Hi Hedgie Lover
re. picking the hog up. Just scoop it up with one hand either side (wearing a pair of gloves – those prickles are really sharp, especially if they curl up or make the spines stick up) and if possible have something to put it straight into. It’s actually quite stressful for hogs to be handled, so minimum disturbance is best. i.e. scoop it up and straight into a box with something in it where the hog can hide. If you have a cat carrier, by any chance they are ideal. As Sam1404 said, hogs are great escapologists. Alternatively make sure the top of the box stays closed. I used to cut some ventilation holes high in the sides. But I gave up using boxes after one particular hog managed to get out despite the lid being closed. Now I always use an old cat carrying basket which I still have from when I had a cat and which is ideal.
The hog may not have been scared of you because it was unwell. It isn’t possible to tell by just looking at them. Being wild animals, they do their utmost to look normal to predators, so have to be really unwell before they allow it to show.
Fingers crossed it returns tonight. But remember you can only do what you can do. It’s also possible that someone else may have rescued the same hog. Good luck.
