What to do if you find a poorly hedgehog?
Finding a poorly hedgehog is always sad, so here's a step by step guide you can use to help get our prickly friend happy and healthy again 🙂
If you find a hedgehog (of any size) out during the day, it is usually in difficulty of some kind & needs your help. Using either a pair of gardening gloves or a folded towel, pick it up and place in a high sided box (as they are very good climbers). Use the towel as bedding, cover it to keep a little calmer.
Warmth will help keep down the stress levels (shock) & greatly assist a sick hedgehog. A hot water bottle wrapped in another towel/tea towel, or an empty drinks bottle with quite warm water could be alternative. Ensure there is enough room for the hedgehog to move off if it needs to. Place the box in a quiet place indoors, maybe in a closed shower tray or bath for safety. If towels are not available an old item of clothing could be used &/or newspaper. If there is space without it being spilt leave a small bowl of water for the hedgehog to drink. If available a small amount of tinned dog or cat (not fish flavoured) food could also be given although not essential.
Then telephone the British Hedgehog Preservation Society 01584 890801 (office hours) & they will give you the number of the nearest rescue centre/rehabilitator who can assist. If in Warwickshire, local to Nuneaton/Coventry/Solihull then contact Christine at Les Monts Hedgehog Rescue (<temporarily_omitted>) who will advise further & arrange for you to bring the hedgehog in &/or arrange for it to be collected. Chris will require your name, address including post code & some basic facts about where the hedgehog has been found & if there are any obvious signs of distress, e.g. injuries.
Your address &/or name will not be given out without your permission. Please note the findings of hedgehogs are recorded for research purposes to note population areas primarily.
If the hedgehog is brought into Les Monts, it is our policy, if safe to do so, to return to the area found & release the hedgehog there once it has fully recovered & is of a decent weight. Dependant on the time of year this will alter; when you will be asked to collect the hedgehog for release, unless you prefer not to. A safe, close by release spot will then be found. Release notes are given along with some of its preferred food at this point.
Hedgehog houses and feeding stations can also be purchased from Les Monts should you require them. As these are very popular, please mention this to Chris when you bring the hedgehog in, or as soon as possible after. Thank you for caring. xx