The Happy Hedgehog Rescue Yateley

Another 6 hoglets in last night. Only one found from one litter, freezing cold and lifeless but now in an incubator doing really well and gaining weight. The other five were in a rubbish bag and were nearly taken to the dump. Luckily one fell out of the bag and they called me. Another 4 later and traps set for mum, a neighbour spotted her close by. It was a real street rescue and a carload of neighbours and hogs arrived at my door late last night. Checked the big hog to see is she was female etc and was reasonably sure she was the mum. Sorted mum out with a nice hutch in the garden, gave her good food and the nesting material she had used went in too- scarves and hats etc. One hog had been scented so introducing them back to mum was a risk, plus the noise and car journey, she must have been stressed. I introduced the babies to the hutch after mum had settled in for a few hours and camped outside listening for any signs of rejection. Pleased to report that mum is taking good care of her babies which is much easier for me lol! A success story.

I received a surprise cheque for £100 this week from the Crowthorne Natural History Society. Sadly they have just disbanded after many years and have kindly donated their remaining funds to 4 local groups. The money will be put to one of 3 projects i'm working on to make the rescue more manageable. Thank you x

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This is a teeny tiny hoglet being hand fed.

A large female brought in this morning found by a school. In good condition and nice and round. Couldn,t see if she was lactating so decided to release her. Finder is puting her back in a safe garden, speaking to caretaker and leafleting local houses. The hog is marked so easily recognisable if she is in trouble. Just going to call school and see if they can send a message out.

All 20 babies doing well, some up to 200g now. 2 from 2 separate litters have been coughing but will hold back a bit from giving meds as they are gaining weight. Very difficult to see parasites in hoglet poo as the worm cycle is quite long so i wont know which nasty to treat.

No rain until Tuesday. Please make sure there,s water outside for the wildlife at all times, bird baths and on the ground for the hogs. They,ll die without it!!!!

Well teeny is hanging in there and has taken some milk. It,s always tough going into the hogspital first thing and checking the newbies to see if they are still with us. The what ifs are endless. What if i,d given just a bit more fluid, stayed up an extra hour etc etc.

bet its hard for the rescues but they do there best.iam pleased it has rained here today

Will really help but needs to be more as the ground is so hard x

Another teeny in, very dehydrated and has lost alot of weight. Fingers crossed for this one guys!!!!

Another hoglet on the way. A big thanks to Harvey for taking some hoglet pics today. Can,t wait to see them . A hedgehog should NEVER be out in the day in the wild but these little guys obliged for a short time. Their pics will help with PR and raise awareness, plus you guys will love them !

New hoglet improved alot. Amazing what heat and fluids can do!!! Sat in garden and it,s so quiet(at last). Just the right temp for an oldie like me and the smell of my jasmine wafting accross. Bliss!

3 more hoglets in and i,m hoping finders find the other 2. Ginger is in residence again, a hog i helped a couple of years ago. She,s eaten too many eathworms and has lost alot of weight. She,s an old hog at 4-5 years that we know of. Have to save this one or finder will kill me!!!!

This Saturday The Happy Hog is holding a stall at the White Lion Charity event 10am - 2pm ( I think). Fran please correct me if i'm wrong. Please come along and support us!!1 It's really nice to put a face to a name. Face painting, raffle, sweets , lucky dip, paint a pig , hog toys and if it's not too hot a visit by Henry the Hedgehog !!!!

It must have been at least 2 weeks since i last had a STRIMMED hog in - Hartley Witney again. Any local residents please speak to neighbours and contractors when you hear the sound of thoses awful strimmers. Please make them aware that they are butchering hedgehogs, frogs, toads etc etc. This adult female has lost a hind leg - old injury healed over but but wound to the head and year is nasty and absolutely full of maggots. She clean and tidy now and has had 30ml of oral fluids and is very bright. Probably has a high worm count so i'll wait for a poo sample and is hopefully tucking into a bowl of wet catfood as we speak.

More drama at HHR tonight. 11.30pm and heard a whoop of an appliance outside. A fire engine. Realised what had happened, we were burning twigs and ivy from the cream crackered fence and some neighbour had taken offense from the smell i reckon and called 999. We didn't start burning until 10pm and it was out by 11pm and. Another waste of resources and someone might have actually been in need of their services. Legally you can burn between certain times. Firemen just laughed.

Mum has been found from today's 3 hoglets. Mum looks ok , out at night usual time so she's now marked and super sleuth David is on the case trying to see where she goes and what has happened to the other 2-3 babies. A very quiet garden and mum has been there a long time so a bit of a puzzle as to why see went and left 3..... We may find out more tomorrow.....

Moved the mum and 5 hoglets into a run today ready for when the babies start to venture out. It's great fun then to scatter mealworms among the bark and watch them learn to forage.

Went on a chicken course tonight- really good!!! Thanks to Liz for organising it.

On way home picked up a small hoglet from fleet. Thank you to Maureen for being brave enough to capture him, knew you could do it !!!
Vets in the morning with a couple of hogs- busy, busy, busy!!!

Little fleet hoget from last night is doing ok. Embedded pea netting hoglet has netting all the way round its mid section. Lucky it was found when it was or the netting would have kept working its way in. Wound look nasty but little ones are resilient and it will heal quickly with good care. PLEASE keep netting 12" above the ground and grow the plant to the netting. Right plant, right time, right place!!!

2 hogs in at vets today for possible amputation. One has done really well and leg may have healed sufficiently to avoid surgery. The other came in with the back end collapsed. Probably hit by car and neurological damage but again with rest and meds has improved loads. Bit concerned about pelvic region with stance of walk so well see what vet thinks. Hopefully i,m wrong and she will just be a hind leg amputee. It,s always the vets call at the end of the day!!!

And yet more hoglets............. Calls about hoglets out in day from all over uk today!!! Please keep puting out water!!!!

Sadly Ginger died in the night. It was just too late for her. RIP x

Another 3 hoglets in with mum we think. Sorting out hutch in garden.

Ticks- alot of ticks usually indicate a hog isn,t well as an ill hog produces alot of indolene which attracts them . If you find a hog out in the day the ticks are the least of it,s problems. Leave the ticks and get it to a rescue asap!!!!! Alot of ticks can cause anemia but more stress and damaged can be caused by an inexperienced person trying to remove them. Stressed ticks can regurgitate their stomach contents with any nasties they have, leaving any bits of the head can cause infection. People focus on ticks as they are so visual - only remove with a tick remover and NEVER cover with oil etc.