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Hedgehog help

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  • 17-10-2010 9:02am
    #1
    Hellrazer
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,680 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Driving down to the shops last night and I noticed a cat pouncing on what I thought was a ball in the middle of the road.Turns out it was a hedgehg.

    Anyways I chased the cat off and the hog seemed to be in a bit of distress and possibly injured.
    Brought it home and fed it some cat food which it munched down in one go,drank a load of water and it seems a lot better now and doesnt seem to have any injuries.

    Quick question.I rang dogs aid last night and they said to release it but I have a feeling that the reason it was wandering down a main road where it was is because its habitat was possibly destroyed by building works--It was only about 200 feet from a major building site.

    So where is the best place to release it?My garden is fairly substantial and from reading websites anywhere that has overgrown areas,piles of wood,undergrowth make an ideal home for hedgehogs.Would it make it in a back garden?Do dogs bother them?Dogs aid said that cats cant harm hedgehogs since they cant get at them so to speak.

    He sitting here in a box at the minute calm as anything.Theyre actually really quite cute.

    Any help welcome.


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    #2
    mcdoogle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 83 ✭✭mcdoogle


    Fair play lad, if you think the back garden has all the required foliage and cover for it release it there, if it likes it it'll stay and if not it'll just move on to somewhere better.


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    #3
    Vel
    Registered Users Posts: 1,318 ✭✭✭Vel


    You might get some information here:

    www.irishwildlifematters.ie

    As far as I know, at this time of year if a hedgehog isn't at a sufficient weight they need to be prevented from hibernating or they won't make it through, so it might be no harm to take it to a vet to give it a once over


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    #4
    TooManyDogs
    Registered Users Posts: 1,634 ✭✭✭TooManyDogs


    Hedgehogs have a territory of 1 square km so the building site shouldnt affect it too much. They're fairly hardy so if it's eating well and is over 400g in size then I'd say release it. As far as I remember 400g is the minimum the need to be to survive hibernation.


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    #5
    Hellrazer
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,680 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hellrazer


    TooManyDogs wrote: »
    Hedgehogs have a territory of 1 square km so the building site shouldnt affect it too much. They're fairly hardy so if it's eating well and is over 400g in size then I'd say release it. As far as I remember 400g is the minimum the need to be to survive hibernation.

    Ive just weighed it and its 620g.Little fat thing altogether and hasnt stopped eating.

    Its more of a question of where to release it.Id hate to release it back where I found it and the poor thing to get hit by a car or truck.My garden would well be within its range if it is as you say 1km.Its about 100m from where I found it.And from what Im reading they can climb walls so if it feels it needs to get out it can.


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    #6
    suziwalsh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 384 ✭✭suziwalsh


    If you don't find anywhere for this little hog I have a friend who has a wonderful huge garden, enclosed and absolutely heaven for wildlife. Would be happy to take him/her on and make sure the little hog was safe and sound. Loads of experience. Let me know if needed and I can collect :)


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