| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| Penny |
Hedgehog!The dog just cornered a hedgehog in our back yard Never seen one out there before. I hope it's not injured, just in shock - the blood seemed to be from the stupid dog who tried to bite it.
Hedgehog is now in a towel lined box with a hot water bottle for shock, as recommended by St Tiggywinkles - fingers crossed, it'll be alright come morning. It looks in very good health, quite heavy, and is still breathing, although still curled in a ball. Anything else I can do, or is it a case of just wait and hope? I'll take it to the nearest animal rescue first thing in the morning, if it hasn't fully recovered. If it has, when shall I release it back? I'm concerned it may have babies somewhere 
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| dougal |
Dunno what state its in, but it'd be better released at night than daytime.
I'm sure you know not to give it milk. Cat/dog food + water should be fine though. If its intact, I'd let it go ASAP with a bowl of food and no dogs for several hours (it may come back for the food...) Probably not that unusual an incident for many hedgehogs. If its not too traumatised by the dog, it may be back on other nights for more food, and maybe even the odd slug. Has the dog learned? "Can curl, can't swim, Stickly Prickly, thats him". Tricky, IIRC for Painted Jaguar. |
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| Penny |
Thanks Dougal - that's a lovely rhyme! I'm not sure if it's injured or not yet - hasn't uncurled itself, but it's definitely breathing. I think I should wait until it starts to uncurl, and gets a bit active before I let it go. Looks like I'm in for a long night
The dog was only with it for a few seconds, and I don't think he could have done much damage, his mouth was well prickled! Probably just in shock - I hope. |
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| dougal |
Something to read while waiting
http://www-static.cc.gatech.edu/~idris/Stories/Kipling_Armadillo.htm Not being fully nocturnal, I'm orf !! Goodnight! |
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| Penny |
It's fine this morning  Have just spoken the the Hedgehog Helpline, and they say not to release it until this evening, so it looks like we have a visitor for the day
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| sally_in_wales |
Glad its doing ok 
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| ziggy searchfield |
got one stuck on my fist once
came back to the campsite after the pub, found a girt hedgehog & bent down to tickle his chin, he didn't seem to mind so i tried tickling his tummy ( as you do, after 6 pints of speckled hen ) he let me do that for a few seconds & then decided to curl up, jamming his spines into my wrist.couldnt prise him off, he just curled up tighter, so i had to stay perfectly still till he unclurled, about 10 mins, which is a very long time when you need a wee. 
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| Lozzie |
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| dpack |
de flea and tick when it has gone 
ive nursed em and they seem quite robust i wont give recipies in the circumstances but they are tasty i'll get me coat .
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| Penny |
Well Dave is now back out where he should be. We just let him go, and after a few anxious moments, he uncurled himself and bimbled off into the undergrowth. He certainly ate well whilst enjoying our hospitality, two ramekins full of cat food
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| sean |
Is being a bit out of focus a symptom of stress in hedgehogs then? | ||
| Bernie66 |
Bless him (and you) cool
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| dpack |
order returns to tiggys world .
well done is the hound ok ,i had one that was really stupid with hogs and often got spines in the roof of his mouth ,might be worth a quick look .maybe yours has learnt its lesson but mine decided hogs were the spawn of satan after his first spiking and it was his mission to save the world he never won but he tried
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| Penny |
He's fine thanks dpack, I checked his mouth, and it was just surface cuts.
I had a long chat with him about how important hedgehogs were to the environment in general, and slug control in my garden in particular. So hopefully that'll sink in and he'll welcome the next one, perhaps offer it some food
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| dpack |
hope hes smart
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