I cannot believe how time flies..... where do I start. June already. A call came in from Bev early in the morning 6.45 ish. Nigel had found a badly injured hedgehog.....he popped it straight down and this poor little hog came in dripping in blood. There really seemed no hope whatsoever, but we never give up. I wrapped a bandage as best I could around her stomach and put her straight into the Intensive Care Unit. She was in shock, lifeless but still dripping with blood. Once she was warm I gave her a syringe of Hills AD and she devoured it - we had a real fighter. Against all the odds, Belle survived quite bruised and battered, her eye half closed, but nevetheless a miraculous hedgeghog. Belle has now made a full recovery and has been released, after a course of antibiotics her eye is now fine.
Next Lucy poor little girl leg hanging behind her, covered in ticks. We removed all of her ticks and fed her up for the week so that she would be strong enough to endure an anaesthetic. Kirsten our vet x-rayed her and to her horror not only did the limp leg need amputating but her other leg had a serious break which had showed up clearly on the x-ray. Kirsten managed to cut the bone from her broken leg and somehow fuse the bone together. She amputated her lifeless leg and Lucy pulled through her massive operation. When I brought Lucy home I could not believe it she tucked into a bowl of meal worms and moved around her cage. 3 weeks on and Lucy has been released into a Secure Garden. She moves incredibly fast and no-one can believe that she is recovering from a broken leg and an amputation. We will never put down a hedgehog with a hind broken leg if we can mend or at worse amputate. Hedgehogs can live a relatively normal life in a large secure garden with minimum human intervention. We usually catch every 3 months where we de flea and de tick, we also suplement feeding, please do get in contact if you have a large secure garden - walled gardens are the best.
Bradley Boy came in from Paganhill - he had fallen in a drain - he stayed for a couple of weeks fattened up. spent a few nights with Lady Marmalade and now has been released back 250g heavier.
Then Horatio arrived our first Hoglet 90g dehydrated and starving. He had been attacked by a dog but was relatively unscathed. He was very slow to get going and had to be rehydrated and then fed very slowly initially. He was fed goats milk initially through night and then goats milk with AD meat - Harry then arrived with his sister who sadly we lost through fly strike. She ended up with maggots in her eyes and tummy so had to be put down. Harry and Horatio bonded like brothers and together were fed by syringe every 3/4 hours. After 2 weeks intensive care both hogs are now huge and eating on their own. A massive thanks to Julien and John for their amazing care.
Then came Eliza, Elle and Emma all between 80 - 85g. Two from the same litter (Tetbury)and another one dumped on a lawn in Malmesbury. The intensive feeding started again and the lack of sleep began to show........my house has never been so dirty, my meals are not usually as bad ...really my boys are so good putting up with hogs taking priority. My husband calls himself a hedgehog widow as I sleep downstairs on the settee for easy feeding. Thankfully they all pulled through and now are eating by themselves. It is such a wonderful feeling saving these lives.
Just ready for a good night sleep and Ben arrives 85g cold and dehydrated but again a little fighter. Well done Louie you have been brilliant. Ben has been fed for the last week and started eating on his own today. I wish he had a buddy - he just has a cuddly hog to snuggle upto in his bobble hat. We will pair him up soon so that he can learn proper hog behaviour.
Now - for me sleep deprivation is started to show. Another call..... Bev takes it this time Minnie comes in, closely followed by Daisy. Both hoglets are under 50g very dehydrated and completely starving. This is going to be really tough. It is very early days for our little girls but so far they are holding their own....... I will keep you posted. Massive thanks to Bev, Ellie, Sam and Nigel who is also a Hedgeghog Widow!! Please keep everything crossed.
Now another call a beautiful large Hedgehog comes in - he has fallen in a pond and is covered in pond weed. Bernard is so handsome, a week of tlc and observation and he will go back to his lovely garden a bit wiser we hope.
Then the daddy of all hedgehogs arrives - Beast. 1.25kg -he was found on the side of the road, he appears unharmed, but snuffly. He has been de ticked and now is recovering from his shock. He will spend a few more days under observation before his release.
Then our Wiltshire hedgehog - Kiara.......what will this outcome be. Kiara was found out in the day and after a careful examination she has discharge coming out which could indicated a womb infection......NOT good. Antibiotics for a week - still no change. Xray -nothing to report. We are awaiting a scan from Kirsten and we will have to decide our course of action. We may need a hysterectomy... will keep you posted..
Now another 2 girls and 1 boy hoglets Ariel, Tinker Bell and Pluto 150g 135g 145g all eating now they are piling on the weight and out of danger. Thank you to Claire, Izzy and Alice for your help.
Last but not least Bashful arrives a hedgehog so snuffly but clear mucous. I have had to keep him in isolation away from other hogs incase it could be contagious. He is resonded well to treatment so far.
Last but not least - we also have a mother Lady who we have left undisturbed in our shed for 3 weeks now. We hope she has some baby hoglets as she has to be moved urgently from a haybarn.... we are waiting for news of the babies. Again I will keep you posted.
