All tangled up !
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Last night on the camera I saw one of the regular visitors with what looked like string all tangled up on it’s head and front of its body, it’s front leg looked partly caught up too.
There was some more pictures on the camera later on, but not sure if they were of the same hog but without the string or a different hog .
I mentioned the string hog to my husband and he said he thought he saw a Hedgehog with something caught on its front the night before last, if that’s right then the string seems to be stuck and the hog hasn’t managed to get it off. I can never manage to attach a photo to my post on here , so I’ve changed my profile picture to the tangled hog so folks can see what it looks like.I’m worried now that it’s not going to be able to free itself from the tangled up string !
Any advice please ?Hi Gr8mums
Unfortunately, I couldn’t get the image clear enough to be able to see exactly what’s going on.
If you think it is string, or the like – hogs can also get tangled in garden netting, rubber bands, etc. – it seems unlikely that it will be able to get it off itself. Is there any chance that you can catch it and get it to a carer? I think I’ve read that they recommend you don’t try to untangle the hogs yourself – partly because it isn’t always as easy as it looks (and might inadvertently cause further injury to the hog) but also, it could have caused cuts into the hogs flesh which will need treating.
It might be worth ringing a carer and give a better description to them so that they can advise. (and you may be able to email them a clearer image) If you don’t already have the number of your local carer you can get it from the BHPS on 01584 890801.
Fingers crossed it is something less injurious. Good luck.
Thanks Nic.
I’ve phoned the Scottish SPCA and they’ve said to try and catch it too. The fear is that the string (or whatever it is ) will further injure the hog or get caught on something and the hog will get trapped .
If I can easily remove the string, then I will and let the hog go. If not, keep him overnight and then phone them again first thing tomorrow (they open at 7am) and they will get an officer to come and have a look and decide what’s best to do. They are also open till 10pm tonight, so if he turns up before then they’ll come out .
Will be keeping a close eye out for him tonight! I’ve got an old hutch that I used to have a guinea pig in, I’ve put an old fleecy blanket, some food and water and a little shelter in it, in case I need to keep the hog overnight. Do you think that sounds ok ?
Thanks for the advice.
Hi Gr8mums
Well done getting hold of the SPCA so quickly.
I usually use torn up strips of paper (newspaper or even magazine) jumbled up, so that they can hide underneath it, if they want – and they usually have. The wildlife hospital use old towels and the hogs hide under them too. If you have some, I would put some newspaper on the bottom. The hogs nearly always spill the water and so it’s quite handy to have something which soaks it up, although the hog might tear that up a bit too and possibly burrow underneath it. And they tend to make a bit of a mess altogether! so don’t use something you don’t mind throwing away afterwards, if necessary. Guinea pig hutch sounds ideal, as you will have room to put the food and water a bit away from the ‘sleeping’ area.
I have found that the hogs usually try to hide to start with and don’t try to eat or drink until quite a while later.
Good luck. Hope the hog turns up early and isn’t injured too much. Let us know how you get on.
I sat and watched for as long as I could last night, two Hedgehogs turned up but no sign of Peter (Stringfellow) as he’s now called ! And no pictures of him on the camera either. A bit worried now but I will keep watching and waiting , hopefully he’ll turn up again soon,
That’s frustrating – always such a worry when that happens. As you say, all you can do is watch and wait. It’s a very worrying business, loving hedgehogs. Fingers crossed he re-appears.
After two nights of no show, he turned up last night. But it wasn’t until 3.30am (the camera picked him up). So good news, he’s still getting around ok but bad news he’s still got the string/netting attached to him and that’s way too late for me to be awake to catch him.
I will keep watching and waiting, and if he turns up earlier I will attempt to catch him…
He’s certainly keeping me worrying and waiting !
Hi Gr8mums
Good news that he’s still around, at least. So frustrating when they turn up so late when they need help. Other than put your alarm on for 3.30, when he would be just as likely to turn up at 2(!), just have to hope he decides to turn up early.
I do feel for you – hedgehogs give us a lot of joy, but a lot of worry too.
Good luck.I stayed up all night and he didn’t show up !
I need to rethink this as it’s not working.
Looking over the images on the camera from when he last visited, his right front leg which is caught in the netting is now twice the size it was so he’s definitely suffered an injury to his leg. My daughter rightly pointed out that if he starts to get really unwell he’s more likely to show up in the day, but we obviously don’t want him getting to that stage.At present I’ve got two boxes that are regularly used for naps , two hogs usually appear from them in the evening and have a feed from the feeding box before heading off for a wander . If I try and turn the feeding box into another nap box , he might stay overnight in it and then be awake in the evening so I can catch him. I will leave food and water out in the open too, so the regular visitors stay around . Other than that I’m all out of ideas .
I know it’s not a pleasant thought, but one way of tracking him down if he is still in your garden, is by looking for flies! Hedgehogs do seem to hang around people that look out for them, so he may be hiding there somewhere. I managed to find an injured one of our lot once out during the day, after I noticed a swarm of flies just as he was about to disappear into the undergrowth. It’s not a good sign if his leg is twice the size, hope you manage to catch him soon.
Thanks Penny, I had a good look around the other day and will search around again today. I don’t want to disturb the undergrowth too much incase theres nesting hoglets around . I will look out for flies too.
I know my idea might not work, and the hogs will probably keep checking the box for a couple of nights in the hope of finding tasty snacks ! They usually find the food no matter where I put it , so I’m sure they will find it when I leave it in the open rather than in the box.
Hi Gr8mums
That doesn’t sound good – the swollen leg – but you can only do your best. I really hope you manage to find the poor hog before flies start appearing – that might be too late to save the leg, or possibly the hog.
I can’t really think of any sensible suggestions. If the hog’s leg is that swollen, it must be feeling unwell, even though they often don’t show it, so hopefully it will turn up early tonight. Not that it will make any difference at all, but I will be ‘willing’ the hog to come to you for help at a reasonable time.
I know you have been trying your best for the hog. Staying up all night is real dedication. Really hope he turns up tonight, but if he doesn’t you know that you have done your best for him. We can’t always help them – much as we would like to and however hard we try.
Good luck.
Just another thought, Gr8mums. If you make the box into another nap box, I would check it in the morning. I wouldn’t normally suggest opening a box when a hog is in residence, but in the circumstances, the sooner you can get the hog to help, the better. If you open the box really carefully, it should be o.k. I’ve had hogs napping in the feed box before now and found them when I’ve gone to get the dish out. They have always stayed put for the rest of the day – so it should be o.k. even if another hog is in there and hopefully a female wouldn’t have babies in there in that short a time.
Have something ready to put him in, just in case.
Thanks Nic.
I’ve put some nice fresh hay in the nap box and pointed the trail camera at it, so hopefully it will pick up any activity. I will watch again this evening and then check the camera and peak inside the box first thing. I’ve got a cardboard box , a towel and some gardening gloves at the ready . Also the old hutch is still sorted incase I catch him at night and he has to stay overnight. I just need to put some fresh water and food in with him if I do use it.
Keeping everything crossed for a good outcome for him !
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