My new fact for the day (well yesterday) was that Foxes do something called Gekkering...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/49079253367/in/photostream
Turf war in the footflaps garden over the Hedgehog highway....
This forum really needs a "like" button!
We're missing one HH down right now as I spotted something wrong with Wilbert:
His leg looked very odd..
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49084426677_8712df1f61_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49084426677_8712df1f61_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2hMqvYz ]Tiny juvenile (310g)[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
So took him in for a weigh and checkup...
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49084217606_9cf17a7ec0_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49084217606_9cf17a7ec0_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2hMprPU ]Wilbert the HH[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
Not looking very good, so off to HH hospital, found a broken leg...
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49084947402_1e2b8716ab_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49084947402_1e2b8716ab_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2hMtbLA ]Wilbert's broken leg[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
Currently awaiting amputation in the hospital..
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49084947747_b6dced42c7_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49084947747_b6dced42c7_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2hMtbSx ]Wilbert in Hospital[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
We should get a three legged version back once he's healed and he'll over winter in the workshop where we can keep an eye on him and bulk him up (as he's under half hibernation weight at the moment).
Will he survive in the wild on three legs, or will he become a footflaps pensioner?
Gekkern means cracked in swedish, like a slang word. Must be german origin. a cracked sound. Cool!
Will he survive in the wild on three legs, or will he become a footflaps pensioner?
Apparently will be absolutely fine, like cats / dogs. The main issue is that because he is lame and probably in a lot of pain he's very underweight and won't survive the winter. I've just ordered some heating pads, he'll go into a heated rabbit hutch for an intensive bulking up period (once healed) and then when up to weight, can be released depending on external temp etc and acclimatisation.
We have an amazing local HH hospital and volunteer group who I email photos / weights / queries to and they tell me what to do / collect ill ones and rehab them.
http://www.swccharity.org/hedgehog-hospital/hedgehog-rehabilitation-and-conservation/