"Pea" the hedgehog finally released after full recovery
He weighed just 18 grams when he was rescued
A hedgehog which weighed just 18 grams when he was found and rescued, is finally able to roam free after making a full recovery.
Nicknamed "Pea", he now weighs just under 1 kilo, after being nursed day and night by his rescuer Chris.
Chris Legg runs the Prickly Prickles Hedgehog Rescue from her home in Dorchester. She took Pea after a niece found him roaming their family garden.
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio, Chris told us it was an emotional goodbye:
"I released him on Monday, he was 960 grams and I have to say I did feel a little emotional letting him out, but he had to go back to his natural habitat.
"Taking in a hedgehog as small as Pea, I did so much for him and spent so much time with him. You do get attached but you know that any hedgehog you bring in to the rescue is never a pet, they have to go back out. That was my aim, get him well and let him back out to live a 'hoggy' life!"
Chris had told us previously she planned to soft-release Pea in a pen, in her garden.
She explains she held it off due to the hot weather and the ground being very dry.
"I put him in a soft-release pen, so he could basically be in a hog house, he could go in and out in an evening, and stay there just to get him acclimatised to be in the outside world, as before he'd only ever known a cage.
It's not goodbye forever though. Chris told us she will continue to put food and water outside for Pea and any other prickly creatures.
"I left him in there for two or three nights and then I took the pen away. I had cameras on him and saw him coming out and sniffing around and eating his food."
"With any hedgehog released in anyone's gardens they have ways to get out of the garden, he's not in an enclosed garden, he's free to roam.
"Whether he continues to stay in my area that's up to Pea. There's always a good source of food and water."
Hedgehogs facing a "hectic" summer
Earlier this month, the RSCPA warned that the usual summer peaks in calls combined with the impact of heatwaves would result in a "hectic" summer for hedgehogs.
A total of 6,120 calls about sick, injured and orphaned hedgehogs were made to the RSPCA’s national helpline in 2021, nearly half of which came in during the busiest months of July, August and September.
By far the most calls the charity received last year related to sick or weak hedgehogs (2,816), followed by injured animals (1,513). In August alone, the RSPCA was answering an average of 23 calls a day about sick and injured hedgehogs.
The staff at the charity’s four wildlife centres were kept busy in 2021, with 2,165 hedgehogs admissions, an average of six hedgehogs a day, rising to 11 a day in August.
RSPCA scientific officer Evie Button said:
“Calls to the RSPCA about sick and injured hedgehogs always peak during August, but this summer’s heatwave could sadly make things even worse, as the little animals’ food and water sources are likely to have been affected in many areas.
“People can help hedgehogs during the heatwave by supplementing their natural diet, leaving out fresh water and foods like tinned dog or cat food and crushed cat or dog biscuits.
“If the hedgehog is very young - roughly apple-sized - you'll need to soak the biscuits in water first. You can also get good quality, meaty hedgehog food from wildlife food suppliers. Check the food and water bowls each day and top them up with fresh water and food and remove any food that hasn't been eaten.
“Never feed hedgehogs milk or bread - milk can cause diarrhoea and bread isn't very nutritious.”
Raising awareness
Chris Legg self-funds the Prickly Prickles Hedgehog Rescue, which she runs from her home, in Dorchester.
She tells us the rescue has grown in recent years, and that she has looked after as many as 30 hedgehogs at one time. While she doesn't have plans to grow it further, she's welcoming donations in order to keep running the centre.
"Without the help from donations I'd find it hard to self-fund my rescue now. To keep the rescue up and running, with the cost of everything - food, meds, vets bills - any donations are a huge help."
Chris will be at a fundraising event at Poundbury Garden Centre today (Saturday, 27 August), sharing information and best tips about hedgehogs.
There will also be crafts and a raffle, from 10:30 to 2:30pm.