What to do first
When you spot a hedgehog out and about it can be difficult to judge when to leave it alone and when to intervene. Hedgehogs are nocturnal animals and ordinarily will not be out during daylight hours. If you do see one, there is every likelihood that it is in some kind of difficulty and may require professional assistance. Here are some guidelines to help you to judge.
Leave them alone when
You see a hedgehog out during the day that is looking purposeful. Such hedgehogs may be out looking for more food or may have been disturbed and are moving to another nest site.
This is a healthy hedgehog, it has no injuries and is a perfect shape and size.
If you see a hedgehog that has this lovely round shape, but out through the day, watch its behaviour.
If it is moving with purpose or feeding, it could be a nesting mother or could have been disturbed.
If this is the case it is fine to leave them.
A hedgehog is in need of a rescue centre if:
- It is obviously injured. It may have a wound or perhaps be dragging a broken leg.
- It is trapped, for example in netting, in a pond or fallen into a hole or drain. It may have internal injuries and/or damaged claws trying to escape and would not be able to forage for food.
- It is lethargic or lying/asleep out in the open and away from its nest. Hedgehogs sunbathing are in desperate need of help!
- It is walking high, or with an arched back and very active. This behaviour is tyical of a painful stomach parasite.
- It has a dip in the back of its neck. This can indicate illness and dehydration.
- It is wobbly on its legs – it may be dehydrated or hypothermic.
- It is an orphan out during daylight without an adult – watch carefully from a distance to see if Mum returns before taking steps to rescue.
- If you see a hedgehog family clearly in need of help e.g. Mum has been accidentally injured or a nest has been disturbed when gardening/removing a shed/decking etc. try and catch Mum first followed by the babies taking care not to to touch them with bare hands – see Baby Hedgehogs and Nests section below.
- A hedgehog that hasn’t reached 450-500g by mid October may need help as it’s unlikely to survive winter without intervention.
- There are flies surrounding it – it may have a wound you can’t see and possibly have fly strike (flies have laid eggs) or maggots.
- There are a lot of ticks (more than 10) on the hedgehog or fleas (not all hedgehogs have fleas, contrary to common belief, fleas are only present with an underlying medical condition).
** Please don’t take the hedgehog to a vet – most vets aren’t trained in hedgehog‑specific care. A dedicated rescue centre is the safest place for them.
A hedgehog with fly eggs that have been laid at the site of the injury.
It is crucial to seek help as soon as possible as each egg will hatch into a single maggot
A hedgehog with ticks, adult ticks are approximately 3-5 mm in length and are external parasites, living by feeding on the blood of mammals.
If a hedgehog has many ticks, it may cause them anemia. It is best to seek advice from a rescue centre as many ticks on a hedgehog can indicate an underlying illness.
An emaciated and thin hedgehog, you can see his spine. Hedgehogs that are very thin are ill and require treatment for internal parasites.
If you see a hedgehog that looks like this, it is critical to get them to a rescue as soon as possible.
Ringworm is a fungal skin condition we see a lot here at the rescue. It forms thick hard crusts, especially on the ears and over the face. Sometimes the hedgehogs lose all of their spines too.
Its is important to get a hedgehog with ringworm to a rescue centre, who are equipped to treat the condition.
You should be careful handling hogs with ringworm, always wear thick gloves as it can be transferred to humans and animals.
What to do next
- Pick up the hedgehog (remember to use thick gloves!) and put it in a high-sided box (they are great climbers) with an old towel or blanket (for them to hide in). Don’t use hay as this could contaminate any wounds.
- Place the hedgehog on a warm hot water-bottle (filled from a tap not a kettle) wrapped in a towel. Any plastic bottle filled with warm water will help as direct warmth is helpful when an animal is suffering from shock. Do not allow the hot water bottle to go cold, it should be refilled with warm water every hour (even through the night!) or removed if you are unable to do that. Please also ensure the hedgehog has sufficient warm cover, a blanket or old towel over the top of it to keep it cosy. A heated plant propagator is a perfect alternative to a hot water bottle, placed inside a high sided box to keep the hedgehog safe. It is vital to keep the hedgehog warm.
- Provide a dish of water. Never give cow’s milk! Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant. A good substitute rehydration fluid is 1 dessert spoon of sugar plus 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 litre of water which has been warmed to body temperature.
- Offer the hedgehog meat-based (not fish-based) cat food or dog food in jelly or poultry flavoured kitten/cat biscuits. Failing that some chopped boiled egg or grated cheese can be used in an emergency. For a young hedgehog, it may be helpful to mash the food with a little warm water.
- Put the box in a safe, quiet place such as a spare room, garage or shed. Do NOT leave the box outdoors.
- Contact Northumbrian Hedgehog Rescue Trust on 01665 570911. The Centre is open every day between 09:00 and noon. If you phone out of these hours please leave a message and we will respond as quickly as we can; this may be the following morning. Please note that the Centre is NOT open outside of these hours.
- If you are in doubt about whether to rescue a hedgehog, please contact us for advice. It’s important to act quickly rather than ‘keep an eye’ on a hedgehog for a few days – by then it can be too late to save it.
Baby Hedgehogs and Nests
If you disturb a nest of baby hedgehogs:
- Replace all nest materials and leave it as you found it
- IMPORTANT – do not touch the babies!
- Observe from a safe distance
- Providing they are safe from predators, watch to see if mum comes back to the nest. If she hasn’t returned within 1-2 hours then, and only then, wearing gloves; pick up the nest if you can with the babies and place in a high sided box. Cover the babies with a blanket or towel and lift the box indoors, if you can place a warm hot water bottle underneath them.
- If the nest is in danger and mum is there with them, ensure you catch mum first before removing the babies.
Please note – baby hedgehogs require specialist care, therefore we recommend you seek advice as soon as possible.
If you see a wandering baby/babies:
- A young hedgehog’s eyes open at around 3 weeks of age, they may start to follow mum when she leaves the nest and can sometimes be found wandering. Observe from a safe distance and give mum a chance to come back to the baby/babies.
- If she doesn’t return, place them in a high sided box with a towel or blanket and a warm hot water bottle underneath if possible.
Winter and Hibernation
Most hedgehogs hibernate during the colder months, curling up in nests to sleep through the chill. But not all hedgehogs do, especially the younger or underweight ones who may still be out and about searching for food.
If you spot a hedgehog out during the day in winter, especially one that’s about the size of an orange or smaller, please get in touch with us. Daytime activity in cold weather can be a sign that something’s not quite right, and these little ones need help to survive.
📞 Contact us if you’re unsure — it’s always better to check than to assume. 💚 Your vigilance could save a life.
Contact us on 01665 570911
If we are closed please leave a message on the answer machine and we will get back to you where possible.
