The UK's RSPCA is taking care of hundreds of weak and injured baby hedgehogs. According to an article in The Mail On Sunday, the region's mild autumn has resulted in a shortage of food leaving the hedgehogs ill-prepared for hibernation. This hedgehog is in the care of the Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital in Buckinghamshire, England. From the Tiggywinkles site:
Any hedgehog that has not reached 600 grams or is injured in any way, when the weather turns cold will not have the fat reserves to survive hibernation, and so must be kept indoors throughout the winter. (See our Hedgehog Overwintering Fact Sheet). Larger hedgehogs which have recovered from treatment but have not yet been released should be kept in outside pens with weatherproof boxes crammed full of hay and newspaper (not shredded). Dog food and fresh water should be put out each evening, although if the weather turns very cold the hedgehog may go into hibernation.
Link to The Mail on Sunday article, Link to Tiggywinkles Animal Hospital (Thanks, Lindsay Tiemeyer!)
