The above map shows the approximate locations where hedgehogs have been found and rescued between 2016 and 2022. You can scroll and zoom in on the above map to see more details. Not all rescue locations are shown on the map. Please also take into consideration that there are other rescues Brighton, Hastings and Tunbridge Wells direction who also deal with and admit hedgehogs meaning the number we take in from those directions is always going to be less.
Hedgehogs are fragile creatures prone to a variety of illnesses and injuries. Slug pellet poisoning is common; if detected early, treatment is possible, though many are not saved. Look for green stains around their mouths. Strimmers often injure hedgehogs, causing severe head wounds that can become infected and attract flies.
Hedgehogs attacked by dogs may appear worse than they are, with the blood often coming from the dog rather than the hedgehog. Road casualties are also frequent. Hedgehogs can move surprisingly fast, but some drivers at night deliberately run over animals.
If you discover an injured hedgehog, use a cloth or gardening gloves to place it in a pet carrier or box lined with a white cloth or tissue paper, and seek assistance immediately. Bring the hedgehog indoors to a warm environment, not leaving it in a shed, garage, or outside toilet. Concerns about fleas are unfounded, as they cannot live on humans or pets like cats and dogs.
Hedgehogs are, unsurprisingly, the wild mammal most commonly treated at our hospital.
Avoid feeing any milk or milk substitutes as many of these can be problematic for their digestive system and cause weak hedgehogs to die. Providing water is better.
A hedgehog will need rescuing if it is:
If you find a hedgehog with what looks like clusters of miniature grains of rice, they may well be fly eggs. Wounds, diarrhoea and infections can attract flies. These eggs can turn to maggots. Contrary to populate belief maggots will eat health as well as damaged tissue. Please seek help straight away for such cases, but do not warm them up as this will encourage fly eggs to hatch and maggots to become more active.
At this time of year we are frequently called to young hedgehogs being found. They should not be found out during the daytime, but many youngsters are seen during the evening and night with their mum. The most common concern is whether the young are going to be able to put on enough weight to survive hibernation. This is a difficult questions to answer at this time. As a general rule if they are with their mum at night and they look healthy and mum is taking care of them then leave them alone regardless of their weight.
However if there are complications of any sort it may, after seeking advice, be necessary to pick up mum and all her youngsters and bring them in to a rescue centre where they can be looked after until they can be returned to the wild. If the youngsters are at an age when they could be suckling from mum (and found with her), then it is important that mum is picked up with the young so that she can continue to feed the young whilst in care. Please seek advice first before touching them.
There are various opinions on the necessary weight for a hedgehog to survive hibernation, and most rescue centres no longer set a minimum weight by a specific date. Studies indicate that juvenile hedgehogs born later in the year can endure hibernation at weights as low as 450 grams. Factors such as the time of year, current weather patterns, and the hedgehog’s health and condition must be considered. A healthy, well-rounded juvenile hedgehog weighing 400 grams in early November might be fine if it frequents a regularly-fed garden in mild weather. However, if temperatures consistently fall below 3 degrees Celsius at night, the hedgehog may be at risk. Conversely, an adult hedgehog displaying a visible neck-line or tight skin around the pelvis, causing spines to protrude oddly, and weighing 500 grams, may have difficulty surviving hibernation if its normal weight ranges from 800 to 1000 grams. Such a low weight suggests a health issue, indicating the hedgehog has lost significant weight. On the other hand, a juvenile weighing 500 grams could be healthy, as it is still growing and that may be its natural size at that stage of development. Capturing any wild animal or bird can be stressful and negatively impact their health, such as increasing internal parasite burdens due to stress, which can multiply more rapidly in captivity. Once a hedgehog reaches a suitable health and weight, it should be released back into the wild, ideally to its original location, during a period of mild weather. Ideally, a hedgehog should weigh at least 600-700 grams during winter before release, but there is no absolute weight threshold for release.
The exact number of hedgehogs and other wildlife perishing in bonfires annually remains unknown, largely due to the rarity of finding them post-event. Tragically, for many, the discovery of injured or burnt hedgehogs and other animals fleeing from bonfires has marred their celebrations.
WRAS has issued the following top ten tips to protect hedgehogs and other wildlife during bonfire season:
Generally, there is no necessity to feed wild animals or birds as they would not be present if there were no local food sources available.
Nonetheless, feeding wildlife can bring joy and serve an educational purpose. It should be done sparingly to prevent overpopulation in the local area.
To attract hedgehogs, offer moist foods such as cat food pouches or tins, or soaked cat biscuits. Avoid feeding them:
The most sustainable method to provide for hedgehogs is by naturally attracting insects and beetles to your garden. This can be achieved by planting a variety of flowers, fruits, and vegetables, and by leaving weeds and nettles to thrive, which in turn attract the insects and bugs that hedgehogs feed on.
Contrary to common belief, hedgehogs do not consume many slugs and snails, which may carry parasites that can harm their health.
East Sussex WRAS has joined forces with several other wildlife organisations to release this statement on the breeding of hedgehogs in response to population decline.
To read the statement and report click here.
