Our winter miracle

This is a story i sent to my local paper last month, they were not interested in printing it so i thought id post on here instead.


Our winter miracle

This christmas was an extremly cold one, a very tough start to the year for some of us. An even harder one for a baby hedgehog found on news years day by a lovely couple in brigg. With the horrendous weather we were having and the havoc this was playing with the wildlife, the couple took him in and kept him warm and gave him food. On the 9th of january we recievd a phone call from the couple, asking if we could help them. Knowing how unlikly it was for him to survive very long, we arranged for him to come to us at Popcorn Paradise Animal Rescue immediatly. He weighed a very tiny 302 grams. He was far too small to survive the winter. We Immediatly started treating him for lungworm (the biggest killer of hedgehogs). After his 18 day course of medicine he is doing great and becoming very active. Winter now weighs a healthy 600 grams. I would like to thank that lovely couple for taking him in and calling us. You saved a life this year. THANK YOU.

At Popcorn paradise Animal Rescue, we urge you to bring your animals into your warm home when its cold. We have had many reports this year of guinea pigs and rabbits dying because they have been left outside.


I would also like to say that if you find a hedgehog out in the day or a hedgehog that doesnt curl when approched, to call us immediatly.




What a tired hog!

Oh bless. What do you do with the hedgehogs? Keep them? Release them? Rehome them?

Sorry if that's a stupid question but the only encounter I've had with hedgehogs is when we had a family of them at the bottom of our garden. I must of been about five or six and I remember begging my mum to let me stay up late with a hot chocolate so I could watch them running around and eating the food we'd left out. I also cut my finger open on a tin of cat food trying to open it to feed them

Awwwwwww! What a little darling! I'm so glad you could save him.

youthnovels said:

Oh bless. What do you do with the hedgehogs? Keep them? Release them? Rehome them?

Sorry if that's a stupid question but the only encounter I've had with hedgehogs is when we had a family of them at the bottom of our garden. I must of been about five or six and I remember begging my mum to let me stay up late with a hot chocolate so I could watch them running around and eating the food we'd left out. I also cut my finger open on a tin of cat food trying to open it to feed them

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Bless arnt you cute! . If he is well enough in the spring we will see about part releasing him. As they are an indangerd species now, its hard to say what is best.

We will be setting up a Hog garden when we have the funds and material's to do so. In the hope that they will visit our garden instead of the 60mph road we live near.

He is just like a teenager, grunts at you if you wake him up lol! Just as smelly too :lol:

Awww bless him - well done for saving him, he is adorable

Thank you

That sleepy photo is just too cute!

So gorgeous!

Another stupid question...what do wild hedgehogs do in the winter? Obviously they all can't be taken indoors in the cold?

Apologies if this has been answered already just quickly read through!

Danielle84 said:

So gorgeous!

Another stupid question...what do wild hedgehogs do in the winter? Obviously they all can't be taken indoors in the cold?

Apologies if this has been answered already just quickly read through!

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They hibernate!:wave:

He is gorgeous!!! Well done for taking him in and keeping him alive.

Thank you, yes they are ment to hybernate. He was far to small to survive hybernation so he is kept upstairs where its nice and warm. Although at 600gms he could survive it now. Unfortunatly it is far to cold to teach him how to fend for himself now just incase he doesnt quite get it.