Hedgehogs

[Bumblelion]

We have got a hedgehog camping out in our garage the moment. I remember reading somewhere that you shouldn't feed them milk and bread. Any one have any idea what we can feed it to help keep it healthy. It seems to be making a nest in amongst all the plastic sheeting.

Cat food? (They are carnivores).
Have a search on google, bumblelion, it will probably give you lots of useful sites.

janh is right, catfood is supposed to be very good for them, and water to drink I think. I love hedgehogs, they're so cute. Can it get out if it wants to?

Thanks for your comments. I do have a cat so I have some cat food I can put out for the hedgehog. I will also give him a bowl of water. I also love hedgehogs - my children are well chuffed he has decided to make a home in our garage although I have told them that they are not to disturb him unless me or their dad is present.

It can get out if it wants to. It found a way in so I presume it can find its own way back out again.

We rescued a baby hedghog many years ago from being used as a football by some children. It only weighed 100g, so we took it to the vet who told us the same, cat food and water. They like slugs and worms too if you can bear the thought of touching the dreadful things! We fed it up until it weighed 500g, when it was strong enough to eat it's way out of the box and toddle off! The vet said any hedgehogs found weighng under 500g really need to be looked after until they get to that weight or they won't stand much of a chance.

An interesting thing he said was that hedgehogs are very bad mothers, quite forgetful as to where they leave their babies, so as they move house every few days instead of keeping it clean they often leave a baby or two behind as well!

Oh and if you ever have to rear a hedgehog, make sure they live outside because they really really smell!

just to add to this, please be very careful about washing hands if you handle the hedgehog. they carry some nasty diseases, as i found out to my cost...

Thank you for all your comments. He is still in hibernation at the moment and I have told the children to keep well away - I don't want them scaring him. They know not to touch him and don't worry I won't touch him either - I think they are sweet but full of fleas.

When my DH was a small boy he found a hedgehog on his way home from school and carried it home in his school cap. His mum grabbed the cap, turfed the hedgehog out into the garden and threw his cap onto the fire, LOL!