Guernsey Hedgehog Rescue Centre | Hedgehog Stories: Compo (as told by Annette Brehaut)

HEDGEHOG STORIES: COMPO

(as told by Annette Brehaut - his foster mum)

It was Sunday 16th July when I first met Compo a small orphaned hoglet who weighed 40 grams. His eyes still hadn’t opened, his ears were still covered, his spines soft and white and no fur.

Compo was found in a compost bag. Sarah looked everywhere for his mum or a nest but found nothing. Poor wee little Compo was on his own calling very loud for his mum. So from 2pm that day I became Compo’s mum. At his beck and call morning, noon and night along with kittens who needed around the clock feeds, kittens being weaned but still needing their cuddles and playtime and a baby wild bunny being introduced to the big outside world (out in the day, in at night).

So yes I had my hands full. But from the moment Compo came through my door he stole my heart. By the evening the bond between us was already forming. Compo and me very often saw the dawn break and heard the dawn chorus together. To look down at one so small, I can remember thinking how this so perfect little baby has so much trust and totally relied on me for all his needs to survive.

As the days went on the bond got stronger between us, which was good because he totally trusted me and as far as I was concerned I was his mum even to the point of stimulating him to go to the toilet. He gained weight and was very vocal when he wanted something or just needed reassurance.

I had borrowed one of Dawn’s books and found a recipe for hand rearing baby hoglets. So off I went with my list and got everything I needed. Compo loved it and carried on gaining weight. On average 5 grams a day. A couple of times he stayed the same weight for a few days. But he soon started to gain again. His eyes opened and his fur started to grow and he began to look like a hedgehog, by now our bond was strong he came when I called his name and was more than happy to have a cuddle after his feed. He was still vocal and would give out a very high-pitched squeak every now and again that usually meant he needed something.

As the weeks went by and he grew, Compo started to take notice of things around him. He would grab hold of his teddy and give it a shake, scoot off under his blanket and come out the other side. At this point when I had fed him he would pull on my t-shirt and loved having his back scratched, in return he would groom me. To show how much he trusted me as his mum he would lay on his back and have his chest rubbed and his nose played with.

Compo is now weaned and weighs 230 grams and I know he will have to go to Dawn to go with other hoglets of his age so he can learn to become a hedgehog. To say goodbye to him will be hard and I know I will have mixed feeling’s, sad because he is going, pleased as he will have other hoglets to mix with.

I’m very proud of my little man. It has been a privalage and a pleasure to have hand reared such a wonderful little animal.

Annette Brehaut

(added 28/01/07)

"COMPO"

You came to me so small and sweet,
with that cute little nose,
and those tiny feet.
No bigger than a tiny mouse,
your shout for help
would wake the house.

And so our fight began,
to save your life, I’ll do all I can.
I fed you through the day and night,
to watch you feed, was a beautiful sight.

The days went by, you started to grow,
and changes in you started to show.
By now it’s true you’ve stolen my heart,
a bond we’ve had from the very start.

You have to go, the time has come,
I feel now my job is done.
My heart will break, I’ll shed a tear,
because there will be no “Compo” here.

Have a long and happy life,
Your Foster Mum
Annette Brehaut.

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