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Welcome to Wyre Forest
Hedgehog Rescue,
Please note, due to
unforeseen circumstances, I am not taking hedgehogs in at present.
Please contact the BHPS >
http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/
 Statistics
show that the hedgehogs of Britain are dying out. According to
latest Government ‘British Mammals Report’ Hedgehogs face extinction
within thirteen years. We have always had a passion for hedgehogs.
For
years we have fed them and watched them in our garden. As our
interest grew we decided to take this 'hobby' a step further and
looked into caring for sick and injured hedgehogs ourselves. We
contacted the British Hedgehog Preservation
Society and we were added to their registered carers list so from
then on we became Wyre Forest Hedgehog Rescue
based in Kidderminster, Worcs.
 Hedgehogs should not be out during the day. If you find a sick or injured hedgehog, it is
essential to keep it warm. If possible put it in a high sided box,
wrap it in a towel, please do not use hay, straw or sawdust, then put it on a warm water bottle (not hot), If there
are any signs of fly eggs or maggots on it don't use heat, then
contact your local rescue centre or carer as soon as possible.
Please do
not watch the hedgehog or keep it for days
yourself it needs help
straight away. In most cases sick hedgehogs will require fluids and specialist care,
once fit and well you can always offer to have the hedgehog back. If
you cannot get through to a carer straight away then the hedgehog
should be taken to your local vet, especially if it has an injury, the
vet should give basic emergency
treatment.
Often by the time
a hedgehog finds its way to us it will be very ill, lots of time and
effort will be needed to help the hedgehog recover. We provide
rehabilitation and pay for veterinary care with the aim of releasing
all hedgehogs back into the wild once they are well enough to fend
for themselves. When a hedgehog is not able to return to the wild,
a secure garden will be found where the hedgehog can lead as natural
a life as possible.
 As
we receive no funding and due
to the costs involved,
we needed to expand
our efforts so that we could take in more casualties
and orphans. We attend & fundraise at various local events
and car boot sales, give illustrated awareness talks to
Schools, Brownies, Women's Institutes and other societies when asked
and sometimes receive kind donations from members of the
public which cover the costs of food, veterinary treatment
and housing. The majority of hedgehogs that come in will
require at least one trip to the vet, some will need long term
treatment. Looking after hedgehogs can be costly, we can go
through many tins of dog/cat food and biscuits in a week! Last year alone we helped and cared for
many hedgehogs,
over 75% were successfully re- released back into the wild.
Unfortunately, some were so badly injured they were put to sleep by
our vet as to end their suffering. Others which came in were so
poorly no matter what treatment they received they would not respond
and sadly gave up.
 There are many issues which
are contributing to the decline of the hedgehog population. A large
proportion of people are removing hedges & bushes and generally
tidying their gardens which is detrimental to the hedgehog
population as it removes the shelter where they would otherwise have
nested. If possible, please try to leave an untidy area tucked away
in your garden which can be used for hibernation hideaways. Also the
use of gravel boards with fencing has stopped the hedgehogs moving
from garden to garden in search of food. Most hedgehogs will travel
between 12 gardens per night! ( please leave a small hole 5" so they
can gain access). There has also been a substantial increase in the
number of pesticides, chemicals, slug pellets and rat poisons used to control vermin in urban
areas. Injuries caused by Strimmers, Mowers, Garden Forks, Bonfires
and discarded Netting,
Litter and Post Office Rubber Bands, and of course Badgers, Foxes and Dogs. Hedgehogs are
good swimmers but do need an escape route out of ponds and other
water features. Probably the most important of all though is lack of food
and water especially in dry conditions. In late autumn hedgehogs
have a 2nd litter and therefore don't hibernate until much later.
Unfortunately natural food sources have gone by the winter
months and the young will never be able to put on enough weight to
survive. A simple hedgehog house and a regular supply of food and
water in your garden will certainly postpone the extinction of these
wonderful creatures.
 To
contact your local carer, there is a list on the British Hedgehog Preservation Society's website
http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/
A hedgehog fact sheet can
be downloaded from Hog Watch by clicking
here.
Please think before using Netting !
In 2010 I had six hedgehogs in who had been tangled in
netting/wire. All of these hedgehogs had back legs missing/broken
and were so badly infected that they were put to sleep. Please if
you are using netting put it a foot off the ground so hedgehogs can
walk underneath it and not get tangled. Sorry these photos are
upsetting but you need to see what injuries are caused.
First hog in on 13.3.11 broken back leg !
  
 
Hedgehogs Need Your Help Now.
As winter is now approaching, hedgehogs need to weigh at least 700
grams to see them through hibernation. To increase their chance of
survival through hibernation by increasing their fat reserves,
please offer a meat based cat or dog food in jelly( not in gravy or fish flavoured) cat/kitten biscuits and
a large dish of water,
these can be a life saver. Should you see any hedgehogs out during the day please contain them and contact your local rescue centre for advice.
Never feed Bread or Milk to a Hedgehog.
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