Rescue Mission

Ive just caught a Hedgehog.

I have a Bushnell camera trap I use in my garden to see what creatures turn up at night and sometimes I leave it on in the daytime.

I've been feeding hedgehogs for most of this year and with the Bushnell i've been able to see how many hedgehogs visit, i've also recently seen a Fox pay me a visit and sometimes a mouse or two.

Now as you've no doubt noticed its winter outside and any normal Hedgehog/healthy hedgehog should be hibernating by now, but as its been such a mild Autumn there have been some late litters of Hedgehogs born and they have had very little time to bulk up to the required 600g hibernation weight.

The small hedgehog I've been seeing coming into my garden was obviously under this weight, and yesterday after viewing last nights camera footage I decided I had to weigh the little chap.

So I placed out lots of tasty treats tonight, Hedgehog food, cat biscuits, dried meal worms and water and kept an eye out, then I saw I had a visitor come for dinner.....

I quickly donned my thick gloves and ran out the door.......

....returning with a spiky ball who was quickly placed in a mixing bowl which was put on the kitchen scales.. 394 grammes... very small.. Needs to be about 650 grammes to hibernate.

I've phoned the local hedgehog rescue group who have a place for it and I'm taking it in tomorrow to a carer who will look after him all winter and return him to me in the Spring.

The hedgehog is currently banging around a cat carrier with food and a towel for company, I just need to keep an eye out for the second small hedgehog to arrive.....

Could be a long night....

Wish me luck..

To be continued....