Hedgehog care

Re: Hedgehog care

Emma Purnell — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 18:23:24 GMT

TLC is far far far more experienced than me at it all as well - she is the star I turn to with all my questions!

Re: Hedgehog care

A Little TLC — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 18:07:19 GMT

:) Its my life, and I am more than happy to share what I know, think its important that more people give wildlife a chance. to you :)

Re: Hedgehog care

Debs6 — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 17:54:54 GMT

Hi. Aww thats not good that life is poo!

Thanks Ill be sure to message you too then! Nice to know a couple of people who can help now! Not that I dont trust my colleagues but they just dont have the wildlife experience

Re: Hedgehog care

A Little TLC — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 13:47:47 GMT

Oh I'm sorry! Been off the site for a while, life is being poo!!! I am more than happy to advise on any wildlife stuff. Tis my job after all :)

Re: Hedgehog care

Emma Purnell — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 20:48:53 GMT

Definately do, even if only to let me know how you get on! Good luck and enjoy!

Re: Hedgehog care

Debs6 — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 20:35:34 GMT

I think ill be investing in that one then! Just found a wildlife rescue first aid book today which looks pretty good, hopefully will have some good info. Thanks v much for your help and yeah ill defo send you a message when I get another little friend to look after!

Re: Hedgehog care

Emma Purnell — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 18:21:31 GMT

I tend to find it depend on the species, with wood pigeons and those type you always have to crop feed them, but be very careful as they can clog up and it can sit and go off, making them ill.

With blackbirds, sparrows and the like I feed them bit by bit, they will tend to control what they want.

Generally I use the below book, I bought it for myself and it has been invaluble!

http://www.google.co.uk/products?hl=en&biw=1280&bih=597&q=les+stocker+book&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=W5vVTKyYK5a6jAeOvYHVCQ&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=image&resnum=3&ved=0CDgQzAMwAg

You can always drop me a message for any advice if you need it, I would be happy to help!

Re: Hedgehog care

Debs6 — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 18:10:14 GMT

Yes a severed wing on a bird can wait, but a cut pad on a dog must be dealt with asap!

Thats good that you've said that about the frontline, I know that you cant use the spray with them, though I know a lot of vets do! But we used a cat spot on and reduced the dose. I picked off a lot of ticks but it had groups of tiny ones so didnt want to take them out incase I didnt get the whole thing...

Alls I was going to ask about birds is your opinion on the hand rearing. Again I have only done a few and have had a couple of different people give me opposite advice! One said to push the syringe into the crop and then you can give more food to last longer, the other said to feed tiny amounts into the beak but obv both ways im forcing it as it doesnt know what the food routine is at the beginning... The first idea seems a bit harsh but the girl had had birdies before so seemed to know what she was talking about!

Im just trying to get as much research and advice as I can so that I can then find my own little way of doing things!

Re: Hedgehog care

Emma Purnell — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 12:36:04 GMT

I agree completely, and one of my pet hates is wildlife being brought up, put in a kennel and not checked until 'later - when I have time', despite the fact that it may be dying slowly and painfully... How would you react coming into a dying cat or dog just left? I can bet all of us would be horrified, but some people I have worked with see a bird with a severed wing in a kennel completely differently... quick euthanasia is far far kinder!

Levimasole is the ideal wormer (off the top of my head), but I know we don't stock this so the next advised treatment is either 5 days of Panacur with a small gap (that I will add in here when I have looked it up!) and then a further 5 days of Telmin, or 10 days of alternate days of Panacur and Telmin. Giving this alongside a good course of Baytril, warmth and close monitoring is needed, along with daily weighing to ensure they are putting on weight. Frontline is a tough one, if you can remove the ticks using a tick remover great, any you can't remove then you can use Frontline but do NOT spray it. It is an irritant to the hedgehogs, particularly if they breath it in. Spray it on some gloves and rub it on or dab the tick with a cotton bud. If you can have the hedgepig in a mask on some O2 at the same time all the better, but it isn't ideal.

I hand reared a number of baby birds this year so will happily answer anything I can, I have only been doing all this for a year or so after getting concerned over local wildlife 'rehabilitation' people and their care, but the more people taking an interest the better in my mind!

Re: Hedgehog care

Debs6 — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 22:32:23 GMT

lol. I am the only one who will take them and give them a chance. Obv if they are too ill I will euthanase them but I dont see why they cant have as much chance as a dog or a cat!

I didnt realise they would need horse wormers! My vet just said panacur and we gave marbocyl to one not long ago (after much begging to help it!). But we also gave frontline for the ticks which Iv since read that you shouldnt give to hedgehogs?! What do you usually give for that? The internet said to give bob martins or johnsons small animal mite powder.. products that I usually tell people to steer clear of!

Also if you dont mind, id like to pick your brains about baby birds... do you hand rear them? My vets are very good with dogs and cats but im unsure whether they really know whats best for wildlife as like i said they dont allow them to be kept in and nursed and so they dont have much dealing with them!

Re: Hedgehog care

Emma Purnell — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 21:55:46 GMT

I think your obliged to treat wildlife, at least euthanase it if it is ill or injured - but I stand to be corrected on that...

If you are going to use Panacur for lungworm you also need to use Telmin - a horse wormer - alongside it, and the little one will also need antibiotics (Baytril), as well as potentially Millophyline and Dex to combat the problems associated with lots of dead worms in the lungs!

Will find the links and post them up in a minute to some information...

And any questions you have I am happy to help if I can - I am our practices crazy wildlife lady who ends up with most of it at home while it is in rehab My house is quieter!

EDIT: http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/FAQS/sickandinjured.htm - also browse their site, they do lots of free information leaflets they can send out to help you with hedgies

Re: Hedgehog care

Debs6 — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 21:51:27 GMT

I had some panacur but thought would be best to leave it for a day or 2 just so I wasnt giving it too much too quickly...

Yeah any info you have would be great! Im trying to learn more about wildlife so that I can nurse them better, dont want to do anything wrong with them but also I dont want to not help them! my practice dont allow us to take in Wildlife, so its hard to learn about them just from the internet, so many opinions!!

Re: Hedgehog care

Emma Purnell — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 20:39:00 GMT

Normally at this time of year they will suffer with lungworm problems - most of the ones I see have lungworm or pneumonia linked to that.

I currently have a little girl with lungworm issues, it is difficult to get them through when they are young at this time of year.

Keep trying with any more you see, if you want some drug dosages and guidance on hedgehogs in general get in touch and I will find the details to get hold of some fab information I have Alternatively - ALittleTLC, a user on here, is a wildlife nurse and amazing for advice! She is the one I turn to!

Re: Hedgehog care

Debs6 — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 20:18:44 GMT

Hi, she didnt make it through the night unfortunately :(. I checked on her at 3am and she was ok, but at 7am she was dead. Think there may have been something else going on as there was a bit of blood around her mouth. Poor little thing. Thanks for the help thou!

Re: Hedgehog care

Emma Purnell — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 07:55:15 GMT

Hi there,

Hope the little one made the night! I take on a few hedgehogs from work, hedgehog rehab places recommend offering lectade or similar rehydration fluids but also sub-cut fluids asap, it can make a big difference.

Feeding wet food can help but if they feel too poorly they do tend to go off their food so you may need to syringe feed.

Anything else I can help with, get in touch!

Re: Hedgehog care

Debs6 — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 23:05:34 GMT

Hi, thanks. I can get some saline in work tomorrow for her but I dont have any at home to give now... Iv offered some different foods in case she eats (including mushy cat food) and a bowl of water.

Re: Hedgehog care

Gillian Mostyn — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 23:01:24 GMT

I'd give her a large bolus of saline sub cut. Avoid fluids po at the moment in case she aspirates - offer mushy cat foood instead.