Burt, Clyde, James and Solo

Just thought you guys might like to see some of the hoglets I have in at the moment. This is a litter of four from Daventry whose nest was disturbed and have grown into strapping 500 grammers. Soon to be released! This was their first adventure out in the garden at dusk.

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My other half acting as an impenetrable wall
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Solo tries to penetrate the wall!
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Love them - beautiful and you really do such a fantastic job - could you pm your details over to me as we would like to add you to our list of people we can donate to from our fund raisers etc.

Aww fantastic photos Gemma .. hope Gimp is ok .. i would love to give him a permanent home ...x Well done with everything you do ... i thinkt hat is a fantastic idea Helen .x

Awww they are lovely, you do a fantastic job! xx

ahhhh wow, how did you get into being a wildy rescuer....it must of started off with one from from somewhere??? lol

Yes how did you get in to doing it Gemma x

oohh how amazing are they. how do you look after them?

I believe correct me if im wrong Gem , that its against the law to keep wildes as pets .. Gemma just gets them well and then arranges for them to be released , putting in a lot of time and effort . I was lucky enough to meet one of Gemma's special wildes Gimpy who has lost one leg , and a mass infection and other things also . I fell in love with him he was amazing , i dont think he can be releashed due to him having 3 legs and no teeth ... but again Gem correct me if im wrong . You do a wonderful job xx

Lou is right it is illegal to keep a wild animal, it is also ilegal to release a wild animal if they are vulnerable due to ill health or disability.

It all started last year when Hobbit turned up on a cold night in October, he was sitting in a tight ball next to a cat on my decking, the cat was eating all his food. I knew he was too small to survive hibernation so I took him in, he weighed just 450 grams. He had a very nasty cough which turned out to be lungworm. So after looooooooooads of vet visits we got him well ( I can treat lungworm without vets now). Unfortunately his spines then started to fall out in chunks, probably a reaction to the steriod the vet gave him. So weeks of daily bathing in aveeno and salt water alternate days and then we bedded him down until May this year when he was released at my back door where we found him.

Exactly one week after Hobbit turned up along came Brad in exactly the same place on my decking, he weighed 415 grams and had a very nasty stomach infection, then flu, then a horrible abcess. It was touch and go for a while but we released him a couple of weeks ago at a strapping 1200 grams!

It was at this point that I really started researching and realised that hedgehogs made me really happy and that I wanted to do more, so I applied to the BHPS (British Hedgehog preservation Society) to be a registered carer and I went on a hog first aid course.

Now if people find poorly hogs and telephone the BHPS, they are given a number for a carer, if I am the nearest to them, then that is me. I then collect the hog and take it from there.

So far I have released 5 hogs. I currently have a 3 legged hog in my pen in the garden, I have a porrly lady who I can't figure out and six hoglets. Most of the hoglets will go back to where they were found to be released, but that only happens with huge co-operation from the finders.

How do I look after them? Well they are all so different in their ways. Some are fussy eaters, some love humans, others hate humans. I generally keep them on newspaper, but one of mine won't settle until she gets her fleece to sleep on. Their care is very similar to APH's except for when they are very poorly. Then I have to set up intensive care which is hard work but worth it.

I hope I've answered everyone's questions, keep them coming, I don't mind. WHen I get a minute I'll put up some photos of all my hogs past and present and a little note as to why I had them and what I did.

Good post Gemma thankyouu for posting .. how is Gimp the three legged one that stole my heart ?

Gimp is now a monster and weighed in yesterday at 1400 grams! He's gone into my pen so that I can see how he copes. I gave him a little run around the garden first and he can definitely run! The question is whether or not he can lift his arse off the floor so that he doesn't drag it. Time will tell.

lol glad he is doing well .. xx

I would love to hear about your past and present wildies - it is very interesting to read but also gives everybody else more of an insight to the hard work that goes into looking after them.

I know Vi in Warrington goes into a couple of local schools with one of her hoggies who is not suitable for release, she doesn't let the children touch but she does show them him and gives a talk and she asks for donations of cat food etc to help with the costs of feeding - just a thought if it would help for the future.

awwwww gem your doind a fanastic job xxx

Thanx that was really interesting to read! You do a fab job, looking forward to the pics!! I'd live to do what you do!! Xxx