I am sure everyone has found these weather conditions very uncomfortable recently and our prickly friends have had the worse time I have ever experienced. Hedgehogs have come in dehydrated, no water, food or relief from the high temperatures, with broken legs, chest problems and starvation. When a hedgehog is starved, their systems fail and it means certain death unless we get them in time. Even then, success is very difficult to achieve and it breaks every rehabbers heart. We do this because we love these creatures, they are beautiful, the challenges they are faced with in the wild are man made, our doing, so we must take some responsibility and ensure they stay safe.
Rat poison, for one, I know it is still being used illegally, kill a rat and you kill a hedgehog! Football netting, motorists but, more often than not, is pure ignorance.
Hedgehogs seen out in the day is particularly alarming, being nocturnal creatures, so help must be sought after the hedgehog has been taken out of harms way and out of the sun, hedgehogs do not sunbathe.
On a positive, we have released Brownie, Blondie, Lilly and Tilly. Please make sure you check your gardens before using any power tools, I have seen many a strimmer injury and they are difficult to treat and sometimes fatal.
Thanks go to Linda and Sue of Jorgias Attic, they have been so kind and helpful showing me how to make lovely animals, also Lesley and Steve, they kindly brought me Poppy, bless her, she hasn’t been able to get any food, she is too thin so a comfy bed and nice food is here for as long as I deem it necessary to keep her here. Not a young lady but still just as important to me and my rescuers Denise, Peter and Teri, thank you for your continued support.
Finally, we are also experiencing a lot of abandoned hoglets, if you are concerned please get them help, contact details at the end of this article.
The British Hedgehog Preservation Society can be contacted on 01584 890801
My email address is pricklyhaven@yahoo.com should you need advice etc.