Hedgehog Cabin
@HedgehogCabin • 38,884 subscribers
I operate a small hospital for sick, injured and orphaned wild hedgehogs. Donate https://t.co/wUQRQfPo5i Wishlist https://t.co/4UZ0T2FlAL Ambassador: @DrAmirKhanGP
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A trail cam not only allows you to keep an eye on your hedgehog house, and its occupant's health. Even now, while your hedgehog hibernates, you'll discover all sorts of secret goings on in that nice tucked away undisturbed corner of your garden. (Footage here taken with a Victure HC100 Mini Wildlife Camera 16MP 1080P, around £42).
Hedgehog Cabin294,849 Aufrufe • vor 5 Monaten
There was a terrible smell coming from pen number 4, in the lodge. I knew no one was living there, because nothing had moved; it was spotless still from the last clean, and the food in there had been untouched for 3 days. When I opened the house, where the terrible smell was coming from, I found Arthur. Laying on his side, dying from a severely infected wound to his head. He was lying in a puddle of stinking pus, and had been lying like that, unable to move or eat or drink for 3 days. The pain just too much for him. This darling boy who, just 3 weeks ago, had been successfully treated and rid of the lungworm which was killing him, made fit and well and shining with health and released back into the wild. This darling boy, who had made us laugh with his gentle persistent moves on the girl of his dreams. This sweet gentle boy, who had left the safety of home, led by his hormones to neighbouring gardens, where he had been casually dealt a death blow by someone strimming grass that offended their eye by growing wild and free where they demanded order and obedience. As I carried Arthur into the hospital, I swatted away flies, hungry for the smell of death on him. I've drained a massive abscess and started him on antibiotics and pain relief. I really have no idea if he can overcome this, it's just a matter of time, and waiting. I'm just so grateful (and deeply touched) that this poor boy used the last of his strength to get home, where he knew he'd be safe. Please. Don't strim.
Hedgehog Cabin621,090 Aufrufe • vor 2 Jahren
2:26
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Hedgehogs can live as long as dogs. But the sad reality is, very few are lucky enough to see their third birthday. Vinnie is a rare exception. Although it's impossible to accurately age a hedgehog, I would say he's close to 10 years old. This clever, resourceful old boy has managed to survive the odds. But now he needs help. Sweet old Vinnie has every ailment a hedgehog can suffer from. Aside from having roundworm and lungworm, his skin is in a dreadful state, so I'm spraying him daily with a cooling, moisturing medication, and bathing him every 3rd day in a treatment for his ringworm and scabies. This bath is warm and slightly oily, so it soothes his itching and relieves his tight dry skin.
Hedgehog Cabin409,050 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
If anyone knows these boys, who stole a tub of water (labelled "Water for Wildlife, Please Do Not Remove") from the dehydrated desperate wildlife in the Phoenix Green woods on Dilly Lane, Hartley Wintney, at 7pm last night, and stole the small bird's water dish, and destroyed the safety ramp from the tub, please explain to them that this isn't a game. This water is the difference between life and death to these poor animals. It broke my heart this morning to watch footage of these desperate animals searching the ground where the life saving water was. And watching small birds, whose own water dish had been stolen, trying and failing to get to the water left in the tub - seeing it but unable to safely reach it. Please share this on other social media platforms. Please don't be angry or rude to these children, we all did bad stuff when we were kids. But they need to understand the consequences of their thoughtless actions. We must teach kindness and tolerance to animals.
Hedgehog Cabin202,073 Aufrufe • vor 9 Monaten
This post is mainly to help other rescues, but I know a lot of you will be interested as well. This sweet boy is Merlin. Merlin self admitted, but aside from his scabby nose from a bit of ringworm, he appeared fine. But I knew by his behaviour that he was sick. Healthy hedgehogs don't self admit to a hospital pen. Especially boys at this time of year - they are out chasing girls.🥰 I tested his poo in the lodge, where he booked himself into an open pen, and it was clear. I admitted him into hospital where he stayed overnight and left me 6 lovely poo samples. Every single one was clear. And yet his behaviour, his aggitation, the way he dug the corners of the pen, even his smell, told me through years of experience that he was sick. So I started treatment anyway. And as his condition improved, as he became hydrated and nourished, and the first antiparasitic administered, just like magic the confirmation appeared! A diagnosis needs to be made on observed behaviour and history (either your own or of the finders); the poo sample is *confirmation of the diagnosis*. So a hedgehog making unhealthy breathing sounds but producing clear poo samples is still unhealthy. You can't always rely on a sick hedgehog to produce parasite larvae or eggs in their poo sample, for several reasons, but the main reason is: Parasites, like all living organisms, have to preserve energy in order to stay alive and thrive. So when they find themselves in a hostile environment - a host who has become starving and dehydrated - they reduce their energy expenditure by temporarily shutting down systems that are not neccessary for life, like reproduction. They stop laying eggs and go into a sort of stasis, until conditions become welcoming again. Also of course, parasites don't constantly churn out eggs. They have a reproduction cycle. So not every sample will contain eggs. It's so frustrating when people contact me saying they have been sent home with a hedgehog who is clearly in audible respiratory distress, because the poo sample the rescue took was clear. As for sweet Merlin - at first it was a trickle; his poo showed just a few parasites, so microscope samples had to be very carefully scrutinised. But very quickly it became apparent that this poor boy was in fact full of deadly fluke, lungworm, and roundworm. He's only on day 3 of his treatment, so is still very sick, but clever Merlin got himself the help he needed just in time.
Hedgehog Cabin14,224 Aufrufe • vor 14 Tagen
Dear sweet Onslow had his last ringworm treatment bath this morning. Despite the name, ringworm has nothing to do with worms, it's a fungal infection. In fact it's the exact same fungal infection that causes Athlete's Foot. It's intensely itchy and super contageous. The fungi are extremely hardy organisms that can survive for well over a year in the environment, including in soil. So ringworm is a bit of an occupational hazard for hedgehogs, as they dig for their natural food in the soil. And it's why the first ringworm scab is often seen on the hedgehog's vulnerable nose, as they root around in the ground as they forage. Treatment is 4 baths, taken every 3 days in Imaverol (an anti-fungal preparation), allowing the solution to air dry on the body. Because ringworm is highly contagious and spreads easily, I have to protect myself, plus everything that Onslow touches has to be decontaminated daily. But all this intensive work is over now and tomorrow sweet Onslow will be ready to face the big wild world again, fighting fit and brimming with good health.🥰 Onslow's history:
Hedgehog Cabin22,207 Aufrufe • vor 26 Tagen
Lovely weather, isn't it?🌞 Unless you're a nocturnal animal who has to sleep all through the hot day, and wake at night to find no water. No puddles. No kind dishes. Unseen. Unthought of. Just the tantalising smell of water from a pond you may drown in, or a drain you may get trapped in, or a stagnant, dirty old birdbath you may get fatal fluke from. Hedgehogs need to drink a lot of water to stay healthy. Please provide clean, fresh, safe ground level water for our precious wildlife. Tap water is best. Pop a dish or two out tonight. Keep it clean. Keep it full. Keep it saving lives.❤️
Hedgehog Cabin26,361 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat
This is the importance of hedges. If you have them, please keep them. Unlike fences they won't blow down, won't ever need painting or mending, and they protect and sustain our precious wildlife. This is Arthur at dawn, leaving Hedgehog Cabin where there are over 20 houses and pens, all warm and dry and safe with food nearby, to sleep away the day in my neighbour's hedge. Even though they have a dog. That's how important they are. Under that hedge, where the sun never reaches, the air is cool and dry, but fresh. Nature's rare and perfect atmosphere we can never imitate.
Hedgehog Cabin285,777 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
1:37
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Another gentle little soul was taken from us this morning. The person who wielded the strimmer probably still has no idea this girl paid with her life for their 'neat' edges. But there is good news. This poor darling, missing her front leg, dragged herself out to where a lovely couple noticed her. She was curled into a neat ball, no sign of her catastrophic injury, but this couple had seen good correct advice; that a hedgehog out in the day in the open is *always* in trouble and needs help, and so rang me for advice. Frustratingly, a organisation that collects donations to fund questionable 'research', ironically called The British Hedgehog Preservation Society, publish 'advice' on their website, despite having no knowledge or experience of hedgehog rescue or care. This poor and fatally misleading 'advice' is that hedgehogs seen out in the day could be mums, so to leave them alone. This is so irresponsible and extremely dangerous. And just not true, as it's an incredibly rare and evident event (please see infogram below). This no doubt well-meaning but fatally wrong advice has caused so much suffering, and hundreds of unnecessary deaths. Sadly it's believed by many members of the public, and is still being propagated today by small hobbyist 'rescues' - individuals who are unacquainted with the scientific and medical facts, and desperately hold on to this profoundly ignorant and lethal fallacy. If this poor girl's finder had been someone who believed this misconception she would have been left to suffer a horrendous agonising death, most likely by being predated alive. But thanks to this lovely couple who did the right thing, this poor darling was immediately given a potent analgesic, and then a gentle death with no pain, and no fear. A hedgehog can't survive and thrive with a missing leg, especially a front weight-bearing leg. Below is her admittance and examination this morning. (It's terrifying for a wild animal to be handled by a human so once I spot the injury I take a photo, so I can take my time studying the image, not the casualty, thus reducing handing time.) So please, don't strim - leave those edges for our precious insects. And please spread this information far and wide, to help save lives. More info:
Hedgehog Cabin13,964 Aufrufe • vor 23 Tagen
Just a quick update on poor Gabriel. This dear little boy made it through the night and got up to eat, and has been eating small and often all through the night and day, which is great. He gained an amazing 131g. He's still seriously ill, and needs round the clock potent pain relief, but is now stable enough to start the first of his antiparasite drugs today.
Hedgehog Cabin26,471 Aufrufe • vor 2 Monaten
Little baby Jess arrived this morning dying of starvation. Now she can smell food she's desperately biting the dish, not having seen a dish before and not realising that's not part of the food. Jess had been seen wandering around an artificial lawn, hopelessly searching the plastic grass for anything to eat, to stop the pain of starvation. For two days. This isn't cruelty or malice. It's ignorance. Treating the garden as an extension of the house; just another inanimate space to decorate and ornament, instead of the living, breathing nurturing larder and home to wildlife that it is, means you are killing animals like Jess. Without even touching them. Literally starving them out of existence. Jess's finder was devastated when she realised, and has been sent home with a pack of Iams kitten food and a dish for any siblings that may still be alive. Please leave at least some of your garden natural, and provide clean water, for the sake of Jess and all the other struggling animals.
Hedgehog Cabin98,858 Aufrufe • vor 10 Monaten
Oh would you just look at this darling boy!🥹 When I came down this morning and saw the state of Gabriel's pen, my heart sank. I thought he had relapsed. It was trashed, and this usually happens when a hedgehog is in so much pain they desperately try running away from it, wrecking the pen in an effort to escape. But when I reviewed the tapes (thank goodness for CCTV!) this is what I saw... That little darling was trying to nest build! Still so frail, yet feeling well enough to want to make his bed himself, the way he likes it. But instead of picking up just the newspaper strips I'd left in for him, he was catching the pen liner and dragging that in too!😊
Hedgehog Cabin25,484 Aufrufe • vor 2 Monaten
Just a quick one about slugs and snails, as it's still a common question (due to some recently published misinformation). Slugs and snails are the intermediate host of lungworm, so can pass this fatal parasite to any mammal that is unfortunate enough to be forced by starvation to eat them, or is contaminated by their slime trail. This includes hedgehogs - they don't have any magical protection properties. But slugs and snails are also our heros, here's why: As well as providing food for many amphibians, reptiles and birds, they protect us humans from all sorts of potentially fatal pathogens. Take bird poo for example. Birds don't wee. Any water they consume is used and absorbed by their body. This means they don't have to have a bladder, so they are lighter for flying. Instead of wee they pass pure uric acid paste with their poo (that's the white bit on top), and so their poo is water resistent. (Anyone who has tried to clean it off their car is painfully aware of this) So if it's water resistent, therefore the rain can't wash it away, why aren't we all knee deep in bird poo? Because of slugs! Slugs eat bird poo. Isn't that brilliant? Slugs and snails are decomposers that consume various organic matter, including rotting plants, dead animals, and animal droppings, finding bird poo a nutritious source of decay from which to extract nutrients from. So slugs - don't eat them, wash everything that touches them or their slime trail, but love them for being nature's most industrious clean up crew!🥰
Hedgehog Cabin46,779 Aufrufe • vor 4 Monaten
It's official! The hedgehogs are starting to rise from hibernation. They will be weak, hungry and thirsty, and a little slow and disorientated at first. But these vulnerable little animals will use the last of their remaining energy getting back to the one place they trust will have good safe food and clean water waiting for them - you!🥰 So please have your dry kitten/cat food out ready, and plenty of fresh water each evening. It won't be long now, and it's far too early for there to be any natural food around, so your provisions will literally be a life saver. This is an ex-patient returning here yesterday, just after rising from his hibernation nest in the woods. I know he's an ex-patient because he heads straight for pen 5, the favourite pen for all the hedgehogs (I have no idea why, and there are 6 identical pens!). I know he's fresh from hibernation because although he knows the way well, he's slow, hesitant, stopping to smell his way. And I know he's a boy, because boys rise from hibernation first, about a month before the girls. They need this time to eat without distraction, in order to recover from hibernation and build themselves back up to a strong healthy state, ready for the trials of mating. Don't worry if yours aren't up yet. The later they went down, the later they will rise.
Hedgehog Cabin35,165 Aufrufe • vor 3 Monaten
Just for those who are so kindly concerned, yes, I replaced all the water tubs, etc. last night, and stood there in the woods until dark, in case the boys came back. So the night animals had their water, and there was a nice surprise this morning, showing the good side of human nature - appreciating kindness and hopefully paying it forward. 🔊🔊
Hedgehog Cabin71,353 Aufrufe • vor 9 Monaten
This is a Long Eared Hedgehog, a native of Iraq. This dear brave little girl self admitted into the grounds of a charity animal hospital in Iraq, managing to evade many hungry homeless wandering dogs. As you can see, compared to our European hedgehogs they are much more delicate, and lighter in colour. Those huge ears contain a network of blood vessels which dilate in high temperatures, allowing blood to cool down as it passes through the thin skin before circulating back into the body. This incredible design helps regulate the hedgehog's body temperature, preventing overheating in soaring desert temperatures. The wonderful and valiant charity is War Paws, who care for and treat the forgotten animals of war. I've been advising the lovely Louise at War Paws, and other animal charities in war-torn countries, for a few years now, and profoundly admire their extraordinary courage and commitment. They desperately need to build a new shelter for the hundreds of animals they save, and who have been dumped, so if you'd like to help a little, here's the donation link:
Hedgehog Cabin26,794 Aufrufe • vor 2 Monaten
I'll never forget a lovely Polish Amazon delivery man saying, as he handed me supplies that had been sent from my wishlist, "More kindness for you." And that's just what it is, when someone sends items or donates towards the cost of medicines - it's kindness in its purest form: an act of love that expects no reciprocation.❤️ Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart, all those who help keep this little hospital running, and who hearten and energise me with their kind words of encouragement. The supplies with notes are from Heather C, Mark, Amanda K, Victoria N, Rae D, Amanda M, cmb one, JoAnne, Mary M, Caroline H, Lorraine F, DT plc, Ray & Sue H, Amy C, Teia L, Kay W, Clive, Webbsixty6, Roberty B, Linda F, Christopher P, Laura C, Rebecca W, Jacqueline and in memory of her lovely dad Maurice Whitfield. Here's a smile to start your weekend with: A little family of orphaned babies being transitioned from formula and introduced to liquidised solid food. Self anointing is something hedgehogs do when meeting a strange new smell they think is important and they want to remember. They lick the new substance, create a saliva froth with it in their mouths, and then spread that all over their body. And yes, it's fun watching and no, it's not fun cleaning them up afterwards.😁
Hedgehog Cabin15,472 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat
It happened!❤️ Last night, dear tiny little Hartley came out and ate for himself. Just 92g and so fragile, he had a little to eat and drink then (and I admit this broke me), he went back to bed and tried to tuck his sister Wintney back up. But she then got up too, and lapped a little puppy mousse. I am so happy! After 7 days of teetering on the brink of life, the outlook for these precious little babies suddenly looks a little sunnier.
Hedgehog Cabin143,913 Aufrufe • vor 2 Jahren
Please put out a dish of water, now. And refresh it tonight, and every night, just before dark. Leave yourself a reminder note on the fridge.📜✍️ Babies are dying because the mums are too dehydrated to make enough milk for their needs. Even if you had a rain shower in the night, the natural water sources are still all dried up, and our wildlife are suffering. It takes so little to make their hard little lives easier. A turn of the tap is nothing for you, but could mean the difference between life and death for your nocturnal visitors, who are often forgotten about but who have slept all through the hot day and wake so thirsty. Hedgehogs in particular need to drink a lot of water because of their shape: they have a large surface area to volume ratio, so lose water via natural evaporation quicker than other mammals. Their mouths are set back under their snout, so drinking from a deep or small diameter dish (like a Gü pot) is uncomfortable for them, as it means them having to submerge their nose. A wide shallow dish is best; a plant pot saucer or, like this, a glass flan dish or pyrex lid - it's heavy enough not to tip up but nice and shallow and wide. So please put out a dish of life saving water right now, front and back of your house, and refresh it before you go to bed tonight. It'll be the easiest way you'll ever save a life.💝
Hedgehog Cabin61,578 Aufrufe • vor 11 Monaten
As you can see, dear Gabriel is looking fabulous - a proper sturdy and confident little hedgehog now.🥰 After his last bath to cure his ringworm infection he'll be put in his very own brand new Riverside house in his pen here, so he can make it his own for a few days. Having a familiar house will give Gabriel a sense of safety and continuity when he is placed in his fantastic new home - a wonderfully natural garden where he can return to the wild on his own terms, when he feels able. Gabriel's history:
Hedgehog Cabin12,559 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat