Help needed for new hedgehog - please!

Hi everyone
I'm hoping you can help me in my new acquisition. I found a hedgehog three nights ago running down a main street in London. I picked him up and brought him/her in and fed him (no sex yet!)
then tucked him into a secure box with food and water at the entrance. He's come out once to eat again but then has curled tightly into a ball at the back of the box and honestly..... I'm not sure if he's alive... :-(
He looked as though he had a touch of mange but otherwise was about the size of a ladies hand - and fairly good weight. He was quick and responsive to food and chowed down on a huge pile before rolling up...

Please tell me if this is normal and what I should be doing to ensure his survival :-)
Thanks for your help!

Hi alipete
If hes eating like you said, then all you need to do at this time is to keep him warm, at the moment he will be scared and will roll up and may look dead but will hopefully be asleep. visit my site at http://rons-hedgehogs.webs.com/index.htm there more info on there. What weight is he at the moment

Thanks Ron :-)
I haven't weighed him but he seemed around 500g as a rough estimate. When you say to keep him warm - I've put bedding in there and he's very firmly entrenched. Is there anything else I can do to keep him warm now that the snow is coming?

Normally with mine if they are very small I will use a heat pad or a hot water bottle wrapped up. As yours is about 500g maybe he was out in the daytime just because he was hungry. If you can, keep him indoors now as they forcast bad weather next week,in a shed or garage in like mine in the front room. I still have 3 indoors with me at the moment already to be set free in the spring.

thank you again! Sorry this is my first experience of a hedgie. I've got to ask a question - if they are outside and curled into a tight ball - but in his shelter - but I can't see him breathing is this because the inevitable has happened and he's died? if I move his bedding will he move even if in hibernation? Let me know - I've just made a bed inside for him but am nervous! Sorry to be such a novice!

When did you last see him awake, when did he last feed,if hes a sleep you should still see him breathing, if not just touch him, even in hibernation he will move and push out his spikes, best thing if you can put him a box and bring him indoors

He's now safely inside in a box - fingers crossed :-) thank you again!

Hi Ron - I think he's dead.... but he is tightly curled up and everything I've read says that they unfurl when they die. He isn't responsive at all. Is this deep hibernation or have I lost him?

If he is dead you should be able to unroll him, if he alive and tightly rolled in a ball it will be near impossible to unroll him,

thank you :-) hes in a warmish place, with food and water and I've got all my fingers crossed - as everything points to him just being deeply asleep. I can't unfurl him at all - he's completely rigid
I'll keep you posted but really appreciate all the help you've given me today!

Hello!

Well done on looking out for this little one, they need all the help they can get.

To see if he/she is alive while in this tight ball, gently stroke the prickles - if alive you will see movement and you may also get huffed at!!

If alive, it would be good if you are able to weigh him/her - depending on the weight it may able to remain safely hibernating, or may need to be warmer and woken then fed up.

Good luck!

Hello there.

Well done so far with what you have done with the Hedgehog, I hope all goes well. Any updates as yet?

Great job!!

Bethany.