All About Hedgehogs

About Hedgehogs............

HEDGEHOGS ARE LACTOSE INTOLERANT AND SHOULD NEVER BE GIVEN MILK, IT WILL MAKE THEM VERY ILL AND CAN EVEN BE FATAL.

THEY SHOULD ONLY BE GIVEN WATER TO DRINK!

• Numbers of hedgehogs in this country are falling drastically, 60 years ago numbers were around 35 million, today the number is estimated at only one million.

• Hedgehogs have been around for millions of years.

• They are nocturnal.

• Britain's only spiny mammal.

• An adult hedgehog can have between 5000-7000 spines. The spines are made up of the same material as our hair, i.e. Keratin.

• The adults (Boars and Sows) live solitary lives only spending time together for mating, the female alone raises her young.

• Females have one or two litters a year consisting of an average 4/6 babies (called hoglets). But potentially a hedgehog could give birth to 10 hoglets as she has 10 teats but this is rare.

• The first litter is born in the Spring.

• The second litter is usually produced around August/September and sometimes even later in the year, the hoglets from these second litters will struggle to build up enough weight/fat reserves in time for winter and most of them will not survive.

• By the end of November a Hedgehog that weighs less than 650g is unlikely to survive the winter.

• Hedgehogs can cover up to two miles each night while out foraging for food in/out of gardens, along hedgerows, etc.

• Lots of people are surprised to hear that hedgehogs have tails.

• Hedgehogs have a wide range of vocal communication sounds.

• They have an excellent sense of smell, their hearing is good but their eyesight is
relatively poor.

• The average lifespan is 5 or 6 years.

• Hedgehogs will eat a wide variety of things including, beetles, insect larvae, caterpillars, birds eggs that have fallen from a nest, baby mice, froglets, carrion, earthworms, slugs, snails, the nuts and seeds that fall from bird tables, etc. They eat very little plant material.

• Hedgehogs’ only means of defense are the sharp spines on its back and the ability to curl up tightly.

• As winter approaches and the temperature begins to fall the hedgehog’s natural food becomes scarce and so most hedgehogs will hibernate. There is no set time for hedgehogs to enter a state of hibernation, some will do it in October, some November or December and some even later. Prior to hibernation hedgehogs will have tried to eat as much food as possible in order to build up their fat reserves to see them over the long dark winter. During some winters there may be the occasional mild spell and a hedgehog may wake from
hibernation and venture out in search of food/water then will return to hibernation again.

Do Hedgehogs have Fleas?

Some have lots, some have a few and some have none. However the fleas are host specific, in other words unless you are a hedgehog the fleas do not find you attractive, neither do they fancy living on your dog, cat or carpet. Please do not ever let the possibility of fleas on a hedgehog prevent you from helping a sick/injured hog.

NEVER USE FLEA TREATMENT INTENDED FOR CATS/DOGS ON A HEDGEHOG, the chemical will kill the Hedgehog.