Monday 19 April 2010
Monday 12 April 2010
April 2010
I thought it would be quiet now that all my Autumn Juveniles had been released......... think again. Ellie came in - bless her 350g possibly the prettiest hedgehog I have ever seen. Poor thing she was stick thin - she was found in a garden in Wotton. She started on a heat pad and although I could get her eating she was still losing weight, everything we tried just failed. She started to be fed every four hours by syringe, but sadly she lost the fight. Please can I pass on my thanks to John and Julien Crowther and welcome them to Help A Hedgehog Hospital, their support was invaluable. After speaking to the Hedgehog Preservation Society Ellie had half a brown tongue this was caused by poisoning probably insecticides there was no hope for our spikey friend, but she fought so hard. Please be careful when you are putting down any poison in your garden, hedgerows are often sprayed by the council - how many poor Ellies have been poisoned and died already this year?
Next Hamish returned to the hospital my first ever rescued hedgehog. My son Louie would you believe it found him, disturbed from hibernation after some building work in the village. It was great to see Hamish, thin but 590g is not a bad weight to get through hibernation. Hamish had to go to the Vets where it looked like his abscess had returned he was put on a course of Baytril and his abscess was lanced.
Then Lilly came in...............what a sad sight a huge infested bite to her undercarriage it looked like this could be the end of the road for Lilly. After an amazing operation by Kirsty, thank you so much and a course of Baytril Lilly was on top of the world. She had to have a large part of her skin removed and stretched, but so far is making a good recovery.
Hamish lost his battle with his abscess and suffered a stroke. Poor Alexandria and Jackie were so distressed to have lost Hamish and my heartfelt thanks go to them for looking after the fort for me when I was away and for caring for Lilly and Hamish. I wish they hadn't had this horrible experience, but I think we were all so lucky to have met the nicest hedgehog ever and he will never be forgotten.
Brad came in .....absolutely stick thin starving to death Bev, Ellie and Sam did everything possible to help our little friend but sadly he was unable to pull through. It is so tough losing our Spikey Friends but when they are ill it is a really difficult fight. Some of them just are too weak to pull through, at least he was warm and comfortable. Poor Bev - it has been a difficult time and so frustrating when you lose a hedgehog.
Next Hamish returned to the hospital my first ever rescued hedgehog. My son Louie would you believe it found him, disturbed from hibernation after some building work in the village. It was great to see Hamish, thin but 590g is not a bad weight to get through hibernation. Hamish had to go to the Vets where it looked like his abscess had returned he was put on a course of Baytril and his abscess was lanced.
Then Lilly came in...............what a sad sight a huge infested bite to her undercarriage it looked like this could be the end of the road for Lilly. After an amazing operation by Kirsty, thank you so much and a course of Baytril Lilly was on top of the world. She had to have a large part of her skin removed and stretched, but so far is making a good recovery.
Hamish lost his battle with his abscess and suffered a stroke. Poor Alexandria and Jackie were so distressed to have lost Hamish and my heartfelt thanks go to them for looking after the fort for me when I was away and for caring for Lilly and Hamish. I wish they hadn't had this horrible experience, but I think we were all so lucky to have met the nicest hedgehog ever and he will never be forgotten.
Brad came in .....absolutely stick thin starving to death Bev, Ellie and Sam did everything possible to help our little friend but sadly he was unable to pull through. It is so tough losing our Spikey Friends but when they are ill it is a really difficult fight. Some of them just are too weak to pull through, at least he was warm and comfortable. Poor Bev - it has been a difficult time and so frustrating when you lose a hedgehog.
March 2010
Hooray - all the hedgehogs have woken up - they have been checked all over and weighed and now need fattening up before their release. I am so relieved that they have got through their hibernation successfully. I have been concerned many a time and have had blankets around their cages.
I have had had a new hedgehog arrive called Tasker. She woke up in the middle of her hibernation and the reason for this - she has a severe case of Ringworm - she is completely bare underneath and covered in a white flakey skin. Her eyes are almost closed and I hope I have caught the ringworm in time, before it causes any damage to her eyes. I have bought some Imaverol from the Vets and now it is bath time for Tasker then drying out in a plastic cage on a heat pad. I have got to be very careful as ringworm is highly contagious and I dont want any of our other Spikey Friends coming down with this.
It is now the end of March and all the hedgehogs have been eating up so well and they all have put on sufficient weight ready for their release. They have been totally spoilt on a diet of Chicken IAMS, meal worms and Pedigree Chum Dog food. Daisy, Chip, Stone, Nibbles, Bramble, Henry, Snuffles, Adrienne, Simples, Milly, Miles, Diana, Deano and last but not least Charlie all back to the wild where they belong. Nearly all of the hedgehogs were picked up by their owners and taken back where they were found in their rightful homes. Most of the owners were surprised to see how much weight their Spikey friends had put on. When they came in between October and December they were between 200 - 350 g most of them have now reached between 700 - 800g which will ensure a really good start to their release. Good luck to all of them and please keep me posted on how they get on. Fingers crossed - they lead such a dangerous life and have so many problems to deal with all caused by us....... I am afraid.
I have had had a new hedgehog arrive called Tasker. She woke up in the middle of her hibernation and the reason for this - she has a severe case of Ringworm - she is completely bare underneath and covered in a white flakey skin. Her eyes are almost closed and I hope I have caught the ringworm in time, before it causes any damage to her eyes. I have bought some Imaverol from the Vets and now it is bath time for Tasker then drying out in a plastic cage on a heat pad. I have got to be very careful as ringworm is highly contagious and I dont want any of our other Spikey Friends coming down with this.
It is now the end of March and all the hedgehogs have been eating up so well and they all have put on sufficient weight ready for their release. They have been totally spoilt on a diet of Chicken IAMS, meal worms and Pedigree Chum Dog food. Daisy, Chip, Stone, Nibbles, Bramble, Henry, Snuffles, Adrienne, Simples, Milly, Miles, Diana, Deano and last but not least Charlie all back to the wild where they belong. Nearly all of the hedgehogs were picked up by their owners and taken back where they were found in their rightful homes. Most of the owners were surprised to see how much weight their Spikey friends had put on. When they came in between October and December they were between 200 - 350 g most of them have now reached between 700 - 800g which will ensure a really good start to their release. Good luck to all of them and please keep me posted on how they get on. Fingers crossed - they lead such a dangerous life and have so many problems to deal with all caused by us....... I am afraid.
Feburary 2010
February was extremely busy looking after our Spikey Friends, more dark mornings and dark nights. It has been a long winter and I can't wait for Spring to arrive - all the hedghogs hibernating seem to be doing fine, but it is scary for me playing the waiting game. I do hope they all get through their hibernation successfully. What amazing creatures though to go without food from November until March. I am studying a hedgehog in my neighbours garden. He is called Gandolf and has made a hibernaculum out of leaves. He does not appear to have moved at all, through the snow, frosts and extreme cold. I do not feel there is much protection in his nest but he vacated my expensive hedgehog Deluxe Box two days after release In October 2009. Before hibernation he got to 1.3 kg so I am hoping he will get through, he should have plenty of surplus weight. Hedgehogs are quite incredible, my sons and my husband can only go for an hour or two without feeding!!!
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