Sunday 13 October 2013

Animal Rescue.

Well this isn't a post that was scheduled to go in but one that I thought I needed to put up as it happened.

I popped round to the allotment on Saturday during a brief ease in the rainfall and whilst having a looksy found in my allotment neighbours little pond a Hedgehog.

On closer inspection and to my amazement I could see that it was still breathing so with some quick rallying I got some gloves whilst my friend Juliette grabbed a towel and we rescued him from his cold watery bed.

When I pulled him out he was very shivery with rapid breathing and had lots of route matter from the water wrapped around his back legs. I removed that weeds and then we wrapped him in a towel and pondered the next course of action.

Luckily Juliette has  friend 'Kate' who works for the R.S.P.C.A. and a quick phone-call to her gave us the direction we needed. Put the hedgehog in a box with a hot water bottle and give him some cat meat, Kate also asked how much he weighed and if he was going into a ball. The answer to the first question was remedied by putting the hedgehog on the scales in the allotment shop. The answer to the second question was 'No'. That been said Kate said she would collect him from me later as he would need the hospital to get well if he wasn't curling up tight.

So I dutifully followed all the instructions at home and got him settled into a box on a hot water bottle. He was breathing quickly and was quite sneezy but didn't seem interested in the food. I put his box upstairs out the way of the inquisitive Trojan and kept my fingers crossed.

An hour later the hedgehog hadn't moved but seemed to be sleeping peacefully.

Two hours after that when I went to check on him again........he had obviously warmed up and was having a merry old time in the box. I don't know if he had eaten any of the cat meat but he had certainly been in it and had been scrabbling at the towel too. This was looking a lot more optimistic.

When Kate came to pick him up he was till awake and quite lively and curled into a tight ball when she picked him up. I told her that he had been a bit sneezy and she said that he may have lung-worm but she was optimistic for a full recovery and said when he was 100% she would bring him back for me to release back on the allotments.

animal rescue hedgehog
Here is the hedgehog roaming around once he had warmed up

animal rescue hedgehog
Snuggling in the box.

animal rescue hedgehog
Having a bit of a wander around.
 Kate did say before she left with the hedgehog that a lot of people who have ponds put stepping stones out of them just in case a hedgehog does fall in so it's something for those of us with ponds to think about, after all they are very good for the garden. I will give you an update when I know more on his progress.
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20 comments:

  1. Hurrah, and here's hoping he makes a full recovery! We found a hedgehog splashing around in our pond years ago, as soon as we got it out it was off into the hedge quick-sharp, can't have been in there nearly as long as yours.

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    1. This one must have been there a good few hours Lee, I'm just glad I spotted him when I did.

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  2. Just look at that cute little nose, I hope he makes it, it sounds optimistic. I have a ramp in my tiny pond for wildlife to climb out should they fall in. Our hedgehogs need all the help they can get so I hope your allotment neighbour will be modifying his pond.

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    1. I have my fingers crossed Jo, I will let you know more when I know. I have told my allotment neighbour to put a ramp in his pond.

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  3. Yay, Tanya! Nice rescue. Hedgehogs are adorable. I wish we had them over here.

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    1. They are very cute looking and great for the gardens too!!

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  4. I'm glad it's looking good for this little guy. I hope he has a happy ending.

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  5. We once found a small underweight hedgehog at about this time if year. We had a devil of a job finding a rescue centre that was open and ended up having a 16 mile (30+ miles round trip) ride to our nearest one.

    The hedgehog was too small to hibernate and had a bad leg so it was given antibiotics and was going ro spend winter in a nursery pen

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    1. I was lucky Juliette was with me to call her friend Sue. I think I would have kept him at home and tried to bring him up if not as I have no idea where our closest rescue centre is and it's often hard to get in touch with them over weekends. Do you know if he survived??

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  6. oh the poor little guy. Lucky for him you were there to rescue him. It sounds like he was doing much better after you warmed him up

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    1. He was Ann...so I really hope he makes it.

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  7. Oh isn't he lovely. Lucky you found him in time & well done. The first thing I put in my little pond was a means of escape.

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    1. I'm so glad...I have steps out of my little pond at the top of the plot and will do the same with the pond at the bee plot. Not just for the hedgehogs but for all the animals that can't swim!

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  8. I don't think we have hedge hogs here in north Florida. hedgehogs are definitely cute. You got to him just in the nick of time.

    Velva

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    1. I never really thought about whether hedgehogs lived world wide or not...now I am curious and will have to look it up!!

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  9. Aah, glad you managed to rescue it, I hope it recovers quickly. Lovely pictures

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  10. Dear Tanya, This is such a nice story. I am so glad that this little hedgehog will be fine. He is just heartwarming.
    Good work! Blessings my friend and a hug. Catherine xo

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    1. Thanks Catherine. Updates will be given in time...I just hope it's good news!!

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keep it clean...keep it relevant...I look forward to reading your comments!!