A friend of mine recently found a juvenile hedgehog. It was curled in a ball in the middle of the road, with cars whizzing past. Had my friend not been in the right place at the right time, this young hoglet would almost certainly have met a sticky end.
In addition to dicing with death in the middle of the road in rush hour, ‘Killie’ the hedgehog faced another danger: winter. He was far too small to hibernate (which is probably why he was still out when most hedgehogs have already entered hibernation), so my friend fashioned a box using a piece of foam he had in his rucksack, filled it with leaves and took the hoglet home to live with him for a few months. Killie weighed just 310g.
Often called autumn orphans, or autumn juveniles, small hedgehogs found after October are usually from a second litter and could have been born as late as September. While hoglets from the first litter (born in summer) have plenty of time to fatten up for hibernation, those in the second litter only have a few weeks, just when the beetles, caterpillars and slugs that hedgehogs rely on for food are themselves settling down to hibernate.
Despite being nocturnal, autumn orphans are likely to be seen out during the day as they try to find food to gain weight. They are mainly encountered in October and November, but you may occasionally come across one in December and even further into winter or early spring as these tiny hedgehogs struggle to survive.
If you spot one out now - during the day or night - it’s almost certainly in trouble and will need help. Pick the hedgehog up using an old towel or a pair of thick gardening gloves. Keep it warm by placing it on a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel, in a high-sided box lined with newspaper, and then place another towel over the hedgehog to make it feel secure. Offer your orphan some water and meat-based dog or cat food (not bread and milk, as this can make them ill). If the hedgehog doesn’t take the food or is injured, call the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) for advice.
Deciding whether to take a hedgehog in over winter can be problematic - some hedgehogs can die from the stress of being in captivity, while others may perish if left outside. If you’re in any doubt at all, contact the BHPS or seek help from your local hedgehog carer.
Killie is doing well. He’s been to the vet and has settled into his new home - a box with his very own hot water bottle. Fingers crossed he’ll make it through winter to spring, and my friend can release him back into the wild - hopefully a good distance from the road where he risked life and limb.
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Thu Feb 14, 2013 7:48 pm