Jenny Devitt

I've had 7 phone calls this morning already, all saying the same thing - "I found a little hedgehog out in the day so I brought her home and I've got her in a box. She's fine really, just hungry, because she's eating well, shall I just release her in the garden?" Please remember a hedgehog out in the day is a dying animal, desperate for help. Hypothermia is a stage of dying, when the body redirects blood flow to the heart and lungs, to give them as much oxygen as possible in a desperate attempt to stay alive. This leaves the extremities feeling cold, forcing nocturnal animals to come out to get the day's warmth, whether the sun is out or not. But when we see a hedgehog out in the day, even if we've read somewhere that this means they are seriously ill, we like to prove ourselves right - offer food, see if she eats. Yes! She's eating, so must be okay, just hungry, right? WRONG! Wild animals are completely different to domesticated animals. They have a survival imperative to eat, even when dying, because there's no telling when they may find food again. This has been bred out of our domesticated animals. So appetite is NOT an indicator of heath. You can only tell a hedgehog is ill because of their abnormal behaviour. As nocturnal animals, being out in the day is abnormal - no matter how 'healthy' they look. Once out in the day they are dying. It's an emergency. They need urgent treatment from a good rescue (not a vet). Sick hedgehogs don't always look sick. But the fact they are out in the day tells you that they are. So please don't waste precious time offering food or taking photos, please #BeTheirAmbulance and get them to a rescue urgently.