Hedgehugs Hedgehog Rescue

TODAYS ADMISSIONS
Yet more in today -- both tiny just left mum --one with horrific fly strike and two puncture wounds and it will be lucky to survive the night and one witha puncture wound to its back oozing puss and struggling to breathe --again it will be a miracle if he survives --both hoglets found out in the very hot sun--one covered in flies,Please please put water out tonight in ANYTHING --dot it front and back in the gardens and refill each day --both hogs today were badly dehydrated and this years litters dont stand a chance in this heat and the females will be desperate for water in order to feed the youngsters.We are abit overwhelmed by the numbe r of babies coming in so quickly and much of it is down to this weather -- WATER WATER WATER --OUR WILDLIFE DESPERATELY NEEDS IT TO SURVIVE.

sad news -
Weaver just died came in last night but too far gone to help-- got three more ina similar state going to be a long night --just given the horrors meat and milk --so they will be plastering it by half eight !!

Oh my word.... Hedgehugs have been well busy!

xoxox

All the rescues are Mel - it is so sad that so many need our help x

HOG PLAYTIME
We have had alot of litters here in the past 4 years and one thing we have noticed is how disinterested in each other hoglets generally are so tonight pauline was amazed to see the little horrors actually playing like puppies do .One of them wouldnt join in and just huffed and carried on at them but the rest rolled about and behaved like kittens with aball of string !!AND it wasnt bullying --pauline couldnt believe it -- and this ha s convinced us that they really are an odd little bunch .Maybe w e just havent been fortunate to see this behaviour before but it is so funny to watch --mind you they are still little horrors even if not a drop of their dinner was included in the game --must be saving that for later !!!

LITTLE JOES BIG ADVENTURE
Last night little joes escape plan finally worked-- namely be as obnoxious as you can to your ni ce new mum--cut the cuteness and show her your teeth !!.Well it worked and he has- been set loose on the world --or rather the ivy clump growing round the garden-- after rolling for hours in the leaves and kicking his legs in the air while adopted mum helen shed bitter tears at his joy of leaving the nest !!oh joe what a heartbreaker --poor helen was smitten by empty nest syndrome so how lucky for her that we had two tiny boys needing some T LC till they are a decent size.Helen has gone off happily with TIGGY and WINKLE and sorry joe but you have burned your boats there lad she is totally smitten by their cute little noses diddy little feet and baby faces ..I did tell helen that joe wa s once the size o f my thumb but she had trouble believing it as do we all but it is true.Thanks to helen and jacqui for stepping in to help with the babies and to lisa for doing a sad run to the vet this morning for us.
The horrors have put weight on so all that rolling around in dinner must be doing something and little dot has also gained but still noeyes open with her -- wonder what she will make of us all when she sees us --!!

ALL THE NEWS THATS FIT TO PRINT
This week has been madness and dont know how we have got through it and every rescue in the country must be the same. We have had to say we are full as so many of the ones we have in are so labour intensive it s not possible for us to take any more at the moment . This is always hard to do but there is alimit to what we can cope with .The little hog from wrenthorpe park has an additional problem w e hadmissed as he wasnt mobile yesterday --in addition to being bitten and then covered in fly eggs and maggots he also has a broken leg so we have real trouble there ,Today he has taken some fluids but he also has a huge worm burden .Beth found another today nearby to the site and it seems a nest had been destroyed as the other tiny one lay dead-- .We dont have alot of luck with hogs found in parks and if this little one survives he will be going to a safe garden. Little squatter has moved into the rescue release box and w e are hopeful of ahappy event and hope the water and food bowls being nearby have made her realise we are the perfect place to have her babies --it would be amazing if she did --

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Little Dot

WHY WE DO IT
Last night I sat feeding LITTLE DOT outside in the early evening --she drank loads and then settled down to sleep on my hand -one of the perks of this job --hand rearing babies and seeing them grow up after a bad start in life .Tonight at the same time I have been sitting with an old weary hog who is dying --I decided he had to right to a bit of fresh air on a summers night ,Copper came in last week and w e had alot of fun on facebook about his so called arrest --he has eaten well all week but then began to fade and at first we thought it was the heat .But today copper is dying --gently ,slowly and safely .Whoever picked him up could not have known he was just an old hog in his last days but we are so glad they did -- he has been saved from a terrible end out in this heat--he is safe and cared for right till the last minute .Some people say this is all sentiment and a bit soft but I think if we ever get to the stage where w e become blase about life and death in our little residents then it s time we stopped doing this .

SQUATTER UPDATE
SHE is still in the release box --comes out around half nine to eat half the cat food and then poohs in the doorway -- still no baby noises but welive in hope --comet the garden hog has anew pastime and has just set the frogs flying into the air and across the lawn -- now did she just disturb them or was she trying to eat them we dontknow but there ha s been a distinct lack of froglets since she moved in --over to you folks ?

BABY NEWS
Little dot has opened her eyes and the first thing she did was squeak and today she has started lapping so wehave moved he rinto a second stage cage where she can have a tiny bowl of water and milk to hand --it s a messy mucky business and she gets it everywhere but it s real progress .The horrors have also put weight on and are now actually eating some of the food -- they are a feisty little bunch and we still cant decide on names for them --started treatment for eye mite s today on them all must have been driving them nuts --so what will they get up to when they can see better ?.Little joe is still hanging around the release garden and getting in first for the early dinners and helen is having agreat old time getting wormer down the two babies she thought were --ADORABLE and DELIGHTFUL and SO CUTE -- think she has revised that opinion now after a few days of struggling with em -- well helen they have had a tough start-- and just look how cute they look with their spines up and their mouts clamped grumpily shut ah bless em !!!

THE HEAT IS ON
And our hogs are miserable -- weve installed a second fan but even then tarkers is complaining his eyeliner is running !!There aint no fun cleaning mucky hogs in this heat wewent to the tip today and were so overcome by the stink of the bags wehad to go to the garden centre for a nice lolly to cool down .It is seriously hard to keep the hogs clean and the babies fresh in this weather-- so goodness knows how the wild ones especially the mums are coping -- and it s not the summer hols yet !!Thank you this week to the amazing pat who came and scrubbed for us once again --to celia for her incredible donation to buy some esbilac--and to our fosterers who stepped in to save our sanity

MORE BABIES
TWO youngsters both siblings arrived separately today from different finders --found on different sides of afence --nothing much wrong other than heat exhaustion and probably no food for days --just left mum and unable to ccope in this heat -- which is avery familiar story this year the ground is baked hard and unless they are equipped with pick axes the hogs have little chance of finding bugs and grubs so it s down .to us .
Water /meat based cat food /dog food /cat biscuits not fishy ones /peanut butter /dugestive biscuits /the odd meal worm will all help your local MRS TIGGYWINKLE bring up he r brood .We cant stress enough how bad this heat i s for our hogs who already are up against it --please put the water bowls out a t least and keep an eye out for nesting mums in the borders and corners

HELP FOR INSOMNIACS or what to do when you cant sleep !!
As some of you may know paulines interest in hogs blossomed because of her chronic insomnia so tonight if you are too hot and cant sleep get outside and watch the garden -- There are some amazing moths around just now --the frogs take advantage of the coolernight s and are busy and of course the hogs will be up and scavenging .and of course top the bowls up == w ehave just had amessage to say someone has done that just now a s the water had all gone --Other ideas are write a letter to your local council to warn of the dangers of haphazard strimming and pesticides ==knit ahedgehog and raffle it for us /knit socks and dream of cold frosty days / watch c s i new york __groan !!! plan a wildlife area / pester your mp about getting hogs protected and write your xmas cards --all that snowy scene stuff might cool us down -- or just watch out for the hoglet families -- the mums are out with them as we speak -- why go to sleep when you can do all this !!!

TARQUINS NIGHT OFF
For the first time in over a year old tarkers has missed out on a talk --we felt the weather was just too hot to risk taking him and any of our older hogs out tonight and instead took the horrors and little dot who could be put in large carriers with plentyof air circulating. I t was odd doing a talk without him as he is such a favourite but we only ever take hogs out who we are sure will be ok and in this heat it is not worth the risk of any hog being stressed .The horrors did us proud and really behaved and little dot took her feed and delighted evryone I must say our taks are having there sombre side lately as we stress the problems hedgehogs are having and in particular how badly the hot weather is affecting them So if you havent topped up the water bowls tonight please do so--it really is a lifesaver --

HOW HOT IS TOO HOT ?
Another little one in today and it looks like we will be lucky to save him once --again thin and exhausted and wehad our own emergency this morning when molly dog had to be rushed to the vet to go on a drip for the day.Molly is an old lass and has health issiues and the heat has jus t been too much for her .MEANWHILE wendy has been making herself a fur fabric coat !!!!--of red with black dots --which she will be wearing tomorrow for a school fete she is going as aladybird-- good luck with that one maybe a gossamer winged butterfly would have been abit cooler --glad we talked her out of the gruffalo costume though !!Our four horrors are now bright eyed having got rid of the eye mites and little dot is lapping from proper dish -we also think the horrors are starting to eat meat instead of just play in it .Tarkers not been seen all day but he is ok its all just too much for him a s it is for all animals and us come to that .missy is doing well at her foster mums and little joe been strangely quiet --mus tbe up to something .Once again please put the bowls out and if you have hogs coming some food --it really is getting more and more critical as the weather goes on -- foxes have been reported in areas where they havent been seen and taking advantage of hog food put out -- so best put double out I guess .

TICKS
Seems to be a good year for ticks --please dont put any sort of insecticide drops on hogs a s if it is a female this can be dangerous to babies -- the best thing is an oton tick remover and these are available from vets --putting vaseline etc on can also cause trouble and the tick remover is the best way wehave found without risk of leaving the mouth parts in. A hog with alot of ticks of any size will need help and is best taken to avet or contact us as there is often an undelying problem and the hog can be anaemic and need supplements and antibiotics.ALSO NEVER USE FRONTLINE and other cat /dog flea treatments on hogs -- w euse a permithrin powder by johnsons an d have seen litters of hoglets lost after frontline and even household flea powders have been applied .

LITTLE HARRY FIGHTING BACK
The pathteic little hog that came in yesterday has survived the niight and seems to be picking up -- his breathing is improving and he is eating again -- and taking his antibiotics like a good boy --he is definitely missing an eye and w e suspect it ha s been pecked out -- young hogs often fall victim to birds when they ar eout in the day .The horrors are now having their milk rations cut down -- which wont please em --we seem to have little runt in the boy who is falling behind his big sisters so we are watching out for bullying and he will be separated if this happens --hoglets are ruthless with each other and the tiny ones lose out--naughty lot wouldnt put owt past them --the little horrors

BABY BOOMERS
pleased to report that all the hogletshave gained and are doing really well -- the horrors just starting to eat meat and little harry looks to be out of the woods even if he is minus an eye -dot had her first taste of meat /milk mush but wasnt too keen but thought it was worth a try as she always seems so hungry and with the garage cooler today they are all a bit happier .No sign of squatter in the release box so we think she may have ha dhe r litter elsewhere .BIT O MANGE has been spotted by karen looking well and she also reports one hoglet so far .Paul elliott has had to walk the wilds and the moors to get away from the ever increasing hog population at their house but they will get ya anyway paul theres no escape !!!Wendy has a tl east four coming each night and helen reports that her two tinies are now taking their meds and putting weight on --so all good so far and finally

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And here is Tiggy - he is still small, but in a week, he has gone from 180 grams to 220 grams!! He is such a sweetie!!! It's their last night of worming tonight and they are so healthy!! I can't wait for them to be big enough for the outside enclosure!! xx

Dot's first adventure x

REBECCAS RETURN
Earlier in the year we released one of our autumn intakes to a supported site and she seemed to be doing well --but this past week lisa spotted her looking a bit tick laden and ropey so she is back in for treatment and in quite a bad way .Thankfully she was in a site where the hogs are fed and kept an eye on otherwise she would have ha d little chance -- which is why at the moment w e a re only releasing to such sites -- our hogs need all the help they can get -- they arent there to eat slugs or look cute -- they need a definite commitment to be fed and cared for. Rebecca has been lucky -- and whether she will ever survive in the wild is unknown for now she will have the best w e can give her -- and I think she will be glad to get rid of all her unwelcome visitors of the itchy type !!!.Thanks to lisa once again for being a fab release site and providing a first rate environment for the hogs

I want a little Dot!

Positive vibes for Rebecca and I hope she learns to take care of herself...

xoxox

MAGGOT PICKING MONDAY
Tiny tiny little hoglet in today covered in fly eggs and they had hatched
in her ears and eyes and mouth and may have caused permanent damage --she is also very cold and a poorly little scrap -- giving fluids and removing a s many a s we can in short bursts so as to minimise stress but it could be a sad tale this one. Rebecca has had another dozen or so ticks taken off this morning and looks better for her night in the rescue --she has awful mites and these drive the hogs mad as they burrow into the skin --so once w ehave dealt with them successfully she should start to improve -- another old lad has come in b ut had to go straight to the vets with abadly broken leg and bad chest --so it might not be good news there .Little harry is really perking up and dot is now feeding herself with a proper little dish -- so pauline is relieved ,Thats today so far folks been abit of a busy one here

It certainly does sound as though it has! Great news on Dot and little Harry Really sad about the little girl and boy too  

xoxox