January 23rd,2009 Hedgehog Diaries

Okay lots has happened in the last week here, we have found a very very helpful website run by a lovely couple that actually are not to far from us.... And lots of very helpful people too. The Hedgehog Forum has been keeping Brian and I busy reading and learning all about hedgehogs. I finally got up the nerve to say hello and introduce myself on the forum. And they didn't bite and actually are very very helpful. And they have something in common with us already they care about Hedgehogs. Even if you don't have a Hedgehog in your care they are a great place to learn about our little friends and some really cool photos and videos too.

I found out that slugs and snails are actually dangerous to hedgehogs. Apparently they can pass along lungworms to them and then infest the poor little things, and end up killing them. So I have been talked into getting some worming meds to give to Tiggy. And although he will be released back in the wild, this may well give him the extra chance he needs to keep going a bit longer. :) Also they have a great idea for a feeding station that Brian and I hope to build soon out of a clear plastic box for our little friends. And ideas for making your/our gardens more hedgehog friendly. And all sorts of useful information. Like did you know that you really shouldn't give hedgehogs milk and bread? It is very bad for them. Instead you should feed them cat/dog food(not fishy ones) and some water.

Tiggy is still doing really well, and as of this morning is weighing in at 805grams. He has almost doubled his weight now. And he has a bedroom. But I am not really sure how long he is going to fit into it.




He took to it straight away and I find him all snuggled in there in the morning with almost all the newspaper in his cage stuffed inside along with him in the middle of it all. It is like a nest, and I would leave it be but he has a habit of pooing inside it too. If he didn't do that I wouldn't touch his little nest.

I guess if we had more room maybe he wouldn't poo inside his nest or around it. But we are limited on our space here. So I guess I will just keep giving him a good tidy up in the morning. But try to leave some of his bedding inside too. But he doesn't seem overly bothered by me cleaning it up for him.


Here he is having a bit of exercise on the landing. With Brian and I keeping a very close eye on him.

Brian has found out that he likes his nose rubbed. Sometimes he pushes Brian's fingers and sometimes he will bite too when he has had enough. He does like sitting on his towel.

At the moment we have him down in the conservatory trying to get him used to cooler temps. I put in plenty of shredded/torn/crumpled news papers for him to make a bed in his little room. And he seems really happy and is still gaining weight.

I have tried different foods for him too. Today we tried introducing some Cheddar cheese, but he didn't care for it. I also put a few pine nuts and sunflower seeds in his dish so we will see how that goes. He didn't eat any biscuits this morning for Brian so he may not be very hungry. They can go off their food if they start to go into hibernation. And Tiggy may well go into hibernation now he has his weight up. I will keep you all posted. Oh and it looks like he will be around until about mid April, according to one of the carers on the forum that is about the time to release them.