The Happy Hedgehog Rescue Yateley

Hedgehog fleas- i very rarely see hedgehogs wirh fleas. They will only live on hedgehogs and are alot larger than cat fleas. Had a call from Sussex yesterday and the lady had sprayed the hog supposedly covered in fleas with frontline, a cat flea spray. Had to tell her she could well have killed the hog and to get it to a rescue NOW. Frontline can induce hypothermia !!!! Lady said it was on the BHPS website. It is on the to use list for hogs but rescues rarely use it and know what they are doing. Please NEVER use and treatments for anythin - call a rescue first!!!!

I keep thinking i can hear the phone ringing when its not cause its rung so much lately. Bit worried about maggot hog as she looks a bit flat tonight. A couple of the tiddlers not gaining weight and one has an old face on a small body, which isn,t good. Several of the hoglets now up to 200g and lots piling on the weight. Costing a fortune in mealworms!!!!

Remaining 3 hoglets and mum have been found from Hartley Witney. Now all in a cage together( your cage Janet). They need treatment as one has nasal discharge so has a probable secondary lung infection. I,m hoping mum will give me a good sample so i know what to treat. They are ok for now and settled in.

Sue- your hoggy defo break at the ankle on left hind. Doubt if fixable as older injury and bones have rubbed together so probable amputee. He,s in good condition compared to most i have in. Let you know how he goes x

New hoglet in tonight is eating loads. No more sign of any maggots- thank goodness for F10. All set for tomorrow but spent ages finding face paints. I would be in big trouble with Debbie had i not found them lol!

Only one hog in today - you guessed it another hoglet lol! Maggots and skin displaced from inside jaw !!! Vet sorted it and it's time will tell now. Both hogs back from vets - one hind leg amputated the other going back in a month for a hind leg check up. Fingers crossed for them both. A have fab vets onboard - they really are amazing!!

1200g male hog in today from a swimming pool. Extremely wrinkly and loads of small ticks which is a worry. His pads are worn so hes an older lad. On a heat pad warming up.

Volunteer has found a small one on way home!!!!

And another hoglet....... Large female in with what felt like an unborn baby. Sadly she passed shortly after admission.

Another 3 hoglets in tonight - a 2 and a 1 - different litters. Lots of flystrike and maggots so now just off to have dinner and a cuppa. Cages everywhere and no room to move so have little capacity now to take anymore!

The lightwater hoglet that came in last night sadly didn't make it. The lady had kept it 3 days and fed it a worm and a slug and as it looked cold and lethargic she kept it in a run to keep it cool!!! If you find any animal and you think it needs help call a rescue ASAP to get good sound advice and don't try and look after it yourself without advice - it always ends in disaster and the animal will undoubtedly suffer. If you have a gas leak do you try and fix it yourself??????

Maggot - the large strimmed adult hog is now out of the incubator and is holding his own - they are amazing creatures. Vet's hoglet is piling on the gramms. The 2 small hoglets are still a huge worry and one i don't think will make it. They don;t look right with small bodies and older heads. They are single hoglets so may have been abanndoned for a reason, well give them a while longer as they are trying and eating well now just not gaining any weight. Graham the amputee is amazing and doing so well. For every sad demise of a hog there are another 10 that are doing well !!

Adrian - Hugh update. Hugh is fine, gained lots of weight, had a high worm count but seems ok now. He's lucky Jude acted so quickly, she saved his life!!!! He did have his man bit chewed by maggotts but all appears to be functioning fine - not sure what the lady's will say though . R u happy to release him in your garden and do you have an empty box??? Need to double check his worm count but if ok could come back Sun/ Mon???? Let me know what you think?

Thanks for all the offers of help with the Wokingham hog. She is here now but sadly looks like another strimmed hind leg and t'other one broken. Lady wanted to take it to Tiggywinkles tomorrow when i gave her the possible prognosis and after the hognap attempt I had to make it quite clear that the animal wan't going anywhere as it needed pain relief etc and is in quite bad shape anyway with a probable high worm count. If the hog has to be PTS then that's sad but at the end of the day you have to do what's in the best interests of the animal and that's a big part of why you have a vet onboard to keep a clear perspective on the animals needs and not on what you want. These are wild animals and should be respected as such. saying that we'll give the hog 48 hours to see how see goes and then reassess.

Wokingham hog has terrible poo but has eaten a little in the night. The remaining hind leg has good circulation and does have some movement so there is hope. Most hind leg injuries that comein are caused by a hog with a high worm count. A sluggish hog is slow to curl and the hind legs get chomped.

Little hoglet in from Alton late last night. Front leg injury so well see how this one goes!

It,s cooking today. The hot weather is back so please top up all bird baths and place shallow bowls of water out on the ground for our wildlife!!! Save a life today and leave water!!!!

The netted hoglet has gone down hill today and is very floppy. She was holding her own and her injuries have healed brillantly. Shes in an incubator now but i,m not optimistic. However, one of the real runty,s has gained 20g,s now and i,m really pleased. See what tomorrow brings.......

Quieter this week so managing to get a few bits done. New outside hutches arriving sat. Don't know where i'm going to put them as still fencing and not moved shed yet. Hopefully will have a lightbulb moment soon!

Went to collect a hog yesterday locally but it was already dead. Lady was really nice but had had hog since last Sunday. Had tried another rescue but they were busy. It's crucial that any hog out in the day gets to a rescue asap or at least the finder gets good advice. The hog out in the day is already really ill as any wild animal will hide it's problems else it will get predated. The sooner an animal gets treated the better it's chances are. It's really tough when your hands are tied and you can't do anything when it may have stood a chance if at a rescue earlier!!!

Had a call from Scotland earlier in the week - nothing new there she says but I did ask the lady if the hog had been found out in the day and the lady said she is right at the top of scotland and the have mostly daylight hours!! Never thought of this in the uk. How do hogs cope with 24/7 daylight hours????? How would i know to rescue hogs when my key message is a hog out in the day...... Food for thought there....

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" I told you she was only taking pictures...."

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Nothing more cute than a hoglet!!!!

Off for a cuppa and an early night. All hogs sorted for a few hours and some of the larger babies are now in residence in the Baldwin housing in the garden. They are having fun with more space and peace and quiet. Other babies to follow but a bit on the small side and it's really chilly out there tonight. I hope summer isn't over. Wrote 4 press releases today in the peace and quiet of a son less house and caught up with some paperwork. Nos Da x

An update from Claire who rehomed her hog plus another recently. Claire bought a plush Ark Wildlife house which the hogs seem to like.......
"Just wanted to give you an update on the hedgehogs. Only one has remained in the hedgehog house, but she has filled it up to the brim with leaves etc.... She comes out every night as soon as she hears me out the food out "
Give them reason to stay and they they may well grace you with their presence and keep you entertained without having to buy a licence!!!!!!

Weather has really turned so please keep an eye out for any small hedgehogs. They will struggle now to get up to a decent weight- 600g to help ensure a good hibernation. A 600g hog is double the size of a jaffa orange but if in doubt capture(garden gloves), weigh and call your local rescue for advice!!

I have to mention a new hog in tonight. Over a kilo, has babies or is about to but really not well and covered in some foul smelling stuff. Wish i could sample it for you all to identify as it has me stumped. The poor girl has an old fracture to one leg and an injury on lower jaw. She,s had some fluids by mouth etc and is comfy for now but i would be surprised if she,s here am. PLEASE make sure all your chemicals are locked away safely and can,t tip over. Animals don,t always know whats good for them!!!!!!!