HEDGEHOGS SHOULD ONLY BE KEPT IN ENCLOSED GARDENS IF THEY CANNOT COPE IN THE WILD BECAUSE OF AN INJURY (eg AMPUTATED LEG). FULLY FUNCTIONING HEDGEHOGS CAN TRAVEL UP TO TWO MILES A NIGHT IN THEIR FORAGING AND WOULD NOT SETTLE IN A CONFINED ENVIRONMENT. IF YOU HAVE AN ENCLOSED AND ESCAPE PROOF GARDEN AND WISH TO OFFER IT AS A SAFE RELEASE SITE FOR A RECUPERATED HEDGEHOG THAT CANNOT BE RETURNED TO THE WILD CONTACT YOUR LOCAL ANIMAL SANCTUARY OR HEDGEHOG CARER (THE British Hedgehog Preservation Society CAN GIVE YOU AN APPROPRIATE NAME AND CONTACT PHONE NUMBER).

If you are lucky enough to acquire a hedgehog in need of a safe environment the following will help you to look after him/her. Never take a healthy hedgehog from the wild as it may have babies that will die if the parent does not return to the nest.

HOUSING YOUR HEDGEHOG
Line a box with thick newspaper on the base and fill it with dry straw. Sprinkle a little flea powder that contains Pyrethrum and is suitable for cage birds, onto the newspaper (and on to the hedgehog if possible) to deter fleas and ticks. See the British Hedgehog Preservation Society leaflet HEDGEHOG HOMES for further ideas on making a suitable house, or the British Hedgehog Preservation Society Hogalogue for ready-made homes.

Emergency house - short term. Bag of straw, knot open end, punch hole at ground level and poke 3-4 holes with finger on top. Place on ground and stake.

YOUR GARDEN must be 'hedgehog friendly', i.e. no pesticides or slug pellets used, escape ramps of chicken wire or rocks placed in ponds and no netting to trap delicate legs. Ensure that swimming pool covers are well attached in the winter, and that the pool is checked every day in summer. Polystyrene floats left on the top of the pool can sometimes help to save a life.

NB: NEVER SPRAY HEDGEHOGS FOR FLEAS. NEVER USE ANY ORGANO PHOSPHATES IN THE GARDEN AS THESE ARE LETHAL TO HEDGEHOGS.

CAPTIVE HEDGEHOGS MUST BE FED EVERY NIGHT, EVEN WHEN YOU ARE ON HOLIDAY. THEY WILL EAT GARDEN PESTS BUT WILL ALSO NEED A SUPPLEMENTARY FEED. THE FOOD SHOULD BE GIVEN AT DUSK - AFTER ALL FLIES HAVE GONE, AND ANY LEFTOVER FOOD REMOVED EARLY IN THE MORNING BEFORE FLIES ARRIVE.

Feeding your hedgehog

DIET:

1. Crunchy cat biscuits
2. Tinned meat based pet food (white meat flavours such as chicken, turkey or rabbit- not in gravy)
3. Pet shop brawn for dog/cat - liver flavour
4. Spikes hedgehog food or other specially prepared hedgehog food
5. Raw mince
6. Any raw or cooked meat leftovers - as a treat
7. Chicken – cooked excluding the bones
8. A little moistened museli or chopped unsweetened digestive biscuits

The daily meal should consist of meat and fibre from the above list.

Water must always be available from dish sunk in the ground. Preferably in several different places in the garden.

The dish of food should be placed on newspaper under a shed or well into a tunnel (e.g. a blue plastic mushroom box with a 5” x 5” hole cut in one of the short sides) or use a 6" diameter piece of drainpipe to deter other animals (e.g. cats) from reaching it. Place a brick on the mushroom box to stop it being moved away and if necessary put a brick about 5” away from any feeding station entrance to stop cats lying down and reaching in with their paws.

During hibernation hedgehog or cat biscuits should always be left in the tunnel of the hedgehog’s home. When these are eaten give fresh food then return to biscuits when this is no longer taken. Hibernation is not continuous and hedgehogs do sometimes wake up - this uses up energy that will need to be replaced, so they look for food.

Caring for the health of your hedgehog
Do not use any preparations from pet shops on your hedgehog, they are not made specifically for hedgehogs and may not have been tried on hedgehogs by carers and vets. If you are having any problems with the hedgehog contact the carer who you obtained him/her from for advice. Many problems will require treatment from a veterinary surgeon.

Your vet may be interested to see the British Hedgehog Preservation Society booklet Care and Treatment of Sick and Injured Hedgehogs. This booklet contains an Appendix on drugs most commonly used on hedgehogs.

Do not allow them to get too fat. The maximum desirable weight for a female hedgehog is 1.361 kg (3lb) and 1.588kg (3½lb) for a male. The minimum weight for hibernation is 450gms (16oz). Try to ensure that the hedgehog is over this. If your hedgehog appears poorly check ears for septic infection and/or maggot infestation. Go to the vet at once she/he will remove maggots and eggs and treat any infection.

Eyes - sometimes white, fatty tissue appears from under eyelids when hedgehog opens eyes wide. This is fat deposit and will go if the hedgehog is dieted for 1-2 weeks, i.e. cut food by up to ½ for 1-2 weeks. These fat deposits can obscure vision so must be got rid of by dieting.

Skin problems i.e. loss of prickles, dusty appearance around the ears, sores on the face or skirt are all indications can be mites or ringworm. See your vet. Little mites looking like red spider mite can be treated as you would fleas, see below.

Worming - Hedgehogs will pick up worms from slugs and snails so they must be wormed regularly. Worm during March/April and again in September/October). We suggest using PANACUR available from your vet.

Pneumonia – can be a respiratory infection, lungworms or mouth infection (perhaps bad teeth). See vet.

Wounds - Most infections and wounds respond to antibiotics (again available from a vet).

Traces of blood in faeces – see vet.

Bone infections -(eg torn out claws) – bath in salt water; if the foot swells or the hedgehog is limping see vet

Fleas - can be controlled by sprinkling the hedgehog’s back with a powder used on birds to control lice and mites. Hedgehogs do not need their fleas. Hedgehog fleas are special to the hedgehog and do not normally live on any other animal.

NEVER SPRAY HEDGEHOGS WITH DOG OR CAT FLEA SPRAYS AS THEY MAY BE TOXIC TO THE HEDGEHOG.

The British Hedgehog Preservation Society leaflet Treating Sick & Injured Hedgehogs may be useful, in case your hedgehog should become poorly, it gives basic advice, treatments and dosages for a hedgehog.

Remember - Hedgehogs are nocturnal; they are active at dusk and through the night. They are not pets, but can become quite unafraid and very grateful for the care you give.

Lifespan - In the wild with no human help their lifespan is much shorter than when kept in enclosed garden and well cared for. The longest living hedgehog to date was fourteen years old when he died and was very much missed by his 'owners'