breaking news from the garden!

Today Toby had an inset day from school and so I spent most of the day in the garden with him. Just before lunchtime as I was pegging out some washing a movement on the lawn caught my eye and sauntering towards me was a very small baby hedgehog. Of course being a seasoned blogger I dropped the pegs and ran for my camera but when I dashed back outside I couldn't see him. Hedgehogs are quite noisy creatures though, so it wasn't hard to track him down

Now I know from all of my research when we rescued Herbert Hogwart last year that hedgehogs only come out in the day under extreme circumstances (illness, hunger etc) so I knew something was wrong. I grabbed my gardening gloves and an old crate and got him settled in the garage with some water and mashed kitten food. The plan was to keep him safe until dark and let him go again.

But an hour or so later there was more rustling from the flowerbed and I discovered he wasn't an only hoglet - there were another 2 emerging from the hedgehog house. So are these the offspring of Herbert Hogwart? Well, your guess is as good as mine but they certainly could be. And is this proof that Herbert was in fact Sherbert? Well, the evidence looks that way!

I fed them all and watched them snuffle around in the undergrowth.

Then, one by one they made their way back to bed. A couple of hours later I gently lifted the lid on the house and they were curled up together fast asleep.

There may not be a happy ending though. They shouldn't have been out in the day and there was no sign of a mummy hedgehog (what has happened to Herbert/Sherbert?) . I phoned the Hedgehog Preservation Society who are so helpful with advice and the plan of action is to leave the babies, put down food after dark tonight, watch them tomorrow and if they come out in the day time I'll be taking on surrogate mum duties again - housing them in the garage in an old rabbit run and fattening them them up to around 400gms before setting them free again!

There are a few more photos over on flickr.

Comments

[Rhiannon]

yay! i'm so excited for you that the hedgehogs have multiplied - i only hope that they're doing okay and don't need adopting

rhiannon x

[Mama Urchin]

You are a hedgehog magnet. They are so cute though.

[Diana]

They are so cute, especially when tiny...here's hoping they're not orphaned. I hand reared a hedgehog 2 summers ago. He/She (Harry/Harriet) was so wee when I rescued him from being squashed by a car. I had loads of advice from my local hedgehog rescue, too. Fingers crossed for these babies. D x

[Ali]

Word's out - the mashed kitten food at your place is worth a diurnal foray for!

[Vanessa]

How exciting but how sad in another way! I hope they find there own way in life this evening!

Vanessa x

[AJ]

I don't know what else can be cuter than a little hedgehog. I had to laugh that there was a preservation organization. I've never experienced a hedgehog but apparently there must be a lot to know?

[melanie]

I used to have hedgehogs. They are so cute and how lucky you are to have them in your garden.

[Danielle]

You are such a caring person. Those hedgehogs can't possibly know how lucky they are to have found their way into your garden :) Hope all goes well with their little family.

[woolies]

GASP! They are the most adorable little things! I wonder where their mommy is? Good luck with them, thank goodness they are old enough to eat food and you're not faced with bottle feeding hedgies!

[carolyn]

Never a dull moment at your place huh? Julie! I do hope it's a happy ending for these 3 wee ones ---with your expert care their chances are good. One wonders where S/herbert ran off to with 3 babies at home!

[Annie]

How precious! We do not have hedgehogs here in Texas. Well, except for an old Steiff toy hedgehog my grown daughter left behind. I check in on your blog frequently, which I found my way to through my love of bunnies and children who have autism. As a speech-language pathologist who has worked with children who have autism, I've utilized bunnies, horses and other animals in my therapy.

Annie

[Nikki]

Oh how very exciting and kind of sad at the same time...

I hope they're OK (but know they're in your good hands!)

[sue]

Ooh how exciting, 3 new babies to look after. It is rather sad that Sherbert isnt there to look after them. Do mummy hedgehogs leave their babies if there is too many to look after for her.

[Mirre]

Ah they're so sweet... I do hope that their Mummy is alright though!

[Shelley]

Aw how very cute! We never have fun wildlife in our garden you are so lucky. Let's hope mummy hedgehog was just having a day away from the kids xxx

[frazzy dazzles]

Do you think that word is getting around in the hedgehog community that you are a soft touch and mothers are leaving their little ones while they duck down to the shops?...I am sure Herbert/Sherbert will be somewhere around. The Little Bush Princess was again so happy to see pictures of 'hedgehoggers' on your blog. The closest we come to 'hedgehoggers' is 'porcupiners' and they just don't come into town! Jen

[frazzy dazzles]

Oh...I know we only have echidna's in Australia...but The Little Bush Princess doesn't get that yet! Jen

[Kitty]

They appear to know a good hedgehog home when they see one! Good luck with them - I really hope Herbert/Sherbet is ok. x

[Caroline B]

Yes, are you sure S/Herbert isn't pulling a fast one and utilising your fine baby-sitting servies while s/he lives it up with the squirrels and the voles?? The babies are so very cute - hope all goes well with them.

[Zoe]

I'm sure they will do well in your safe hands Julie. Good luck with your nursemaid duties.

[Molly's Knitted Teddy Bears]

I just love your hedgehog photos and update. I do hope that they are all doing well and that they grow to be independent and strong.

Please keep us updated. I hope you and your family have a nice weekend.

Molly

[Maddy]

Julie they are just so cute, I'm sure they take after their Mummy whom I hope is safe.

[Elaine]

Oh, I am so glad you grabbed your camera. Those are the cutest pictures! I hope everything is okay with their Mum.

[Kim]

Aww...they're precious! I especially love the names, LOL.

[Mari]

Thank you so much for sharing these pictures! WHat if they would just keep on living in their hedgehog-house, and you would serve them food and water mornings and evenings right there? So they would learn to find their own food (worms etc.) little by little? I mean, there's not much to practice with, if they live in a garage.
Just my own thoughts, I'm sure they know a lot in that hedgehog rescue :)

[susetheslowknitta]

I'm so glad you found them and fed them. Any names yet? Harry, Hettie & Herbie perhaps?

[Gallinavecchia]

Rescue team again, huh? ;-)

Well, they are just lovely. Hope everything goes fine.

Italian hugs
Gallina

[dottycookie]

Argh, could they be any cuter? I hope for your sake Herbert/Sherbert turns up again though ...

[Daisie]

Just dropped in to say you've won an award, come on over to my blog and fetch it when you're ready!!
XXX

[Shannon]

You have such a kind heart. I hope these little hoglets make it.

I just got a baby hedgie myself. His name is Oy, and you can see some pics on my blog. It is amazing how different the domesticated hedgies look from the wild.

[Gill]

I haven't seen a hedgehog in years. We live in Canada and I don't even know if we have hedgehogs over here?

[tammy]

Thank you so much for posting this - it made my day. I live in the northeastern United States, and I envy that you have these in your yard.
If I were ever out gardening and saw one of these ( and a baby!) the cuteness of it would probably kill me. I would be talking about it for weeks :)

[Lady S]

I am so jealous. I want a hedgehog so bad, but alas, they do not live in Vermont. My husband won't let me get one, because they eat bugs.

[Gina]

That is to sweet! I just had the pleasure of petsitting a friends hedgehog (named Hedgie of course). We just fell in love with the little guy. He looked a bit different then these ones though...his nose was much more narrow and very tiny and he had these very tiny little fangs. He must be a different type. Do keep us updated on these guys, that is so great that you found them.

[Karen Gough]

I loved reading about the hedgehogs, and your efforts to look after them. Thanks for sharing the story - and, of course, your wonderful knitting. I'm off to make a tiny rabbit...

[Christine Griffin]

Welcome back from across the pond!! I'm a huge fan of your work.

[ruth joseph]

I love all the hedgehog stories and your animals are adorable - I especially love your pandas.........

[krissy rietz]

welcome back, and thanks for posting the cute pics of the hedgehogs!

[Victoria]

I adore your site! You make the world a better place, thanks.

[Katarina]

Welcome back! :)
Your web-site is a wonderfull place and I love it!

[Sheila]

Glad you had a good holiday although the weather was rather damp! Thought I'd already posted this but it hasn't appeared. Exciting times in our garden, one of our 6 chickens should be laying blue eggs any day now!