box is covered, so that flies cannot get to the hedgehog, and that there are air holes in the box.
STEP TWO
Give the hedgehog a heat source of some sort. If you do not have a hot water bottle, a jam jar or drink bottle half-filled with hot water and wrapped in a towel will do just fine - just ensure that it is watertight.
Make sure that the hedgehog can move away from the heat source if it gets too hot.
If the hedgehog has fly eggs (flystrike) on it please do not give it a source of heat. Flystrike looks like small grains of rice clumped together. If you see this on a hedgehog they need help as soon as possible and should not be put on heat. Below is an example of flystrike so that you know what to look for.
STEP THREE
Contact your nearest rescue centre asap.
Please do not delay in doing this and do not assume that you can take care of the hedgehog yourself. As much as there might not be visible injuries to the hedgehog there are so many things that could be wrong and by waiting you potentially risk the animal's life.
If you want to, you can give the hedgehog some cat or dog food on a plate and some water in a non-tip water bowl.
Never feed hedgehogs milk or bread.