Hand rearing orphaned hedgehogs is very rewarding. It is also very time consuming involving much, much more than is covered here. Please contact us if you would like any further information including warmth and housing, toileting, goat's milk substitutes and pre-release pens and procedures. We would be interested to share your experiences and are always open to suggestions.
Several years ago we compiled the following checklist from Les Stocker's pioneering book The Complete Hedgehog and have added some of our own observations. It has proved a very useful general guideline to help assess age and needs especially each Spring when you need a refresher!
Baby hedgehogs (urchins) are born up to seven in a litter after approximately 35 days gestation.
| Age | Appearance (H.R. = hand rearing notes) |
|---|---|
| New born: | Weight 12-24 grams. Length 50-75 mm. Pink, no fur, a few white spines break
through the covering layer of skin soon after birth. H.R. = syringe feed with pure colostrum. Toilet before and after each feed. |
| 36 hours: |
Darker spines start to join the white. H.R. = from here syringe feed with 1 part colostrum to 2 parts goats milk. |
| 7 days: | Will be approximately double their birth weight. Grey fur beginning to grow on stomach and face including a little 'moustache' |
| 11 days: | Can roll up. |
| 13 days: | Eyes start to peep. Ears begin to open. H.R. = need toileting to here. Some are ready to lap colostrum/milk from a low dish |
| 17 days: | Full set of brown spines, Will move about and squeal. |
| 21 days: |
Teeth start to erupt. H.R. = Weaning can begin. Encourage to lap colostrum/milk from a low dish. When lapping, the '3 dish stage' can begin - colostrum/milk, weaning 'glop' and water. Top up with a syringe feed. |
| 25 days: |
Looks like a real hedgehog. H.R. = Add Puppy Chum to the 'glop'. Offer kitten biscuits. |
| 6 weeks: | Will be 10 times their birth weight. H.R. = start to withdraw goats milk here. Gradually replace Puppy Chum with good quality cat or dog food. |
| 8 weeks: | In the wild will leave the nest. H.R. = 400 grams into a pre-release pen. 600 grams (min) release when conditions are suitable. |
Sugar & Spice only 2 days old |
12 days old and Polly was peeping |
Sweet Sue started to lap at 14 days |
Food and Feeding - Our Recipe for Success:-
Ingredients: Goat's colostrum, unpasteurised goat's milk, Tiggywinkles weaning glop and lots and lots of T.L.C.
Colostrum is the rich first milk that follows the birth of mammals. It contains proteins and immunoglobulins which help to build up an immunity to infection. Goat's colostrum is a good alternative to hedgehog colostrum and we are fortunate to have a goat farm nearby. We freeze it in ice cube bags and feed pure colostrum to new born 'pinkies'. |
Milk - Use unpasteurised goat's milk, adding 4 drops of Abidec (or similar) vitamin drops per pint and then freeze it in ice cube bags. To prepare for feeding, defrost overnight 1 part colostrum to 2 parts goat's milk. NEVER GIVE COWS MILK TO A HEDGEHOG. The fat globules are too big for them to digest and in baby hedgehogs will lead to diarrhoea and fatal enteritis. Some carers and Wildlife Hospitals are having excellent results using a mixture of Esbilac and goat's colostrum. Before and after use, all feeding equipment must be sterilised in Milton or similar. 
|
Feeding Guide
| New born: | 1 to 2 mls every 2 to 3 hours during the day from 7am to 11 pm |
| 50 grams: | 4 to 8 mls every 3 to 4 hours during the day from 7am to 11 pm |
| 100 grams: | 10 mls 4 times a day. |
Aim to feed 30% to 40% of body-weight per day divided by the number of feeds. The above guide was suggested by St Tiggywinkles and is working well for us.
Feeding syringes can be made from BAXA's smaller medicine dispensers fitted with teats from lengths of catapult rubber from angling shops. Both can be sterilised in Milton.
Tiggywinkles' Weaning Glop
- 1 tin Pedigree Chum Puppy Food
- Same quantity John Haithe's Prosecto
- Same quantity of water.
- 1/2 teaspoon Nutri-Gel plus.
- 1 pinch (or 1/2 capsule) Pancrexi - (essential)
- 1 pinch Stress
- 1 pinch Vetamin & Zinc
Liquidise until soft then freeze in paper cake cases. Defrost overnight before use.
Urchins encountering the new and exciting taste of weaning glop for the first time will often start to self-anoint. What a mess!