Rescued baby hoglets find new family (From Bournemouth Echo)

Rescued baby hoglets find new family

6:00pm Tuesday 16th October 2012 in News

TWO baby hedgehogs, whose mother and a sibling were crushed when the garden shed they had been nesting under was moved, have found a new family.

The hoglets were only days old when Angela Squires took them into her Crash rescue centre in Poole, where she had to hand feed them to keep them alive.

They are still doing well and have been joined by another orphan of the same age.

She is one of two hoglets that were attacked by an unknown animal before their eyes had even opened.

The other had its face bitten off and had to be put to sleep. The survivor was ripped on her side and had to be stitched up.

“Happily the original two hoglets and the other little one have been accepted by one of my nursing mums here, who has three of her own,” said Angela.

“She seems happy to look after the three orphans as well. They don’t suckle any more now, but have integrated with the group and are just like part of the family.”

Angela is currently struggling to cope with 80 hedgehogs at her home in Canford Heath as many mothers have given birth to their third litter. “This is the peak time,” she said.

“I’m getting lots of babies because the mums have decided to hibernate or have been killed.

“They’re all under the 1lb 8ozs they have to be by the end of September to hibernate.

“The main thing is to watch out for these little babies.

“If you see them out in the day, it means they’re in trouble. Pick them up, take them home and put them in a box with some towels before calling me. They have got to be kept in for the whole winter.”

Angela, who is disabled, is struggling to feed her growing brood and her charity is grateful for donations of cat and dog food, meal worms and cardboard boxes.

She can be contacted on 01202 699358.