Dorchester: Prickly Prickles to release Pea the hedgehog
'Pea' was smaller than a thumb when first rescued
Last updated 5th Aug 2022
A hedgehog rescued by a Dorchester woman when he was smaller than a thumb, is almost ready to be released back into the wild.
Chris Legg runs the Prickly Prickles Hedgehog Rescue from her home in Dorchester, which she funds herself with the help of donations.
She took Pea into her care in June, when it weighed just 18 grams, after her niece found him roaming the family's home garden.
Chris told Greatest Hits Radio she had to care for him day and night, and that he was lucky to have survived.
"When they're this small they're very delicate and vulnerable, they need their mother's milk.
"Pea was very lucky I think to be found that day and very lucky that I had the determination and commitment to give him the best chance to survive.
"I had to nurse him and look after him, it was hours of my day and sleepless nights with all the regular feeds."
Throughout the weeks that Pea's been in her care, they have formed quite the bond:
"I'm going to miss him everyday.
"When I touch him, he puts his spines down, like he's relaxed.
"He always likes to suckle on my top - my friend was taking a picture the other day and he had it in his mouth and wouldn't let go!"
Mrs Legg shares updates of the hedgehogs in her care on her Facebook page which she tells us "bring a smile to people" who follow her.
Pea is now 8 weeks old and Chris plans to slow-release him in a pen, in her garden, before letting him go, stressing that hedgehogs are not pets.
She told us there's a chance he'll come back to visit her though:
"Hedgehogs find roots in certain gardens and they will go into any of the hog houses and will make their home there, mums will make their nests there...
"So there's every possible chance that he will visit my garden and I believe a lot of the hedgehogs that are still visiting my garden are ones that I released."