British Hedgehog Preservation Society - Carers

Registered Charity 326885

We are a UK Charity dedicated to helping & protecting Hedgehogs (BHPS). Helpline with advice on caring & encouraging Hedgehogs in the wild & garden

Hedgehog Carers
Results to Chew on
Hedgehog Feed Shelter
High Priority Hygiene
"Death-trap" Kerbs
Grants for Carers
Membership

HEDGEHOG CARERS

The following carers are the largest places we have on our list, but still they are probably very full. If you find an autumn orphan please contact the nearest carer in your area for help and advice.

Results to chew on

Summary of The "Hogwatch" Project at Lower Moss Wood, Cheshire, from a piece by Jill Key of Manchester Metropolitan University in The Rehabilitator newsletter; Spring 1997.

Following some earlier research by Dr Pat Morris, (Membership Number: 605078H) wildlife rehabilitators were worried that released Hedgehogs may be doomed to a rapid death by starvation. Hogwatch began life in the autumn of 1992 with the aim of answering a very simple question: what happens to Hedgehogs released from Lower Moss Wood in spring?

Hogwatch uses small radio-transmitters attached to the scruff of the neck to enable the Hedgehog to be relocated after release. It has also begun to fit small plastic spool cases with thread to the rump of Hedgehogs so that they leave a clear path of where they have been.

The idea is to keep track of the Hedgehogs for as long as possible after their spring release. The transmitter locates the animal in its day nest and it is weighed, checked and its thread replenished. In the morning the spool line is mapped and the droppings are picked up. The droppings are for studying: wild Hedgehog droppings were compared with those of released Hogs.

Between 1993 and 1995 a total of 22 radio-tagged Hedgehogs were released. The fate of the 22 was mixed, but during the first months unfortunately most were lost track of. However three interesting discoveries have been made.

The first is that the weight loss experienced by released hedgehogs appears to be a transitory phenomenon. Typically there is a fall in weight immediately after release, followed by a rise to near or even above the pre-release weight. Day-to-day weight variations reflect time of weighing. Dr Morris found a similar trend in previous studies and suggests that the drop in weight is a result of the increased exercise a released Hedgehog has. Also, obesity in released Hedgehogs may improve their survival rate by cushioning them against starvation while they re-adjust.

The second is that the wood where the Hedgehogs were released was not favoured by the Hedgehogs. All the Hogs tracked for some time ended up living in rural villages, nesting under sheds or compost heaps, or sometimes in farm barns and outhouses. The suburban/rural garden appears to offer the Hedgehog an ideal habitat, providing food and refuge. Surveys have found that wandering from release sights is common however.

The third discovery was made by Andrew Routh, the Vet. The teeth of Hedgehogs pre-release tended to be in a poor state, with a lot of plaque and often gingivitis as well. Could this be due to months on a diet of soft cat food? From the limited data collected, it seemed that wild Hogs ate more beetles than released ones: perhaps because of sore gums and poor teeth in rehabilitated Hogs. Hogwatch looked at admixing an abrasive substance with cat food to keep mouths healthy. The additives that seemed most suitable were: ground egg shells, coir (non-peat compost) and monkey nuts. Whether a diet of cat food mixed with one of these keeps teeth and gums healthy remains to be seen.

Hedgehog feeding shelter

Hedgehog carer Mrs Kate Deakin (Membership Number: X606079) from Doncaster has sent in this feeding shelter idea, which she has found very effective. "Use an upturned plastic cat litter tray 30 cm by 40 cm, and 9 cm deep. Cut a piece out of the 30 cm side measuring 6 cm high and 14 cm long with a hacksaw, then sand down any rough edges. I place a house brick on top - this stops any cats lifting it up to get inside at the food, and also stops the wind blowing it away. The tray costs only around £2 to buy, and the waterproof and cat-proof shelter lasts for years. I put mine on the lawn and enjoy watching the Hedgehogs going to and fro."

High-priority hygiene

Kay Bullen (Membership Number: 909018L) of the Cardiff Hedgehog Helpime writes: "I recently heard from a carer who had a Hedgehog post mortemed. The cause of death was discovered, but the laboratory also isolated Salmonella Typhonurium - although it was stressed that the Hedgehog had not died from this. Luckily the carer was meticulous about hygiene and also knew the person who had originally handled the Hedgehog It is therefore worth mentioning the need for great care to be taken when handling any wildlife. Also to note details of the person bringing in the casualty just in case there is any need to contact them in a situation like this."

Worry over new "death-trap" kerbs

The Senior Warden of Saltwells Nature Reserve has written to the BHPS about his concern over new-style kerbs - those completely enclosed with no external gutter. Each concrete kerb has a series of oval holes whose bottom edges are at road level, and give iccess to an internal gutter. Every 20 or so kerbs there is a metal one that gives access a gulleypot. To any small animal, e.g. a young Hedgehog, these holes probably look nviting. Warden Beynon thinks that these kerbs are a potential death-trap and is interested in whether anyone has looked under a metal gulleypot, or has any views or to information about this. Please write to the BHPS and we'll pass your letters on.

Grants available for carers

Good news! Some carers who are BHPS members may be eligible to apply for a grant from the Society to help them carry out their work.

This is a welcome move that hopefully will enable dedicated carers, who are experiencing financial hardship, to be able to look after Hedgehogs without any additional money worries.

Expenses incurred from food, drugs, cages, vet visits, etc. can be recouped.

Applications should be made to the BHPS in writing, and to make the process run smoothly, please include receipts or bills. Payments of up to £50 will be awarded where appropriate.

Vets bills, food, shelters, etc. can all add up to costing quite a lot. By introducing the grants scheme to members, the BHPS hopes to help the excellent and dedicated work done by so many carers.

Membership

Membership is 

Contact us for complete details about membership to help support the BHPS

Contact the BHPS by e-mail at bhps@dhustone.fsbusiness.co.uk

All pictures and text are taken from the literature of the BHPS and all copyrights are acknowledged

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