hedgehogs.animals.im
First aid

Found a hedgehog?

This page follows British Hedgehog Preservation Society guidance. If in doubt, ring them.

BHPS helpline01584 890 801BHPS first aid page

Does it need help?

Probably needs help

  • A hedgehog sunbathing or looking "drunk" needs urgent help — the wobbly ones are hypothermic. Exceptions to the daylight rule: nesting or nursing mothers, out briefly and moving purposefully. BHPS
  • The BHPS says to act if a hedgehog is lethargic, lying out in the open, has flies around it, is wobbly, injured or trapped. BHPS
  • It’s a small hoglet out alone, or a young hedgehog out in cold weather.

Probably fine

  • A hedgehog out at night, moving purposefully, in your garden.
  • A mother gathering nesting material briefly in daylight.

First aid, step by step

BHPS first aid: pick it up with gloves or a towel, put it in a high-sided box with a towel, give a covered hot-water bottle with room to move off it, offer meaty food and water, and call for help. BHPS

  1. Wear gardening gloves or use a folded towel.
  2. Put it in a high-sided box with a towel to hide under.
  3. Fill a hot-water bottle, wrap it in a towel and give the hedgehog room to move off it.
  4. Keep it somewhere quiet, away from pets and children.
  5. Offer meaty cat or dog food and a shallow dish of water. Never milk.
  6. Ring the BHPS on 01584 890 801 for advice and local carers.

If the hedgehog is injured or in obvious pain, take it to a vet straight away. BHPS

Fleas?

Hedgehog fleas are host-specific and won't settle on you, your cat or your dog. BHPS

This is general guidance based on the BHPS’s published advice, not veterinary advice. Always follow what a vet or rescue tells you for the animal in front of you. Full details are on the BHPS first aid page.