Hope .x

I have had some one contact me about Hope Mel & Helen will speak to you both later ..x

I'm really grateful to Helen for puting her trust in me.

Like Helen and Melody said, by letting little Jnr come to me they free up precious space for a less fortunate (by that I mean cared for) hoggy, who needs an experienced handler to rehabilitate it.

When we spoke Helen mentioned that she visit's my neck of the woods fairly regularly. I've said she's welcome to pop in and keep an eye on her little lad and probably tick me off properly for spoiling him rotten! It'll be all the girl's fault!

...A time-honoured excuse and I intend to stick to it!

Elaine, you have done so much research and always show and evidence what you have learnt... Many responsible people would see this behaviour as normal, however going by the numbers of poor little hedgehogs coming in through the rescue, not including the genuine ones, then it's quite obvious that there are not enough responsible would be pet owners out there....

We are all really, really pleased that Junior is heading your way and that his forever home will be in a special place.

Thank you ever so much for giving a home to one of our prickly Critterz
xoxox

And thank you for the re-home donation to our fund raising pot - much appreciated.

Phew... Glad it got to you!

Chris said he'd got the PP email, but all that says is that my money went to somebody, somewhere... It doen't guarentee to be the right person lol!

Brilliant ... another Happy Ending :O) .x

Yes, fantastic news! xx

oooo when is the big day elaine??

I've no idea!

I haven't and won't ask. Helen's kindly offered to deliver the little chap in person, next time she's in the Midlands, so whenever works for her works for me.

Everything's ready and waiting. All I need is a couple of days notice so I can turn on the heatmat (as per it's instructions) to ensure the zoozone's nice and toasty.

oooo sounds exciting...xxx

How's Hope coming along?

Hope is fab.... She really is a sweet hedgehog. She's been out most of this evening and even ventured on the wheel a number of times... Hasn't run around on it at all, just slipped off a couple of times.... I'll try and upload my photies and videos that I've taken.

This my sound a bit mad but.... I have a feeling she migh be too heavy.... If she would get on the wheel and run she'd be okay, but she gets on it facing the wrong way and then slides backwards....

The only concern I have with her at the moment is trying to get her to eat.... Eating mealworms isnt a problem, so for now i am limiting her to just a few of those... I'm just in the process of trying different biscuits mixed with wet cat food but she's not tried that even... I'm going to try her on a different brand tomorrow and see how she gets on.

I'm really pleased with her progress tonight though, going on the wheel.... One step at a time.... (literally) and we'll get there, I'm sure!

xoxox

From what I've read she's a real 'rescue'. I was disgusted reading about her cage - nothing but a rag? shocking! Poor wee mite's forgotten what's good in life...

I've worked with traumatised animals in the past and Hope's behaviour fits. Getting on the wheel is a big step in the right direction (metaphorically if not literally lol). It shows she's starting to respond to her surroundings - her inherent curiosity is becoming aroused. The cage she was in sounds like some sort of solitary confinment prison. It lacked even the basics the animal needed to accomodate and stimulate her natural behaviour patterns - no privacy, no toys, no active stimulation = wheel. Her only pleasure was worms - so she focussed on them - to the excusion of everything else. I am of course assuming she was given a better diet than her enviroment!

You might be onto something with the weight idea. Most wild animals are governed by their relationship with food. If Hope's diet hasn't been terribly balanced - worms being the primary foodstuff instead of biscuits. Theoretically, she's like a toddler who's had unlimited crisps on demand - she can't see any point in meat and veg! In addition, if she is a little overweight, it may be her natural instinct reducing her intake. The theory behind weigh-loss is eat less, move more... But Hope doesn't wheel and with her previous housing being so restrictive she's lost the ability then desire to exercise. Perhaps more exercise could help. By motivating her to move more, eventually her survival instinct will force her to eat more -even if it's not her favourite munch!

My owls (all birds of prey) only fly for food. To get those fabulous displays people see, the falconer drops the bird's weight to a previously established level - every bird has it's one 'flight weight'. That's the weight at which the bird is the most responsive to the falconer.

Both BoP's and Hogs are semi-domesticated animals. We work with them using their natural, spontanious behaviours. In Hope's case you're helping re-establish her suppressed behaviours - one step at a time...

One day you'll walk in to a whizzin' wheel and a half-empty-bowl.
- Hope it's soon!

Thanks Elaine, thats really interesting to hear about how the life of a bird of prey works .... and how important it obviously is to reduce their weight to encourage them to do what would come. naturally to them in the wild.

As for Hope.... Result! I put in 30 dried biscuits - (GoCat) and on counting them this morning there was 17 left I have checked everywhere just in case she has carried any around and hidden them, no signs... I am properly made up with her... shall keep on counting them each night and see how she goes. Once I know she is eating her biscuits for definate I shall try her with carrot and peas next.

With regards to her wheeling, I shall continue to monitor her at playtime, I put a silent spinner in as well as a Larry's wheel last night, just in case she might frind the grips easier. She didn't try it though. Patience and percerverance will pay off. It is already and I am confident in her getting the hang of it over time....

What a result!

Watch this space....

xoxox

That is fab news Mel.,
x

Fabulous!

You must be over ye moon!!

Well done Mel xx

I think Hope appears to be munching on her biscuits now... Eating about 10 or so each night... Sweet corn will be added tonight.... Slowly but surely getting there.

xoxox

Great Stuff Melody!

Looks like she's making steady progress foodwise. The rest will come.

Give yourself a big ol' pat on the back. I would say give Hope one to - but that could be a bit uncomfortable!

Patting you on the back Mel xx

Thats good news Mel .x

Thanks Folks

Some more great news.... Hope most definitely absolutely loves sweetcorn, carrots, peas and broccolli... I use the frozen bag of mixed veg (from Asda I think) I put some in a bowl and put it out with Her and Little Miss Daisy Splat tonight... she was straight over... the poor little girl tucked in like she was starving bless!Then she lay flat out self-annointing all over the show!
I've taken a video of her eating so as soon as my phone sincs (if thats the word?!) I'll do all it takes to upload and show you how pretty she still is.

Hope does something really strange... you know when they taste something funny, and then just before they start annointing (the part where they start contorting and twisting) well she seems to do this but instead of licking and frothing... she lifts her (mainly left) leg up and starts to scratch, it's the funniest thing ever!

xoxox

that's funny mel, i swear inca scratches her back before she thinks about annointing too... glad little hope is doing so well, cant wait to see your video of her xxx

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If you click on here you may see her getting on the wheel... not have a go.... just getting on...

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for some reason, I cant seem to upload the annointing ones but I will keep on trying...

xoxox

Here we go.....

Very blurry sorry... but proof of her enjoying her veg... may need to click on to see video

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Annointing afterwards.....

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xoxox