Thank you to blog reader Catherine for the link to this story in Britain's Daily Mail. It especially touched me as a former hedgehog owner. (R.I.P Murray and Miracle)
Abandoned baby hedgehogs are too weak to hibernate
These lame baby hedgehogs are casualties of the chaotic weather.
They should be asleep for the winter - but instead they are nursing their broken bones at Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.
The RSPCA says its rescue centres are looking after hundreds of abandoned hedgehogs born during the exceptionally mild autumn and who are too small or weak to hibernate.
A baby hedgehog worse for wear after a year of chaotic weather
The odd weather has also led to a shortage of their favourite grubs, beetles, slugs and caterpillars.
RSPCA wildlife scientist Adam Grogan said: "They need to gain weight before they can hibernate."
Weak hedgehogs like the one above have broken bones and are being nursed back to health
:-( so sad!! :-(
Posted by: michelle k | December 19, 2007 at 07:00 AM
Poor babies . . . I wish them and their brethren better health and I applaud the RSPCA's decision to use festive color casts on the poor little things
Posted by: Diane | December 19, 2007 at 07:01 AM
Tiggywinkles Med Center...really? One of my fondest memories of New Jersey was seeing the hedgehog carcasses on the highway bloating up in the summer heat. If your timing was right you might see one go POP!
Posted by: bruin | December 19, 2007 at 11:43 AM
Poor hedgehogs! They look so cute (other than the broken bones).
Posted by: EditThis | December 19, 2007 at 12:07 PM
Poor things! I'm happy someone's looking after them. I've never owned my own hedgehog, but my 7th grade science teacher had two in her room. ADORABLE little creatures, if not a little pokey. Very sweet things too.
BTW--thought of you today when I saw the most adorable little baby English bulldog. I got a picture on my cell phone to show you, but as soon as I got up to the office, it wasn't on my phone. I don't have a clue what happened. Still, it was adorable.
Tiffiny
Posted by: Tiffiny Whitney | December 19, 2007 at 01:43 PM
Bruin, you are a cruel person and should be ashamed of yourself. Seriously, why would you want to see harm come to a little animal?
Posted by: Lauren | December 19, 2007 at 02:28 PM
I never realized how ADORABLE hedgehogs can be! So cute!!! I hope they heal soon.
Posted by: Ellie | December 19, 2007 at 05:27 PM
dear god bean. you are the reason i hate animal lovers. is there some inverse relationship that animal lovers have with the amount of social skills they can have? seriously seriously..... hedge hogs?? don't get me wrong, i like 7/11, and i kindof dig the post office. but you are one weird mother effer. Just let them die, is it not just natral selection taking it's course? i mean if they were ment to wouldn't they find some way to purchase said, "festive color casts" and nurse themselves back to health..... or better yet.... just use the other dead hedge hogs and feed for their babies and turn this seemingly horrible winter into a positive.
Posted by: seriously | December 19, 2007 at 06:05 PM
You see, this is why I just love England. This is such an utterly English thing to do. And only in England would a place called "Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital" exist outside of a children's storybook. I bet the woman who runs that place is called Mrs. Pennywhistle and she has a picture of the Queen on her wall and has tea and biscuits at 4 P.M. sharp everyday.
Here's another of my favorite DM stories out of England, about ducklings at Pennywell Farm nursed back to health by swimming in a teacup.
Warning: adorable overload!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=471537&in_page_id=1770
Posted by: Frances | December 20, 2007 at 04:06 AM
Awww...that hedgehog in the blue cast: so heartbreaking!
Posted by: islandflower | January 24, 2008 at 02:59 PM