Wishes people were more educated about wildlife

[HelenVanessaDavies]

Sooo..I got a call today from the resuce centre I used to volunteer at...they had 6 baby hedgehogs brought in, now annoyingly, what people don't know is that mother hedgehogs leave the nest to hunt for themselves during the day, so the people thought they were doing the right thing by taking them away...fair enough if you don't see her for 24hours but honestly! THEN the thing that annoyed me the most, they called a very well known respected rescue centre in London who advised them to take all of the hedgehogs away!! I'm fuming, they should know better...so now I have 5 new hand rears (one was too sick ), they're about 3 days old and need feeding every 2 hours. (I've organised it so Hesta can be taken up to the rehab centre on Saturday...she's doubled in size and doing well...she no longer needs me *sniff* )

 

[DQTimnehs]

Awww, that's too bad! I hope the rest do ok.

 

[Cinnyluver]

They are so cute! That's very sad. What's that red stuff on their spines?

 

[SandraK]

Oh my goodness, what wee little things! They remind me of baby hamsters with spikes.

 

[Didomum]

Oh! They are cute you have your hands full. Hope they all make it. Yes the trouble with people they panic, they see the baby's on their own and think they have been abandoned but many time if you wait your see the mum coming back to them.

 

[SandraK]

Isn't it the same with baby rabbits? That mum will be away and the babies will be left in their nest until mum comes back?

 

[AmberMuffinz]

I've heard the same for deer as well. I hope the little ones make it, they are so stickin' cute. I imagine the colors on their quills was put there to tell them apart?

 

[Anne & Gang]

how sweet....the poor mama though, retu rning to her babies to find them all gone..how sad

 

[HelenVanessaDavies]

Awww, that's too bad! I hope the rest do ok.

Thank you

They are so cute! That's very sad. What's that red stuff on their spines?

It's nail polish - so I can tell them apart, which ones I've fed, hw much they've eaten. It's harmless and wears off nicely

Oh my goodness, what wee little things! They remind me of baby hamsters with spikes.

They are! My Mom was trying to describe them to somone earlier and that's what we came up with to

Oh! They are cute you have your hands full. Hope they all make it. Yes the trouble with people they panic, they see the baby's on their own and think they have been abandoned but many time if you wait your see the mum coming back to them.

Yes!I'm feeding them every couple hours day and night.its exhausting but it'll be worth it knowing they'll be free again. Exactly!

Isn't it the same with baby rabbits? That mum will be away and the babies will be left in their nest until mum comes back?

Yes it's smilar tactic, also if you take baby rabbits out of the nest they can't be handreared and can't be put back with the mother because she'll eat them.

I've heard the same for deer as well. I hope the little ones make it, they are so stickin' cute. I imagine the colors on their quills was put there to tell them apart?

Mother deers put their young out of the way of the herd so predators can't find them, you're right usually people think they've been abandoned but really the mom knows exactly where they are and it's best to leave them unless they're hurt.
Thank you, me too the poor little guys. Yes! It's nail polish so I can know who is who!

how sweet....the poor mama though, retu rning to her babies to find them all gone..how sad

I know it always upsets me thinking about it before Hesta, my other handrear hedghogs had lost their mothers, the first 3 to an RTA and the other one lost his family to a fox

 

[Thugluvgrl187]

Aw so cute!

 

[65sunnyday]

Awww--thank you (because the little guys don't speak English, so I'm saying it for them!)

 

[Chantilly Lace]

Awe, nothing cuter than a baby hedgehog! I bred them for a few years, it is A LOT of work hand feeding them, rubbing their little bellies, giving them baby gas drops, and helping them go to the bathroom by rubbing them with warm water. Every few hours...

People are stupid. I get the most horrible calls from people who had chinchilla babies born and they are clueless...why in the world would you put two animals together to have babies if you don't know anything about their care. People are annoying!