Guernsey Hedgehog Rescue Centre | Hedgehog Stories: Phoebe

HEDGEHOG STORIES: PHOEBE

Phoebe was a juvenile hedgehog that was found by a gardener at Castle Carey. He unearthed her whilst getting the wild natural garden ready for the release of three other hedgehogs from the centre. (Castle Carey is a good release site as they keep their garden pesticide free).

Phoebe was frozen, dehydrated and very thin (she weighed just 418 grams). She wasn't moving as she was just coming out of hibernation. The gardener immediately rushed her to the centre.

At the centre Phoebe was put on a heat pad and left to come around slowly. When she did she was very hungry. She was given small meals to build her up slowly and a course of antibiotics to be safe. She was also wormed (as a matter of routine every hedgehog that comes through the centre is wormed).

When Phoebe reached the weight of 560 grams she went back to Castle Carey where she was kept in the potting greenhouse. This kept her permanently warm and gave her an opportunity to get her strength back and gain a little more weight.

When the weather was right she joined the others in the new natural garden. Log pile homes had been built in the natural garden and there where also lots of leaves, bird feeders and a few shallow ponds.

(added 02/07/06)

Back to: Hedgehog Stories (2006)