Image found at hedgehog street. Org

I found a hedgehog last week!

He died unfortunately so I wanted to write this in case someone doesn't know what to do hope it helps at least one hedgehog make it.

I called him Keith I have my reasons. Any hoo let's start with why he came home. 

I was walking my pomchi jasmine and almost stepped on him this was about 3 in the afternoon in the hother sun, hedgehogs don't sun bathe but they do come out to gather bedding for a litter so mama moose picked him up and put him to the side so he didn't get stepped on in the field. After a visit to nana we came back that way to make sure he'd gone on his way and was healthy. He was just a foot from where we left him, this is a bad sign, after picking him up we noticed fly eggs allover. It was gross it was like little grains of rice so we rushed back (1 minute from our house) straight into the sink he went we did our best but couldn't get them all he was rather distressed and a little bitey, good job gloves were on! We wrapped him up sat him on a water bottle (double wrapped in blankets so he didn't burn) and put him in a rabbit carrier a box would be fine but our dogs were dying to meet him it was safer this way. When we went back 10 mind later after contacting the nearest wildlife place and waiting for an answer back as to wether they'd take him in to help we found lots of wiggly maggots they were tiny and all over. We ran to the bath to try wash them off but they weren't going to surrender and we couldn't get them all but he was alive and we were winning. At this point every sanctuary had turned him away within a 19 mile radius and I tried one more.  Accepted she sent a guy for him and he was doing ok (we were still trying to fight the maggots without distressing Keith too much) we put him back for 10 minutes and the gent from the sanctuary turned up. I went back expecting to give Keith one more rub down and to hand him over to safety but unfortunately he'd passed.

What I learnt from this is 1 our local rescue within 19 miles are jerk and 2 maggots hate vinegar unfortunately this was after handing Keiths body over. 

This is what I will do next time: go straight to the rescue that would take Keith. 

Pick every fly egg off with tweezers! 

Spray the next sad hog with vinegar and rinse after thirty minutes. Maggots and fly eggs die by vinegar and 30 min is the time it takes.

Guys seriously though if you find a hedgehog not moving in the sun if you can get your rescue involved don't try to do anything else by yourself that doesn't involve removing fly eggs and maggots. DO NOT TRY SYRINGE WATER INTO A HOG. IT WILL DIE. This is the most common way to kill them they drown from the syringed water. Offer a mix of 1 table spoon of sugar 1 teaspoon of salt and a litre of water mix to room temperature and put on a saucer don't give all of it at once and if you have cat biscuits and cat meat then offer that on a saucer too. You may just save a hedgehog. 

On a happier note in our new flat we have a regular hedgehog visitor he's called Greg, so coming soon will be our hedgehog paradise ready for helping with hibernation.

Good luck to any fellow rescuers out their!