Hedgehugs Hedgehog Rescue

NEWS UPDATE
Sadly lost the larger of the two and pauline is gutted after hourly feeding all night --the remaining one has huge trauma bruises and it really looks like the whole birth was anightmare for mum and babies --we even suspect that the one that has just died had internal injuries and are trying not to think about how awful it mus thave been for the mum. I know chris packham always says dont humanise nature but we wouldnt be doing what we do if we didnt care so deeply .We have sent a message to the finder to ask them to look out for the mum and get her to a vet if they spot a hog bleeding .Meanwhile our hopes have dropped for the tiny one left
this is the absolutely heartbreaking aspect of our work -- but pauline will go on feeding and hoping and praying for this little hog all night if she has to --it s all we can do and poor wendy will have to pick up the pieces in the morning !!!Thanks to all of you who have sent messagesespecially through the night We have seen some amazing recoveries in hedgehogs and can still only hope --

BABY UPDATE
Given the little one some rescue remedy and she has just had a very good feed -also replaced the bedding with vet bed a s she is on her own now --going to try two hourly feeds through the night as I need to get abit of sleep and it might give her tummy a rest -she is still poohing but it isnt the right colour yet and she is still very purple --not had one quite like this before and it will be amazing if we even get through the night -- tea and toast for me and a snooze in the warm cupboard for her for an hour or so -- x

MIDNIGHT UPDATE
just fed and toileted and have a CUTENESS ALERT TO POST as she put her tiny tiny tongue out ready to take the milk-- oh dear am getting so attached to this one folks -she is so little --w ehave had them as young but never as tiny as this one and makes you think it might even have been a prem birth with a first time mum .All speculation of course and pauline is always getting told off for asking the babies "WHERES YOUR MUMMY THEN "!!!

MORNING UPDATE
Decision time as little one stopped feeding at four this morning --and we really think she has septacaemia --she is looking awful -- we have never seen this before in a tiny one but we also think she is suffering -- so w emay have to have her put to sleep or leave her to die slowly ..Pauline is devastated --and it s avery tough decision but at four this morning she knew this little one was in real trouble -- wehave NEVER EVER had to put a tiny to sleep but we have never seen a case like this and it is so upsetting-- for us all -- sometimes nature seems so cruel but w ecant fight it -- pauline

BACK FROM THE VETS
Sadly little hog no longer with us --vet said it had no chance of survival with such problems and the internal organs were bloated and wrong -- so it all seems for nothing -- the little mite had gone down to 14 gm despite everything w e had done .Wendy has takenthe three babies to be buried under a tree in her garden and w ehave super sterilised and cleaned everything they had touched ,We will never know the full story but couldnt bear to see the last one suffer any further --it was the least w e could do for her and sadly the best -- thanks to everyone who has messaged and good luck to WILLOWS who are having similar problems with a very young litter-- such a hard task for anyone --we hope they make it --pauline and wendy

SQUATTER REURNS

Out little semi resident female has come back well we think it sher --she has been missing about 6 weeks but has come back minus any babies --we hope she will bring them with he runless that have gone already --pauline is desperate to see youngsters in the garden .Meanwhile comet is back on the gardening lark and pulling up the fancy grasses in the border --no signs of babies though --just getting ready for the autumn maybe she is an oddity

THANK YOU

This week w e have had some much appreciated donations towards the cost of our next drugs order -- thank you to to those who have helped us -- we are approaching the autumn juvenile time and they always seem to need lungworming -- and this week w e have to treat four hogs prior to release with an antiparasitic --and it get s more and more expensive each batch -- thank you to all concerned from the hogs and from us -- its been abumper year for ticks and our little rebecca is especially prone and she is due to go back home this week and will need to be treated regularly -- cant believe we are talking autumn already --will be putting the tinsel up next !!

MISSING BOXES
We are missing our two new ferplast cat carriers with the opening tops -- one beige the other is pale grey and these are brand new --one still has the pets a t home tag attached to the front. These cost us £ 75 and are vital for our talks --plus £ 75 is alot of money and we cant afford to replace them ,So please check if you have had a hog from us this year that you dont still have the boxes -- otherwise weare in the worrying position of someone coming into the rescue and nicking em --and w ereally dont want to think that ha s happened .these are the proper cat carriers not the small animalboxes so if you have one it wont be hard to spot --we really do need them back please -- thanks --pauline and wendy

THANK YOUS
We have ha d yet another donation towards our latest fundraising effort many thanks to NEVILLE for supporting us .Lisa has stepped in to soft release the two horrors despite having loads of work going on at home so abig thankyou to her--rebecca will also be joining them this weekend .Bex came to help out today and chris has taken two boxes to site so the more we ge t out there the better it is for the hogs --w e have anothe r box ordered and it all helps to keep hogs fed and housed in ourincreasingly built up area /Train trip tomorrow and w ej us t hope we dont have to play hunt the hedgehog in the morning as one of the horrors escape d overnight but was too daft to hide properly -- they have been such hard work so good luck lisa you will need it .Now got to find the wool shops in scarbro just in case we get withdrawals --from wool

THE CANTANKEROUS NATURE FO HEGDEHOGS
PICTURE THE SCENE
hog boxes ready to go /pauline and wendy excited to be letting final two horrors go /new home all set up /lisa comes to collect hogs /pauline asleep didnt hear her --RIGHT PLAN b is to give em an early supper and wendy will take em up to new site later --
--there then is biggest deluge of rain and thunder all year --so plan suspended as couldnt even see where w elived any more it was so dark .Plan c --let them go today -- and what ha shappened now --one of the little beggars has got out and is wedged under a shelf unit that can only be lifted by GOLIATH ON WEETABIX ,PAULINE IS VERY VERY CROSS WITH HIM--whoever said hogs cant get into tiny places wants to come and see this one he is unbudgeable --AND AVERY NAUGHTY BOY .Just to complete the picture he has still managed to wreck his cage and make a right mess before jumping out and w e suspect there are dollops of his especially nasty horror poo in corners all over the garage --anyone fancy being SHERLOCK HOLMES --you just follow your nose folks !!!!

LITTLE DOT MEETS THE WORLD
Dot has been out exploring this morning watched carefully by mum of course and she has encountered the following
a tadpole /a worm which she sucked and then it got away /a very pretty flower basket which she sat in ,chewed and then fell out of /the brand new hog feeder waiting for collection --darent look to see what she has done in there /the bubble fountain and some very soggy plant heads. She also met molly dog for the first time --and at first there wa s no response at all but then she prickled slightly -- when pauline went to pick her up she hissed so clearly she has some inclination of danger but not much .She is now back in her cage scoffing breakfast and thelucky worm will live to tell the tale .it is very early days she is still very young but chances are this one will be with us for a long time --there is something jus t not right about her so she will hibernate with us and then w ewill have to look at her again in the spring .Meanwhile the two horrors have shown worm eggs ina pooh sample so they cant go again !!!! Hopefully GEORGE NELSON is going this weekend to a secure garden and it is about time a s he aint happy here -So all ina ll a bit of a mixed bag of news here --makes achange from amixed bag of nuts I suppose -- !!!

WHERES NOAH WHEN YOU NEED HIM
lOOKS like w e are in for another deluge and COMET being a CANNY old gal is taking no chances and has pulled the grass over the entrance and done a poo just in case the wild male gets any ideas about moving in like he did last year .She is so funny and pauline is just daring to hope she has babies ==her behaviour been abit odd of late ----come to think of it so has comets !!!Seriously though nests get washed out in deluges so get food out when the rain is over and any soggy hogs need warming up in a dry place and a good feed and safe night and they should be ok --smaller hogs might need more tlc but let shope they all have the sense to take aleaf out of comets box and batten down the hatches .Dot had a lot of interest in the taddy she found --anyone know if hogs eat tadpoles I suspect they do and froglets too if they get chance -- good job they dont fight us for the french fancies it would be to the death round here if lisa had a say in it

LUNGWORM AWARENESS
THERE HAS BEEN A LOT ON THE NEWS TODAY about snails and lungworm -- and the danger to dogs and pets --the danger to hedgehogs is massive and lungworm is one of the main killers of hogs --PLEASE PLEASE dont even think of feeding slugs and snails to your hogs -- and continue to feed them decent cat /dog food .Also dont be offended by any rescue that wont release ahog to a garden just to keep your slugs and snails under control -- they make up avery VERY small part of the natural hedgehogs diet and cause death in old and young hogs LUNGWORM is also very hard to treat --and it can take us weeks to get ahog free and even then can leave permanent damage .THE NEWS TODAY HAS GOT US WORRIED about people rushing out to buy slug pellets --please dont do this -- do what we do and have a nightly slug patrol -- with aplastic bag on hand -- what you do with them then is up to you .You can also keep your pet safe by not leaving bowls and toys out overnight and washing thoroughly bird baths /feeders and ground feeders with one of the products available to specificially for this and using one of the new all in one treatments for dogs cats available from vets .--sorry for the lecture --but it will be the hogs that will suffer if everyone goes slug pellet mad this autumn

SQUATTER SUB LETTING
Our male squatter is back in the box now and creating a right old mess --he and the female used to fall out over who had the box and he is now after our comet .--mind you he needs to sort his personal hygiene out as apart from making a n awful stink he has brought unwanted guests with him .NOT fleas but TICKS --a whole family mum /dad/auntie and aset of babies all in the box .Wendy thought he mus t be dead when she heard pauline yell out this morning but it was a yell of pure joy at the sight of a hog with ticks to get off and a whole lot more to be evicted from the box .Now they say every baby animal is cute and it has to be said that the ticklets did look well --sort of cute --huddled ina corner but that did not dter our pauline and they were blasted and got rid off immediately .SQUATTER BOY was then de ticked and treated and put back into anice sweet smelling clean box so he will probably scarper tonight!!! AS for comet -- she appeard to have seen him off or has she -- we will wait and see --and if we find ticks on her we know the deed ha s been done and theres been shananigans in the midnight garden !!!

NEWSPAPER FAMINE
THANK YOU to all who answered the emrgency call for papers today we were down to the last sheets of the morley observer and it aint abig paper !! Also to lyn for the food drop tonight just in time as wehave a set of greedy beggars in and the lungworm treatment seems to make em hungrier .George NELSON has been released to a secure garden and is doing well so thank you very much to the family for taking him .Rebecca is going this week and then the last two horrors are going once they are worm free --will that day ever come .Dot is coping well in he r new cage but still is far too tame even with pauline away she still wants human contact --we seem to ge t one hog like this every year --last year it was joe and it will take us awhile to get her a home --she is staying for the winter and her name is on santas list already .Meanwhile back at the ranch one of the elusive missing boxes has turned up -- where from w edont know but thank you -- very much

THAT WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS
sing it if you are old enough
hogs multiplying
morale of staff --rock botttom
health of same staff rock bottom
hence wehave been keeping quietand this has not been helped by the news that hogs are expected to have totally disappeared by the year 2025 --NOW THAT IS SCARY IN ANYONES BOOK.Tarquin ha s los t his place a s our oldest hog as LONG JOHN HAS COME BACK IN FOR AWHILE --she is at least 6 -7 years old and a real sweetie ,Billy whizz is also here for a few weeks and also little squeak --one of paulines hand rears from three years ago has had to come in for a check up .
We are also getting lots of requests to do talks this autumn but sadly we are jus t not able to do any --so apologies to all who have asked --w e have serious family issues going on and w ejust cant do everything .We are relying on our november fundraiser to rraise enough money to ge t us through the winter.WENDY and pauline SIMPLY ARENT FIT ENOUGH TO GO OUT AND DO THE TALKS AND VISITS so we are concentrating on caring for the hogs w e have in and hoping people will still be generous to support us-with donations and food -- Anyone who would like to do any fundraising for us is most welcome and it would be much appreciated -- a coffee morning or a raffle -- any thing will all help us -- with the overwintering of the hogs big and small .We are already onto winter feeding and if you could donate a bag of GO CAT WITH CHICKEN AND VEG /MEAT BASED CAT DOG FOOD in jelly or loaf it would be lovely Thank you again to all who have answered the latest call for papers we are getting through loads with all these mucky lads .

THIS WEEK
Special thanks to bev who sold her bag on ebay and donated the money to us --must have been some bag girl as it will make our bank balance look a lot healthier --anyone else who would like to do the same feel free --we think it s a fab idea.Also to the people who have dropped food off for us --again you have been agreat help .We have had amixed week --three of our safe garden hogs have had to come back in and one of them --BILLY WHIZZ is very unwell --how that little hog has survived a t all is a mystery -- he is ayear old and had so many close calls --he is back with us and we are very worried about him and doing the best w e can but it could be that he is just one of those hogs who has such a poor immiune system that he is too vulnerable to survive even in asafe environment .wE ARE also getting reports of hogs slowing down abit --IT IS ABIT TOO EARLY FOR HIBERNATION BUT W EHAVE KNOWN HOGS GO AS EARLY AS THIS BEFORE--generally the biggest /fattest ones --meanwhile weare into feeding up time so if you do have hogs coming get the extra supplies out -- they need to stock up now .

NEW RELEASES
Well done to shirley who has gone hog mad and turned her garden in to a real haven for hogs -- she took maggotty AND one of the horrors this weekend and werent w eglad -- they were as fed up of us as we were of them I think .Shirley and Alan will be watching the antica on their new web cam system-- and have ordered yetanother box from us -- looks like it san all night cafe att heir place this autumn -- tha nk you so much

THE NINE LIVES OF BILLY WHIZZ
Billy is ayear old and has ha dmore chances then we can count --he ha sbeen on the death row list so many times and finally escaped this when he was offered space in an aviary -- to roam about and be semi tame .However BILLY has had to come back in -- horrific enteriitis /swollen joints passing blood and generally very unwell --so today he went to the vet again --He ha s now been put on mega antibiotics /wormer and painkiller and he has three days to turn this round then its time to call this a day This morning he was pathetic --he hasnt eaten or drunk for four days

within an hour of coming back from the vet he is sipping water and nuzzling at the front of the cage and allowing us to touch him .Could this be yet another great escape for billy and howmany more chances does he get -- watch this space --he hasnt eaten yet but hope he will tonight --he cam e in as a tiny pathetic baby a year ago and so do we give up now or give him yet another chance knowing he probably cant survive outside anywhere --its a tough question !!

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
IF we ha d bunting it would be out today -- the last of the mucky little horrors has gone along with an equally obnoxious youngster called crosspatch --HELEN of little joe fame has taken them to give them time in a run and then release them -- ideally a couple of weeks but our money is on helen lasting till the weekend and then chucking them out and good luck to the rest of the garden hogs when these two hit the scene.Good job LITTLE JOE is now SUMO JOE and can kick them into touch but he ha s his work cut out being the resident baby sitter !! its another first for us --a male hog who the youngsters have attached themselves to --never ever heard of it before but they follow him everywhere--mind you he does know when the food is due and always bags the best spot -- we dont half breed em strange here at hedgehugs --!!

BACK FROM THE BRINK
OUR BILLY is huffing and being generally horrid today and tonight he actually ate some hedgehog biscuits-- the bleeding has stopped and his poo looks semi normal -- so its looking more hopeful-- will be inspecting his little joints tomorrow to see if the swelling has gone down ,Comet the garden hog is definitley settling in for the winter and two of the garage hogs are making amazing nests -- hogs will be out in the late afternoons now as they try to feed up for winter -- it s the one time of year when you DO ACTUALLY see them out in the day and they are generally ok -- there are still litters being born and these are the ones wehave to watch out for -- but hopefully there is still plenty of ttime left for the youngsters to put weight on so we arent bringing them in yet .Y esterday s releases have settled into the run well and been bugging and grubbing -- so it looks h hopeful for them .Meanwhile helen has taken a tick laden old lad in and cleaned him up and is going to keep him for the winter-- no doubt he knows he is onto a cushy number there !!

GETTING QUIETER IN THE GARAGE
Mrs old hog is winding down a s i s old squeak --little dot same as ever but tarkers also abit sluggish and the really exciting news -BILLY IS DOING ALMOST PROPER POO and has eaten abit more today and regained a whole 40 gm --lets hear it for billy whizz !!!We cant believe it thought he was a gonner to be sure this time --one of his legs is less swollen and the worst one looks abit better so we will continue with the injections and hope we see a big change in the next few days .Squatter hog is being particularly disgusting -- an d making the most awful mess in the release box --it s his way of marking the territory and who knows he may be considering us a hibernation site --but he will be a lousy tenant with all the poo he churns out !!

THE DARKER SIDE OF RESCUING
Just got an email from another rescue where a female hoghad given birth --seems it wasnt straightforward and all the babies have been lost. At times like this w e always ask ourselves what did we do wrong should we have intervened /left alone --stood on our heads etc and the sad truth is it jus t happens --if mum isnt well or suspects the hoglets wont thrive she will neglect or destroy them a s happened with us afew weeks ago . We just do our best in an imperfect and often impossible situation .Any litter born now is up against it even in the best conditions-- our thought are with lisa --keep going girl and look after the mum it sthe best you can do -- thinking of you here --pauline and wendy and everyone who has ever been involve d in any sort of animal rescue --it s not always easy or rewarding .

UPDATE ON LITTLE JOE - well, we are having to rename him Big Joe. I'm afraid his release into the wild (our garden) hasn't assisted with his weight problem and he is still at the top end of the obesity scale! But that is probably because he only walks from his bed (behind the wishing well) to his biscuits, which is about 3 metres - and back again!! He thinks he is in charge of my garden now - Cock of the Garden!!! He hates it when we sit out to hedgehog-watch because he thinks the garden belongs to him - so he comes up to us and bites our toes. So we put socks on to protect ourselves - and he bites the end of our sock between his teeth and pulls the sock off!!! He is such a character - we love him to bits. He is so gentle with the other hogs - especially with the small ones (we have quite a few babies this year) - but he has behavioural issues as he tries to mate with every hedgehog that comes into the garden - so can make a nuisance of himself with other hogs. Anyway - I completely adore the little (big) fella and will miss him like mad when he hibernates!!!

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Our latest addition little hercules will be spending winter at the rescue after arriving covered in fly eggs and maggots

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Billy Whizz looking better after a week of strong antibiotics