found a hedgehog

julesrtc

Hi
I found a hedgehog (adult i think) on the main Dublin to Cork road. It was curled up in a ball on side of road. I didn't know if it was dead or not so i had to check. Then thought it might be injured so brought it home. It is running around garden so not injured. The thing is now i don't know what to do with it.??? Its in a box in kitchen now with water and cat food.I was told back where i got it but afraid it will walk onto the dual carriage way!!!

So maybe pick a field in the middle of nowhere and put him there???

Glowing

Hmmm, maybe a forest would be better? Somewhere with a bit of shelter would probably be best.

Give him a copy of the rules of the road and send him on his way!

julesrtc

yeah there is a small woods up by me, but will he find food there? They will find food anywhere, they are wild after all!!!! there is a stream through it so could let him off there, presume he wont drown!!
Fox could get him in a field, more places to hide in woods!!

doctor evil

Hedgehogs can swim, they can also climb to a degree. I haven`t seen one round my area in a long time.

julesrtc

I got up this morning and there are traces of blood in the box????? i might leave him there today and bring to vet later on. The food is all gone so at least he is eating...

Lizard Queen

Hedgehogs are prone to parasites such as fleas and ticks. If it was blood in the urine it could be a urinary tract infection but given that you found him on the road he could have been hit by a car. Just try and keep him warm and that hes eating.

Sigma Force

The majority of vets will treat hedgies for free if there is bleeding he needs the vets asap. When he is well enough release him somewhere well away from roads, they do say to put wildlife back near where you find them but if it's near a busy road perhaps the best thing is for him to go somewhere well off the beaten track. Somewhere where there is lots of native hedging, nice woodland would be lovely.

No harm in the vet giving him a once over.

Oh and check out this link for hedgehog food.
http://www.petshoponline.ie/customer/search.php?substring=Hedgehog+food

julesrtc

Hi thanks for that..
i am giving him cat food and he is gobbling it up, hopefully i wont be keeping him that long to get proper food for him.
Another thing he does, he keeps going around in circles??? one back foot practically stays on the ground and he goes around and around in circles!???
He destroyed the box we had him in kitchen so put him in back garden last night and couldnt find him this morning.. presume he is under shed or something as garden is secure so hopefully he will be out when i go home and we can bring him to vet....

Schlemm

the circling might be a sign of a neurological problem, perhaps he was injured when he was out on the roads.
Does he have any signs of limb injuries?
Is his head tilting to 1 side, just out of curiosity?

Sigma Force

Sounds like he was badly injured he really should of seen a vet most treat wild animals for free no offence but he should of been taken to the vet straight away. Fingers crossed he's found and treated he could be suffering his eating is a good sign but doesn't always mean they are doing well.

animalhelper

hi,
hope the hedgehog is better now, he should really be brought to the vets.:(
they sell hedgehog food in B&Q for cheap,
it would be better for him.;)

doctor evil

Spilt milk, no point everyone saying the hedgehig should have been brought to the vet.