Our emergency hogspital is based in Stonham and will be the first place the hedgehog is admitted to in order to be stabilised.
This hogspital caters for hedgehogs that need to be under veterinary care.
The Hoggie Lodge is based in Stonham and will provide a centre to over-winter hedgehogs once it is completed.
Despite being a ‘part-time’ rescue on average we successfully treat approximately 200 hedgehogs per year.
On arrival the hedgehog will be assessed by a member of our team and stabilised.
Many of the hedgehogs that are brought into us are dehydrated, hypothermic and extremely unwell.
We have two hogspitals: Emergency Admittance and Treatment in Stonham and our Intensive Veterinary Care Unit, which is situated closer to our veterinary practice.
We also have a Hoggie Lodge for over-wintering hedgehogs.
We work closely with our vet, Penrose and Partners, to assess each hedgehogs needs and offer appropriate treatment.
Each hedgehog is provided with a medical chart on admittance and checked on regularly for the first few hours. Very sick hedgehogs are put on half hour/hourly watch and given intensive care.
Many of the hogs that are brought to us are malnourished. 95% of the hedgehogs already have secondary infections with lungworm, often they have other more serious underlying issues alongside the lungworm.
It can take up to two hours to admit each hedgehog particularly if they are very unwell or have a lot of fly strike. Sick hedgehogs are monitored on a daily basis. A drop in weight is often a sign of an underlying problem.
It is our aim to re-release the hedgehogs back into the wild when they are well.
Hedgehogs are loyal to their home range so where possible we try our best to release them back where they are found. However, this is not always possible due to irrevocable changes in their home range etc and in this case we ‘soft’ release in a new area where the hedgehogs are supported and monitored.
Read the touching stories of some of our previous hogspital patients.
To make sure we have the funds to continue helping hedgehogs, we’re asking you to make a contribution either financially or from our Amazon wish list.
Suffolk Prickles Hedgehog Rescue is a registered charity (1176194) rescuing and rehabilitating sick and injured hedgehogs in Suffolk and Essex, in addition to educating others about hedgehog care and conservation.
© Suffolk Prickles Hedgehog Rescue. Registered Charity 1176194. Photos reproduced with kind permission of Kevin Sawford Photography.