hedgehog found
You can do that for the animal
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The hedgehog is a very hardy animal that normally gets along well on its own during the cold months in hibernation. But what to do if you have found a sick, weakened hedgehog or if you are dealing with orphaned baby hedgehogs? Here you can find out what steps to take.
Hedgehog: This is how hibernation works
Hedgehogs are nocturnal wildlife, which hide under piles of leaves or shrubs during the day. Normally, hedgehogs do well on their own in the cold season. Their rhythm is that in the fall they eat up a cushion and then look for a safe place to hibernate. As soon as the food supply becomes scarce and the length of daylight is significantly reduced, the hedgehog falls into hibernation. This lasts from October to April, but varies in its starting point depending on the sex of the hedgehog and starts a little later if it is a young animal. In climatically favorable locations in Germany, the hibernation phase can be somewhat shorter. in the During hibernation, the hedgehog’s metabolism drops and its body runs on “low flame”, since he wouldn’t find any worms and bugs to eat during this time anyway. During this time, the hedgehog draws on its fat reserves. If the thermometer shows temperatures in the minus range for days or weeks, this is usually not a problem for the hedgehog: A healthy hedgehog that is fed normally and starts hibernating in autumn with sufficient fat reserves will survive well in this state until spring Round. However, it can happen that you still see a startled hedgehog running around during the winter. This can have several reasons:
- the Hedgehog was startled from his hibernation, e.g. B. by clearing away a pile of leaves in the garden or by a dog startling him. In this case, the hedgehog has to look for a new place to hibernate.
- In mild weather, the hedgehog is sometimes in one brief interruption of hibernation. In this phase it can happen that the hedgehog is active for a few days and even changes the hibernation nest.
- The hedgehog is located briefly in a waking phase and leaves the nest to urinate.
In these situations, the hedgehog does not need any help. He will then continue his hibernation. However, there are situations in which a hedgehog gets into trouble, you can now find out when exactly this is the case.
When is a hedgehog in need?
Basically, daytime activity in hedgehogs is always a warning sign, since it is actually an animal that is active at dusk and at night. The following animals need help:
- Orphaned baby hedgehogs: If eyes and ears are still closed and the little ones are outside the nest, they could be orphaned baby hedgehogs. But special caution is required here and the hedgehog children must not be touched directly under any circumstances: If the mother is only briefly away from the nest and the children are touched by people, they could then be rejected by the mother. So wait a while and see if the mother might come back. If this is not the case, the hedgehog babies are in urgent need of help.
- Young animals without sufficient fat deposits: In order to survive the winter, young hedgehogs need a minimum weight of 500 to 650 grams. If young animals are still looking for food at low temperatures during the day, their love handles may not be enough. Poorly fed hedgehogs can be recognized by the fact that they do not have a rounded shape and have a hunger fold behind the head and sunken flanks.
- Sick and old hedgehogs looking for food during the day during the cold season. Sick hedgehogs can also be recognized by the fact that they may stagger or lie down. The hedgehogs are then apathetic and skinny and they hardly ever curl up. The eyes are slit-shaped and sunken instead of hemispherical.
- Injured animals: Especially in the vicinity of roads or construction sites, it makes sense to take a second look at a hedgehog you have spotted, as this could be an animal that has been injured.
- Hedgehogs with fly eggs or maggots: Flies lay their eggs on sick, weak or injured animals. Maggots can hatch within a few hours and crawl into body openings. If the hedgehog is not treated, it will die after a short time.
Important to know: Hedgehogs are under in Germany protection of species, that is, it is strictly forbidden to remove them from nature, to catch them, to injure them or to kill them. Depending on the federal state, this is punished with at least four-digit fines. However, if a hedgehog is in need of help, it is permissible to take it in and nurse it back to health. However, the following applies: “The animals must be released immediately into the wild as soon as they can survive there independently.” (§ 45 Para. 5 BNatSchG)
Found a hedgehog in need of help: what to do?
- So that the hedgehog doesn’t crawl away again or climb away, it’s important to get him first to secure, e.g. B. in a tall bucket. Then one can directly counseling center contacted and further assistance discussed. A bathtub lined with newspaper or the shower is also suitable as makeshift accommodation for a short time. However, a hiding place should be set up here (e.g. sleeping house or, if necessary, cover the hedgehog with newspaper) – this is the only way for it to feel protected.
- Basically it should hedgehogs are kept warmto regain its normal body temperature (35 – 36 degrees). If the animal feels colder on the stomach side than a human hand, the hedgehog has one hypothermia. In that case he should go to the warm apartment be taken with you (cellars or garages are not suitable as it is too cold here). To warm up, one Fill a hot-water bottle with lukewarm water and wrap it in a towel. Place the hedgehog on it and cover it. Only when the body temperature has been verified can medical treatment be given.
- Then the hedgehog should professionally taken care of be, ie he must immediately either to a veterinarian or a hedgehog station to be brought. In the case of injured hedgehogs or animals in poor general condition, the veterinarian should be contacted as soon as possible after warming up. If these are not regular office hours, you can find them on many websites of veterinarians or animal shelters emergency numbers for the veterinary emergency service in the region.
- If it is not possible to drive directly to the veterinarian or a hedgehog station and the hedgehog has to be cared for in their own home until the next day, they need one escape-proof box and food/drink.
- Box plus sleeping cottage: Punch the hedgehog escape proof Box with side walls 45 to 50 cm high. The floor should be there not be laid out with sawdust or litter (gets caught in the spines, irritates the hedgehog’s eyes) instead is newsprint suitable. There should be a sleeping house for the hedgehog in the box: A cardboard box with a hole in the side measuring about 10 x 10 cm is ideal for this. Crumpled newspaper provides a protective hiding place in the little house.
Important: Under no circumstances should the hedgehog be able to run around freely in the apartment: if it has once found a hiding place under a cupboard or something similar, his spikes might prevent him from coming out backwards again.
Food for hedgehogs:
Hedgehogs must not be fed one-sidedly! They need a varied diet made up of ingredients rich in fat and protein. The information portal pro-igel.de recommends the following as hedgehog food:
- High-quality canned wet cat food with a meat content of at least 60% (free of sugar and grain, without vegetables)
- High-quality canned wet dog food with a meat content of at least 60% (never feed dry dog food!)
- Hard-boiled eggs or scrambled eggs (without seasoning and only with a little vegetable oil, e.g. sunflower oil)
- Briefly fried (gares) minced meat
- Boiled Poultry Meat
- bred food insects
- Mutton or game meat, offal, day-old chicks
- saltwater and freshwater fish
Mixed feed is best suited for feeding: Mix 1:1 wet cat food with eggs, meat or fish.
danger: For This food is not recommended for baby hedgehogs, they need special food. In this case, keep baby hedgehogs warm, call a hedgehog station immediately and then bring them there.
Drink:
- Clear water. Warning: Hedgehogs are generally not allowed to drink milk. Milk causes diarrhea in hedgehogs, which can even be deadly!
Hedgehogs are not allowed to eat:
- Plant Food: Hedgehogs cannot digest plant food as they are insectivores. If they are only fed plant food, they will starve to death. So fruit and vegetables are taboo! Nuts or dried fruit such as raisins are also not suitable.
- All milk products are harmful to the hedgehog deadly! The lactose contained in yoghurt and quark leads to diarrhea, which can be fatal.
- Even baby or children’s porridge is generally not suitable for the hedgehog!
- Do not feed the hedgehog any leftovers, anything spicy or sweet.
- One should not feed the hedgehogs with insects, snails or earthworms from nature, as these can transmit parasites.
- Do not feed anything hot or cold from the refrigerator.
notice: Hedgehog dry food, which is commercially available, is fundamental due to its poor nutritional composition not suitable for hedgehogs. Likewise Dry cat food is given its high content of vegetarian ingredients not recommended as hedgehog food. Also the Addition of oatmeal and wheat bran, as recommended in the early days of professional hedgehog care, rather harms the hedgehogs: The high proportion of carbohydrates has a negative effect on the intestinal flora of wild animals.
danger: Malnourished hedgehogs could have one circulatory collapse suffer if they overeat in the first few hours after being picked up!
Hedgehog in distress found: What steps still need to be taken?
After you have prepared an emergency shelter for the hedgehog at home and fed him, you should – as soon as possible – take the animal to a veterinarian or a hedgehog station, as hedgehog babies and injured/weak hedgehogs require proper medical care. Improper care could cause the animal to suffer unnecessarily. Basically, however, the following applies: Staying in human surroundings should only be for a short time. The primary goal is to release the hedgehog back into the wild as quickly as possible. For transport in the car, it is important to ensure that the hedgehog cannot break out of the box. The box must therefore be padded on the inside and secured on the outside so that it does not slide around.
Further information can be found at pro-igel.de: A “First Aid Checklist” for hedgehogs in need can be viewed here.
What can you do to help hedgehogs overwinter?
- Build or buy a hedgehog house
- Leave a few piles of leaves in the garden during the cold months
Expert advice: Carsten Schiller, Pro Igel e. V
Sources used: pro-igel.de, igelverein.de, sternenhof.eu, igelzentrum.ch