Hedgehog in daylight - urgent

[DrGachet]

Am out walking the dog and we just came across a small hedgehog, about 6inches diameter rolled up. No injuries that I can see, but they shouldn't be out during the day, should they?

Googling what to do gives conflicting results, should I help it? It has uncurled, but looks v drowsy.

No they shouldn't be out in daylight so it will be unwell. Can you take it home, put it in a box with water and some dog food, and call Tigglewinkles (or a local hedgehog rescue if you have one)?

No others near?
Maybe Google hedgehog rescue near you and see if anyone answers when you call.

I used to rescue hedgehogs and sounds like this one needs help. Can you get it to a rescue.

Try and find a local rescue. I had this, I googled hedgehog rescue and found someone to talk to nearby. In our Hedgehog’s case, it was dehydrated and low body temperature. They need to have their body temperature brought back to normal levels, and then rehydrated. I took him to the woman who ran the rescue- she told me how to pack him to keep him warm - and she looked after him. Unfortunately our little fella didn’t make it

You can call Tiggywinkles for advice even if they aren't near you, but it definitely sounds like the poor thing needs help. www.sttiggywinkles.org.uk/contact-us/

Oh no! He needs something.

We had one a few weeks back who was severely dehydrated. Left water out for him for a few days that he clearly drank from and haven't seen him since.

Perhaps your hedgehog is dehydrated due to the hot weather?

Please take to a local rescue, google or Facebook , then you'll see your nearest. This is a sick Hedgehog and needs attention ASAP.

I had some babies in my garden a few months back- same sluggish behaviour, it was mid afternoon on a really hot day.

Fly strike is a major concern- blue bottles will land, lay eggs which then hatch in a few hours. Often round the eyes and face. Your one sounds like it needs fairly urgent care and might not male it if left until the morning.

Twitter is your friend here - there are many hedgehog specific rescues who tweet and can put you in contact with a local place. A hedgehog in daylight is never a good thing.

local vet would probably know where to find help for it. Or provide water and dog food and then try to find a rescue near you. If they can save it they'll want to return to near where it was found.

Thanks for replies, I was in a bit of a panic!

I got him home and found a local hedgehog rescue's phone number, (after giving him a drink, he was really thirsty) and they advised taking him to the vet they use because they thought he sounded v. dehydrated and needed to be on a drip. Just got in from dropping him off, and they said to call in the morning to see how he's doing. The hedgehog rescue will collect him from there once he's well enough.

The vet said something about being notified when he's released back into the wild, not sure if they meant I could be there at the release, but how amazing would that be?

Lonelycrab, that was one of the things concerning me about him, all the flies buzzing about.

Some pictures of the tiny hedgehog (he's unbelievably cute)

Well done OP

He's adorable. Thank you for helping him.

cute pictures. They may well let you be there, they'll want to know where to go as they try to return to a spot nearby. Looks a bit better when uncurled, I guess that was after the drink.

Flies will lay eggs on poorly hedgehogs before they’re dead. I’ve had numerous hedgehogs where they are alive but have maggots and had to tweezer all the maggots off them.

Never known one be put on a drip but that’s great if they can do that...god knows how you find a vein on a hedgehog. I used to do sub cutaneous water injections to rehydrate them.

And he looks a bit too small to be released this year. He won’t survive hibernation if he’s too small. He’d need to be kept inside over winter and fattened up.

You're right Jacob, subcutaneous not intravenous.

Just got off the phone to the vet, sadly he died last night. I really thought he'd make it, as he livened up a bit on the way home and kept trying to put his paws on the edge of the box to peer out. Even managed a drink of water. Ffs

@DrGachet

You're right Jacob, subcutaneous not intravenous.

Just got off the phone to the vet, sadly he died last night. I really thought he'd make it, as he livened up a bit on the way home and kept trying to put his paws on the edge of the box to peer out. Even managed a drink of water. Ffs

He will have had pain relief at the vets and not died in pain like he would in the wild so you still helped him op.

Oh that is a sad ending . At least you gave him the best chance.

Poor thing. I'm sorry to hear that OP but at least he died in comfort thanks to you, and didn't continue to suffer.

So sorry he died, at least he was more comfortable than if you'd left him outside. Well done for doing the right thing

Oh no, sorry to hear that.

We had one running amok in our garden one afternoon. Rang Tiggywinkles who thought it was a female looking for food. Saw her again the next morning still very lively. Looked okay though and didn't see her again.

You did your best.

That's very sad but you did the right thing. The hedgehog was given the best chance it could have had in the circumstances.

There are several hedgehog charities on Amazon Smile, if anyone hasn't set it up yet please do so. If you purchase through the Smile link Amazon donate to the charity.

I'm a bit tbh - when I found him, I had to scrounge a box to carry him home in and the people who gave it to me it said they too had seen a tiny hedgehog bumbling about, but hadn't thought to help it or even put any water out. "Nature innit".