Number 4! (Horace)

Had a call from a colleague who has a 'hog and was planning to over winter him (she is thinking its a boy, not confirmed!)

Her husband has decided he isn't keen, so she is bringing him here!

When I have more news, I will post.

Ok. I'll be hoping that the Hedgehog is ok.
Best of luck.

Bethany.

Horace needs feeding up, but apart from a few ticks which will be removed (I got one off, will have another go later) seems fine.

I have talked to her about over wintering, and said hedgehogs don't need to have the run of the house, given some suggestions and she is going to talk to her husband again. He wasn't impressed with the 'hog pooing on the lounge carpet last night!!

In the meantime, he's in his cat basket snoozing away.

ah bless him
i had one called horace last year and he was a menace,i hope its not a name-sake

I am hoping her husband changes his mind - at this rate I will no room to take in others!

i'm always running out of room,but always find more i ask for hutches etc as b'day pressies,i've got a hog supply list as my xmas list

Cool. I'm glad to hear Horace is ok. Hopefuly everything will be alright.

Bethany.

Have had a good look - a few ticks which look as though they will fall of pretty soon as they are full and also my friend put oil on them earlier. Older than Edie and Little Foot, but weighs less than Edie, only 300g so has a fair bit of weight to put on, likes cooked chicked!

Oh, and Horace can keep HIS name!!

Apart from the poor weight, I think Horace is in pretty good shape.

Bethany.

So will you be looking after him Trish? Or are they taking him back?

We now think this isn't the original Horace - he weighed 400g, this one weighs 300g. This one has some large, very full ticks (another fell off, the others a little awkward to get at but have oiled) and doesn't eat like the original one did. From what my friend has said, it seems this is a different one!!

The original Horace did a runner Thursday or Friday - the builders were in and they forgot to shut the conservatory door where he was, and he made an escape. When a hedgehog was seen it was assumed it was him making his return - probably not. So, my friend is happy she has given this one chance, and hopeful 'her Horace' will soon be home.

A little weight has gone on, not much - but none lost.

Had to laugh this evening, he was fast asleep, on his back in a ball - on his water dish like an egg in an egg cup!!!

He is lovely, a gentleman. As soon as food is put in he shows approval by coming straight over and eating it.

thats what i like to hear
one of mine in the shed (reared from baby) is always on his back,even when in semi-hibernation! i'm glad i decided to keep them for the winter, i dread to think what he'd be like in the wild!

Lol, Hedgehogs can make you laugh! Once Snuffles had been eating his dog meat, and looked up directly at me with food all around his snout, as if to say ''Yum! This is tasty!'' He was a lovely little Hedgehog.

Bethany.

His poo looked wrong this morning, very much like Little Foot's so I took him to the vet.

She wanted to take his temperature but soon realised no chance!!! She gave him an injection of vit B12, and he is on Baytril, she thinks it's campylobacter and wants him back Tuesday afternoon to recheck him.

He is in the warm box with the heat pad - fingers crossed.

i know how you are feeling at the moment, hope hes okay.

His poo is already looking better. He is so thin, has lost more weight since yesterday morning. I left a little scrambled egg in for him last night, clearly not impressed!
When I gave him his Baytril he eagerly opened his mouth, he must be hungry hasn't eaten properly for days although he politely has a nibble of whatever is put in! He does drink though which is great. I have given him a small dish of weetabix and goats milk, with a small amount of meat in, he has had a little.

Nothing seems to impress him food wise, as I said he'll have a polite nibble of whatever I give but that's about it - having said that the amount of food he had yesterday evening and overnight was the most in the week I have had him.

Oh blimey, what a roller coaster this one is!!

I have just fed him a mix of weetabix, goats milk and a little honey - took some off a spoon, then I put 5ml into a syringe, some went in, some went everywhere!

Glad to hear he is getting better.
What does he weight at the moment?

Bethany.

His weight has gone down to 250g.

Hmm. Well, I really hope that he puts it all back on. Their weight goes up and down so much but he is a fighter, I'm sure, after all, he has come this far.

Bethany.

Been to the vets today.

His weight has stayed at 250g, his appetite still poor.
His antibiotics have been upped from 0.05ml twice a day to 0.1ml twice a day at least until I take him back in a week.

I have started giving him 5ml goats mil via syringe a few times a day so he is getting some nourishment at least, the vet is happy with that.

I mentioned the possiblity of this being Anaplasmosis rather than campylobacter but she said unlikely as Anaplasmosis is found more in the west of the country and in warmer weather, more common in the mediteranean.

Poor little Hedgie. What a roller coaster of a ride for him.
Good luck.

Bethany.

poor babe.
hope he pulls through

Good luck with him Trish!