RSPCA is braced for a spike in hedgehog calls as its busiest summer months combine with a potentially devastating heatwave. 

In 2021 the charity received 37 calls about hedgehogs in Oxfordshire.

Nationally that year there were 6,120 calls to its helpline about sick, injured and orphaned hedgehogs.

Nearly half of the calls came in during the busiest months of July, August and September.

RSPCA scientific officer Evie Button said: “Calls to the RSPCA about sick and injured hedgehogs always peak during August, but this summer’s heatwave could sadly make things even worse, as the little animals’ food and water sources are likely to have been affected in many areas."

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Now the charity is providing online tips on its website on how to help the animals to try to keep its helpline free for emergencies.

It suggests you can help hedgehogs during the heatwave by leaving out fresh water and foods like tinned dog or cat food and crushed cat or dog biscuits.

Ms Button said: “If the hedgehog is very young - roughly apple-sized - you'll need to soak the biscuits in water first. You can also get good quality, meaty hedgehog food from wildlife food suppliers.

“Never feed hedgehogs milk or bread - milk can cause diarrhoea and bread isn't very nutritious.”

They are asking people to remove sports and fruit netting, cover drains and holes, check before using a strimmer or mower, look in compost heaps before forking over and avoid using slug pellets as these are poisonous to hedgehogs.

Ms Button said: “We also receive calls from concerned members of the public who have seen a baby hedgehog - a hoglet - on its own. Our advice is firstly to check whether they actually need rescuing, by watching from a distance.  

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“During the summer months, only intervene straight away if you find a baby hedgehog in immediate danger such as on a road, a baby hedgehog that weighs less than 300g (about apple-sized) without an adult hedgehog nearby, or if the baby is sick, injured or surrounded by flies.”

More details on what to do if you find a sick, injured or orphaned hedgehog as well as how to help them in your garden, can be found on the RSPCA’s website.

To report concerns about an animal contact the RSPCA’s hotline on 0300 1234 999 (8am-8pm). Due to the high volume of calls, it is also worth considering getting an injured animal to a local vet or wildlife rehabilitator. 

To help support the RSPCA, visit: www.rspca.org.uk/stopcruelty. 

 

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