Rescue, Repair, Release

The aim is always to rehabilitate and release hedghogs back into the wild where they belong

Rescue & Repair

Most Hedgehogs are found by people, alerted to unusual behaviour, when they see a hedgehog out during the day.

Many have serious visible injuries due to traffic incidents, dog/animal attacks, garden machinery incidents with strimmers, lawn mowers, garden spades and forks.

Others are simply displaying unusual behaviour which can be for a variety of reasons such as dehydration, poisoning, starvation, internal parasites or a concealed injury.

On arrival at Prickles and a Pickle, Judy will assess the hedgehog and any which are suffering and clearly beyond help will be taken to Dart Vale Vets where they will be painlessly put to sleep.

The details of all hedgehogs are recorded, and they are given a name – an identity. Also recorded are the details of the finder and where they were found so they can be returned once treated. An injury assessment is conducted, and treatment will begin immediately. They will be weighed and given water. If appropriate, they will be offered food, medication as necessary and placed in a fleecy nest bed.  Small hogs or those that are really poorly may need to be incubated (for warmth) and given antibiotics and pain relief.  Judy will closely observe all newcomers and often sits up all night to feed or monitor the sickest hedgehogs.

A faecal sample will be taken to assess for worms and fluke and other parasites. 

Such is Judy’s experience and knowledge she is able to make a very good immediate assessment.  She is also in close contact with the BHPS and Vale Wildlife Hospital as well as other local rescues (all links below). Sharing information and knowledge is key to successful rehabilitation and Judy works closely with Dart Vale Vets, Totnes. Their expertise and compassion is invaluable as they uncover whether an injury can be repaired or operated on so that the hedgehog can be returned to the wild once fit and healthy enough.

Release

Once fully repaired the hedgehogs are released back into the wild where they belong to live a productive life and hopefully prevent the further decline in hedgehog numbers.

Once recovered from their various ailments and injuries, the Hogs have to reach a certain weight before release and this is variable depending on the time of the year. The closer they get to ending their stay at Prickles in a Pickle, the less human contact they have so they are prepared for their life once again in the wild. We rely on the behaviour of our local hedgehogs to let us know when to stop releasing them in the Autumn and Winter: once they start to become inactive or hibernate in the wild, we stop releasing until the weather improves and the availability of natural food sources increases. After this time, all hedgehogs stay with us and are overwintered until the Spring or may be released in Winter if the weather is suitably mild. If you are interested in helping with the overwintering, please go to the ‘what can I do’ tab or click on the link below.

Back into the Wild!

Our Policy for Hedgehog Release

So you will have agreed to take back or take on a rescued hedgehog – well done – you will be helping to swell the numbers of our rapidly dwindling population of hedgehogs.

Recent studies have shown that hedgehog numbers have reduced from 38 million in the 1950s to just 500 thousand today. 50% of this loss has been in the past two decades. Every life saved counts.

Much care, expertise, time and money has been invested in to helping this hedgehog to have a second chance, so please understand that we are keen to ensure that the circumstances of release are as good as they can be.

Research shows that the hedgehogs, like other creatures, are born with a “cognitive map” of their place of birth, so we always try our best to return them to the area they are familiar with.

Our requests are as follows:

1. Hedgehog accommodation should be provided as a base. It should have a floor and be watertight. Provide a tightly packed bed of barley straw, they will customise as they wish, but this will give a good start when they have been used to room service here.

2. A feed station should be provided, this protects the hedgehog and the food and deters cats and rats.

3. A heavy, shallow dish of fresh water should be left outside the feed station at all times.

4. Never feed your hedgehogs mealworms, peanuts, sunflower seeds or milk. Cat food and cat biscuits are best as they are higher in protein than dog food. Refresh the dishes daily.

If the hedgehog(s) are not visiting frequently, just leave the biscuits and water for them and check they are still fresh. Please keep feeding them all year as once they know food is there, they will rely on it and others will visit too.

5. If you see a hedgehog out during the day at any time of year, there is a 99% chance there is something wrong. Put it in a high sided box, keep warm and offer water. Please call us for advice: 07891 657104 or 07970 983608

6. Hedgehogs are nomadic and will come and go, but once they get to know your garden, they will return.

7. Please do not use slug pellets or pesticides. Even if they maintain that they are wildlife friendly.

8. If you have a pond or swimming pool, please ensure that there is a means for a hedgehog to escape. They are excellent swimmers, but cannot swim forever.

9. Make 13cm square gaps in your boundaries for hedgehog highways. This will help toads and frogs too. It provides safe connectivity between gardens and it is estimated that hedgehogs need at least ten gardens to forage in every night, so please get your neighbours on board too.

10. If you have a dog and you need to let it in to the garden at night, put an outside light on for a few minutes before releasing, this will alert the hedgehog and let him hide.

11. Hedgehogs do sometimes have fleas, but very rarely. However, the fleas are host specific and cannot live on, or harm, your pets or yourself.

12. Keep areas of your garden “rough” – plant some insect attracting flowers (look for the bee sign) and you will be providing the building blocks to bring nature home.

Lastly, please be careful when using garden tools, especially strimmers, they are lethal to hedgehogs. Please check the area you are working on before using.

Thank you so much for being a hedgehog guardian.

Judy and Alan “Prickles in a Pickle”

The treatment and care of the sick and poorly hedgehogs is expensive. In the past, Judy and Alan have borne most of the expense, but Prickles in a Pickle has grown so much in recent years and is now so busy that in order to provide rescue and rehabilitation for the increasing numbers, fundraising is underway so that a new hospital can be built. Donations and help is needed to improve the facilities and to continue the wonderful and vital rescue work started by Judy and Alan.