Hedgehog - mite spray and any advice

Interceptor

Hi all,

I found a hedgehog in the garden last night (I live outside Tuam) and have been feeding him/her some watered down dogfood. It has perked up but is scratching a lot and has mites around its eyes. My local vet has said he is afraid to treat it and the Johnstons Rid-Mite that the UK sites recommend is on license only (petshops can't sell it) and I can't find it in Galway. Dog/cat mite and flea treatments are toxic to hedgehogs so if anyone who keeps birds can help I'd be very grateful.

I've searched all the previous hedgehog threads and read most of the UK sites which detail their care and am going to keep it in the kitchen until it hibernates or puts on enough weight to go back outside. It currently weighs 750g so is likely to be very young and won't survive hibernation outside.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

'cptr

Sigma Force

Hedgehogs need to be 600g or over to survive the winter according to http://www.sttiggywinkles.org.uk/hedgehogs.html

For birds e.g. budgies and cockatiels Ivermectin is used and it's also used for guineapigs. The dose for guineapigs (some treatments for guineas are similar to treatments for hedgehogs) is one drop on their ear and then another drop on their ear 10 days later, for a really bad infestation a 3rd dose can be given 7 to 10 days later ..but do confirm with your smallie vet first.
Perhaps try a different vet who is more familiar with hedgehogs.

It's very effective against mites, there is a specific hedgehog food you can get I think zooplus.ie or petshoponline do it can't remember which one.

More info. try http://chelseawildlife.blogspot.com/2007/10/about-chelsea-aka-kiokio.html

bigpinkelephant

I got a flea spray for small animals in Newlands Garden Centre and it worked a treat on our hedgehog.

Try feeding it cat food instead- its richer and I think it has more protein also.

Interceptor

Thanks peeps,

I think I've read nearly EVERY hedgie website so far! The advice is sometimes conflicting but the main thinkg is he/she is safe and eating. I need to make up a better 'run' and keep it in the kitchen - we were going to try and put it out in the shed but it won't hibernate as you say until its weight is well up and that could take a month to happen, by which time it will have died of hypothermia.

I took it to the small animal vet near me last night and he treated it for mites, checked a damaged paw and advised on diet. Some of the Uk websites get very high and mightly about the diet and vitamins but I'll stick with the mix of cat/dogfood, mashed fruit, biscuit, weetabix and chicken scraps which it is eating with gusto.

Heres a pic of loli the hedgie -

Sigma Force

Oh he/she's adorable! Well done for taking the time to look after him/her.
The mites should clear up quickly with the treatment.
Don't be afraid to hunt in the garden for snails etc. as well.

Hope the wee paw gets better soon poor thing sounds like he/she was a bit too run down. Keep posting pics of his/her progress. Gotta love hedgies.

Aurora Borealis

You really do have to love the little feckers. Been quite some time since I've seen one. Would love to. Are they to be found much in urban areas these days?

bigpinkelephant

Hedgehogs are great. During the summer and autumn, ours bumbles in the driveway every evening and heads straight for the cat food. Our 5 cats don't phase her at all and she doesn't mind me much either.
She came into the porch one evening and ate with them, no bother to her.
Hope the little mite comes back to us again next Spring.

Interceptor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNHRCnOdK-g

Hungry little hog. He's doing fine, lives in the kitchen and sleeps most of the time...

*EDIT* Why YooChoob not work? I suck at the interweb...

Alun

Interceptor wrote: »

*EDIT* Why YooChoob not work?

You only need the id of the video, i.e. YNHRCnOdK-g between the YOUTUBE tags, not the whole URL.