How Can You Help? Even those with the smallest garden can help keep a
Rehydration Fluids - If you do not have ready prepared oral fluids such as Lectade, you can make your own using 1 level Tablespoon of sugar, 1 level teaspoon of salt and dissolve in a litre of warm water. This should be given by syringe very slowly.
Things you can look out for are: Does its skin spring back when you pull up a couple of spines? If the skin appears to stay in place, the hedgehog could be dehydrated. Ensure the hedgehog has access to plenty of water if you suspect dehydration.
Plain fresh water is all that is required for them. Sadly, this mixture can be lethal for birds if they bathe in it as the sugar will cause problems with their feathers. Please do offer plain water in shallow bowls in the garden for thirsty hedgehogs but do not add anything else to it.
It is probably best to keep the total fluid injected at one site to around 10mls at a time for the smaller hedgehogs although very small hedgehogs should have less and larger ones can take more. If a hedgehog is presented in a debilitated state assume it has lost 15% of its total body fluids.
Use gardening gloves or a towel to handle the hedgehog, then take it inside in a box and place a well-wrapped hot water bottle underneath it. Fill the bottle with hot tap water (not boiling) – you should be able to hold your hand comfortably on the bottle when wrapped.
Hedgehogs often find their water in puddles. In this unusually hot weather we are experiencing, water evaporates and they are unable to find it.
There are reports coming in from all around the country of mummy and baby hedgehogs suffering from severe dehydration. Please leave several shallow bowls of water around the garden and make sure they are topped up every day. If you don't have a garden, you can still leave bowls of water out on the pavement edge.
Almost all hedgehogs can safely use a water bottle instead of a water bowl. Water bottles are more sanitary than bowls and they also give you the ability to easily see how much your hedgehog is drinking each day.
While hedgehogs aren't usually aggressive, they will extend their quills when they feel threatened. Supervise children to ensure they aren't playing too rough with your hedgehog. They don't like being wet and generally don't like their heads petted.
If your hedgehog has dry skin over their entire body, low humidity could be the issue. Or, it may be contributing to a multi-faceted dry skin situation. Most heating and air conditioning systems suck the moisture out of a home. A hygrometer can help you determine if the air is too dry.
Keep the box in a quiet, warm place: a hot water bottle filled with hot tap water wrapped in a towel can provide a gentle heat source – make sure it doesn't go cold! You can provide some fresh water and meaty cat or dog food, but don't try to feed the hedgehog directly.
In a bath tub or sink, get the water going at a warm temperature. If it's too hot or too cold for you to be comfortable, your hedgehog won't be comfortable either.
Many people get confused about how often they should bathe their hedgehogs. Your vet should be the ultimate authority here. That said, in general, about once a month is good. Don't bathe your pet too often: this could dry out his skin!
Hedgehogs will relish any combination of meat-based wet dog or cat foods, or dry cat/kitten food. Just remember, they will be getting most of their food from insects and worms in the wild, and this food is only supplementary.
Place it into a secure high-sided cardboard box, lined with a towel. You might also find that gently throwing a towel over the hedgehog causes it to curl up, making it easier to catch. Then, take the hedgehog to a wildlife rescue centre.
What do hedgehogs drink? Hedgehogs will drink water from natural sources such as puddles, but leaving out a shallow dish of fresh, plain water is the best way to ensure they stay hydrated all year round.
Cause – Change in Environment or Routine
Sometimes hedgehogs are just too busy sleeping, exploring, or running on the wheel, to take the time to eat. Waiting to introduce the wheel, after the hedgehog has acclimated to eating and drinking in its new home, will help prevent eating distractions.
Hedgehogs will also be very thirsty, so if you can, leave out a shallow dish of fresh water. This will need to be topped up, and disinfected on a regular basis.
A full-grown hedgehog should be drinking 25-40 milliliters (1.5 -2.5 tablespoons) of water each day. Young hedgehogs drink far water more daily, owners have measured as much as 60 milliliters (4 tablespoons) in a single night. Extremely active hogs may drink even more than this.
Many hedgehogs love to play in warm water and will enjoy themselves during bath time. We prefer to give hedgehogs a bath in a sink or a bathtub. Hedgehogs are prone to relieve themselves in the warm water so we prefer to use our laundry sink.
You can bathe your hedgehog in the sink, tub, or a separate wash basin. For simplicity, I prefer to use the sink.
If you hear a hedgehog scream you may well think the sound is coming from a very upset human baby. This noise is only made by hogs in severe distress and pain. The hog will be injured or maybe trapped somewhere. If you hear this noise you should definitely investigate as the hedgehog will need your help.
Signs of stress
Many hedgehogs are busy and want to try to explore but a stressed hedgehog will be much more persistent and not easily distracted. The stressed hedgehog may also twitch or shake its head nervously. It is almost as if the hedgehog is saying “Sensory overload. I can't take it anymore.”
HEATSTROKE AND DEHYDRATION
If they are laying on their sides then it is very serious. Often seen in the summer months but also dehydration can be a problem in the winter months.