# Wild hedgehog in the Pacific Northwest?



## secretagentmaam (Sep 3, 2014)

I'm not a hedgehog owner, I actually know nothing about them. I found the forum and registered because I'm having trouble finding information. I live in suburban Portland, OR, and my dog just caught a hedgehog in my back yard. I got him to drop it, it's definitely alive, but doesn't want to uncurl out of the ball it had rolled into. For the moment, I just left it where he dropped it on the back porch. When I came back inside it was definitely moving and breathing, but my dog is large and has really powerful jaws, so it might be really hurt. I've also got an indoor cat that can't be vaccinated, so I'm hesitant to try bringing it in the house. I have no idea what to do, but if it stays in my yard the dog will definitely go after it again. Any advice? Is there some organization I should call?


----------



## SarahH (Aug 5, 2014)

I'm definitely not an expert, but you sound like you need immediate help! Hopefully one of the people with more advice will come on soon and give you more info. But for the moment - there are no wild hedgehogs where you are; what you have is definitely some kind of pet. If it is still alive, it will need to be gotten warm ASAP: try and wrap it in a blanket, fleece is safest but in an emergency anything that doesn't have large threads that could get wrapped around a leg or foot will do. If you are able to get a sense of its' belly temperature, that would be great. Hedgehogs should be warm to touch on the belly. If it is cool / cold, try holding the wrapped bundle against you - body heat is the safest way to warm it up. Once it is warm, get it into some kind of deep-sided box, preferably with a lid or something to cover the top (to keep out your animals), but make sure there is plenty of ventilation.
I have no idea if you should offer it any kind of food, but a small dish of water might be okay.
But the immediate concern would be protection against further attack, and make sure it is warm. Too cold is fatal to these little guys.

Hope that helps, I'll keep looking for advice, and I'm sure an expert will chime in soon!


----------



## SarahH (Aug 5, 2014)

Also, outside of mites or some fungal infections, there are no diseases that I know of that can pass from hedgehog to cat, so your cat should be safe for a limited time. I can't stress too much how important it is to make sure the hedgehog gets warm enough, because it will die outside at current temperatures.


----------



## SarahH (Aug 5, 2014)

These are the websites for hedgehog rescue, they may not be able to help tonight but should be able to help in the morning...

International Hedgehog Association Rescue page.

http://hedgehogclub.com/rescue/rescues.shtml

Hedgehog Welfare Society

http://www.hedgehogwelfare.org/

Look under heading Rescue Contact List


----------



## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Please take the hedgehog inside right away. If you can, just keep it in a room where your other pets can't get to right now. Like she said, your cat should be fine, but the hedgehog seriously needs your help right now. You can either use your body heat or a human heating pad set on low to warm it up if it's cold. Check for injuries as much as you can. It probably needs to go in to a vet, if you're at all willing. If not, please start contacting rescues to see if anyone can take the hedgie in & get it to the vet ASAP. Here's the list for your specific state - http://www.hedgehogwelfare.org/rescues_by_state.asp?s=OR I know Kimberly and she's fantastic and may be able to help.

Good luck and I hope you can help this little guy. Please let us know what happens!

Edit: Don't offer food right away either. Make sure the hedgehog is completely warmed up & active and check for injuries before offering food. If the hedgehog seems like it's uninjured and warm, you can offer some of your cat's food in a small bowl. Offer some water too, either way, just make sure it's in a heavy bowl (like a ceramic crock of some kind) to try & keep hedgie from tipping it over.


----------



## secretagentmaam (Sep 3, 2014)

Thanks, everyone. Unfortunately, in the time it took me to come inside and find a place to ask for help, it uncurled and wandered off. There are about a million places for it to hide in my garden, so I'm going out periodically to move things around and see if I can find it. How cold is too cold? Temperatures are in the high 70's to mid 80's during the day right now, and lows are in the 50's. It didn't even occur to me that it would be anywhere near cold enough to be dangerous. Hedgehogs are mostly nocturnal, right? Would I be likely to have better luck finding it if I wait until dusk? I was afraid to pick it up last night because I don't have any heavy gloves and I was afraid of being bitten if it was wild. Is it generally safe to pick them up if they're rolled in a ball? Cold weather is certainly on the way, so I'm going to try hard to find it and catch it. They're not very fast, are they? I'm not sure how likely it is that it would have left my yard with the amount of cover and hiding places available.


----------



## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Anything below 73* can be dangerous. It's entirely too cold at night, so if you can find the hedgehog before dusk, it'd be better. Can you notify your neighbors to look for the hedgehog? Look under bushes, in bushy plants, under leaves, in sheds, etc. Anywhere dark & small where the hedgehog might wedge itself in to hide during the day.

It'll be just fine for you to pick the hedgehog up even if it's balled up (it can actually make it easier). If you're nervous, you can use a blanket, a towel, winter gloves or mittens, anything that will cover your hands a bit. Using a blanket or towel would be best as you can instantly wrap the hedgehog up once you pick it up, until you get it inside. Don't use big leather gloves - they're not necessary and are most likely to scare the hedgehog anyway. They can and do bite, especially if they're scared, and while they're not really likely to pass on any diseases by biting, it'd probably be safest for both of you to use a blanket or towel, at least, just in case. The hedgehog may also try to scare you when you pick it up - they will huff, make hissing sounds, and may "pop" or jerk & jump suddenly while huffing and hissing. They're all just defensive tactics, like rolling into a ball. The quills are also not able to come loose & stick in your skin like with a porcupine, so you don't have to worry about them either (other than the fact that they're sharp!).

Unfortunately, they can be quite fast when they want to be. However, if it was already getting pretty light outside when you saw the hedgehog earlier, it likely hasn't gone too far - it will probably have found someplace dark to hide for the day. 

This could be kind of dangerous, but perhaps if you leash your dog, do you think the dog might be able to sniff out the hedgehog? You'll want to keep your dog quite close to you and pay very, very close attention to what he's doing and what his body language is. But he may be able to find the hedgehog better than you, especially since he found it once.

I wish I could come over and help! Good luck searching, I hope you can find the poor little hedgie.


----------



## secretagentmaam (Sep 3, 2014)

Unfortunately, this happened last night around midnight. I let the dog out for one last bathroom break before bed, and he was going nuts around the covered grill. I thought he cornered a raccoon under the cover with the way he was acting, so I grabbed a broom and went to try to chase it out of the yard, and it turned out to be a little hedgehog that my dog grabbed the second I uncovered it. In hindsight, I should have put the dog in the house first, but we've had a problem with raccoons in the neighborhood that don't seem at all afraid of people, so if it had been a raccoon I was counting on the dog to chase it out of the yard. He dropped it on the concrete patio, and there was no trace of blood or anything in the spot where it was laying, so I'm hoping it wasn't seriously hurt. I think the spines kept him from biting down hard. I'll keep looking. Hopefully I can find it and get it warmed up and to a safe home. I'm kicking myself now for not just immediately bringing it inside, but I've spent my whole life being told not to touch wild animals and that programming took over when I didn't know if it was wild or not.


----------



## Katten (May 10, 2014)

If you or your neighbours have heated garages/porches/sheds, etc. look there! You may also want to go door-to-door and ask if the hedgehog belongs to anyone. I know I'd be frantic if any of my pets ever got lost outdoors, and it can and does happen.

Look in tight corners and under objects, as they like to wedge themselves in tight places. Also, listen for a noise that sounds like chuffing/hissing. Hedgehogs make this noise to frighten away predators, and it's a pretty unique sound.


----------



## secretagentmaam (Sep 3, 2014)

Thanks. I'm hoping it will find my greenhouse, since it's toasty warm in there and I leave an open spot for our outside cat (who watched all the drama last night and was totally uninterested in the hedgehog). Between the greenhouse, the vegetable garden, the pumpkin patch, the junk pile next to the compost bin, and the back third of our yard being a pretty dense little forest of very mature cherry laurels, there are probably more hiding places than I could ever hope to find. We know most of the neighbors, and as far as I know there are no hedgehogs in the neighborhood, but I'll put the word out with the neighborhood kids. If anyone will know, it's them. I took the dog out earlier, and he sniffed furiously at the spot where he dropped it and then totally lost interest and seems to have forgotten all about it. He's definitely not a tracker.


----------



## secretagentmaam (Sep 3, 2014)

***UPDATE!!!***

I caught him! I have no idea where he was hiding, but as soon as it got dark he was in the little sheltered spot by the back door, eating the outdoor cat's food. I tossed a kitchen towel over him, wrapped him up, and he's now in a box in our spare room. We had a bearded dragon that died a few days ago, so we have a supply of insects in the house. I gave him a little bit more cat food and a couple of superworms, and he gobbled the worms right up. He does not appear to have any injuries, no evidence of dried blood and he's pretty active. For the moment, he's got a little bowl of food and water, and we've put a few towels in with him and a heating pad under the box just high enough that we can feel a bit of warmth through the cardboard. I'm wondering if we should clean out the bearded dragon habitat for him until we figure out where he's going. I have a ton of reading to do. I think I saw something about them needing light? The dragon cage has UV and heat lamps. Is that the right thing for him/her? I don't know much yet since he has made it clear he does not want to be touched at the moment after being wrapped up in a towel and captured. We're going to give him some time to calm down before trying to handle him and try to contact a couple of local rescues in the morning. Thanks so much for all your help, everyone!


----------



## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

Poor baby I would put posters up, he has to be someones pet who got out because there are no wild hedgehogs in america! Please PLEASE PLEASE contact The Hedgehog Welfare Society! They are amazing and hopefully there is someone in your area who can pick him up tomorrow and care for him, I am actually a member and there is no better place for him to be. They can get him medical attention and provide him with all the things he needs. Hedgehogs are VERY VERY sensitive animals, and require a LOT of care.


----------



## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

http://www.hedgehogwelfare.org/

Here is their website, I know a lot of the members so I can talk to them, What town are you at or near in what state? Just so I can give them a heads up?


----------



## secretagentmaam (Sep 3, 2014)

I will definitely contact all the local rescue folks I found online, nearby hedgehog vets, and the Humane Society and try to find his owners. If we're not able to find them, then my wife and I are currently trying very hard to convince ourselves that we can't have a hedgehog, even though we both fell instantly in love with his adorable little spiky butt. We also have a friend whose 3rd grader has been begging for a hedgehog for a couple of years now. So he will definitely end up in a good home, whether that means finding his original owners, keeping him with us, or giving him to a home we know can take care of him. I keep saying him. How do you sex a hedgehog?


----------



## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

Hedgehogs are not really good pets for children just FYI they require an incredible amount of care and are very easily frightened. Also boys have what looks like a belly button, it is right in the middle of their tummy! Girls have no "belly button" and The hedgehog Welfare society is all over the country. So there will be someone in your area. They are the best for hedgehogs and are seriously amazing.


----------



## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

Here is a picture, a girl on the left, and a boy on the right










Here is another picture of a boy








And this is a picture of my little girl.


----------



## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

Also there is a FB group for The Hedgehog Welfare Society, and it would be a good idea in my opinion to make sure he goes to a home with someone who has experience with hedgehogs and has owned them before because he may have special needs from being outside, he may attempt to hibernate and may keep trying because of the lower temperature for a while, even for the rest of his or her life.


----------



## secretagentmaam (Sep 3, 2014)

I'm in Portland, OR


----------



## secretagentmaam (Sep 3, 2014)

Thanks so much for all the info! Our friend is going to come over in the next few days if we don't find an owner so her little girl can see him (touching will depend entirely on whether he seems comfortable being handled by then), and we'll have a long conversation about whether or not they're prepared to be hedgehog owners if it does turn out that they want to take him. We'll make sure whatever home he ends up in is prepared to care for him properly. My wife and I don't have hedgehog experience, but we do have exotic pet experience, so I feel confident that we can at least get up to speed on how to make sure he's healthy and goes to the right home pretty quickly.


----------



## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

If you can spare the money, it probably wouldn't hurt to get him to a vet either. He could have mites or a URI since it has been pretty cold out. He may also have some parasites. If he poops, gather it up and take it in so they can so a fecal sample. Maybe even if you tell them your situation they may help out at a discount or for free. :grin:

You are an awesome person for taking this little guy in and helping out.


----------



## SarahH (Aug 5, 2014)

Oh, I'm so glad you found him (or her)! That is wonderful news, and it sounds like s/he's in great hands for the moment


----------



## Melanie G. (May 29, 2014)

Poor hedgie. I'm glad you found him(her?). 
Feel free to ask any questions if you decide to keep him. Hedgehogs are a unique pet, but so worth it if you have the time.
Its nice to think of this hedgie somewhere warm tonight. Thank you again for rescuing him.


----------



## shinydistraction (Jul 6, 2014)

My little heart is just full of joy right now! What a lucky little hog to have found you! I would definitely ask around the neighborhood. It may be he hasn't been missing from home for very long and the owner is nearby. Either way, no matter what you do, I'm sure it will be with his best interests in mind.


----------



## secretagentmaam (Sep 3, 2014)

I was able to get the little hog turned over since I really wanted to make sure there were no hidden wounds we couldn't see. Looks like it's a girl! Amazingly enough, even after being in the mouth of our 100 lb dog, not a scratch on her. Luckily, Angus the dog is a big softie and seemed to think she was a toy rather than food. He seemed really confused by the prickles and didn't bite down. I've got pictures (I hope they work)!


----------



## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Yes!! I clicked on this topic with some hesitation, but I'm so glad to see the updates!  She's adorable.

I agree with Desiree that she should go in for a vet check up in the next week or so, whether you guys are willing to take her or want to contact one of the HWS people to take her in & care for her. I'm so glad she'll be getting a good home either way.

If you do post about her being lost, I wouldn't include a picture or mention that it's a her. Just mention that you found a lost pet hedgehog and were wondering if anyone lost one. You could also contact any local area vets (especially any that treat exotics) to see if they have clients with hedgehogs & if anyone reported one missing. Unfortunately, I don't think people think to get the word out when a small animal goes missing as much as they do with a dog or cat.

As for taking care of her right now, the bearded dragon habitat would likely be good as a temporary home. I'm guessing it's a glass tank, which isn't ideal, but would still be better than the cardboard box (since that'll soak up urine). You can probably use the heating & lights for her as well, with one question - are the heating bulbs CHE bulbs or are they colored heating bulbs that give off light? CHEs are best for hedgehogs since they need heat 24/7, but light during the night will keep them from being active & can throw off their light schedule. Her temperature requirements are somewhere betwee 73-78*, and it's best to stay steady. Most people aim for 75*.

If you guys are willing, she'd also benefit from a wheel in the cage with her, so she doesn't get too restless. You can get a Comfort Wheel or Flying Saucer from the pet store & even if you guys don't keep her, can send the wheel on with her to whomever takes her next.

If you get a chance for more reading & research time, this book is great and up to date - http://www.westcoasthedgehogs.com/files/hedgehogbook/download.html It's written by Kimberly, the WHS rescue I mentioned who is located in Oregon.  I'd definitely try to get the hedgie to her if you guys decide to go that route. If your friends are seriously interested in taking her, I'd have them join the forum and do plenty of reading as well (and send them that book) so they know what they're getting into. Have them meet the hedgie too, and see how the daughter does with handling her. As Alex said, they're not really great pets for kids, but there are plenty of kids that are animal-oriented and mature enough to do well with them. The biggest things are that the kid won't drop the hedgehog if poked and that they know to be quiet & calm while holding hedgie.

Good luck and let us know if you have questions! I look forward to seeing updates on this lucky little girl.


----------



## ellisrks01 (Mar 25, 2014)

AWESOME!!! I been watching the thread. I can't believe you found it again.
You just saved that little hedgehogs life! 

Lillysmommy already posted some great information but if you decide to keep it (after looking for owner)there's a lot of people and info on this forum that can help you learn about the little fella. They are interesting creatures.

I'm glad you posted pics, Keep the updates coming


----------



## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

yes I wouldn't post a picture so if someone does contact you they can describe it to make sure they are actually the owner, she is beautiful and does not look to skinny, you might want to check if she is dehydrated, pinching skin or quills and seeing if they move back to normal is how to check. You can get her some Colade to re hydrate her. I do think a vet visit is a must soon. She is defiantly someones pet who got out, her ears look good and she doesn't look like she was outside very long. There was one girl on here who's hedgehog escaped for over a month! She found it still outside and it was super dehydrated and in need of medical attention. I am so happy you found it, they are so delicate thank god she didn't hibernate! Has she been going to the bathroom? What does her feces look like?


----------



## secretagentmaam (Sep 3, 2014)

Another update! This morning the little guy was more willing to uncurl out of the tight little ball it was in last night, and I think it's actually a boy? There's definitely something external above the tail, but nothing that really looks like a belly button. I'm just confused now. I'll figure it out. It's not like it matters a whole lot.

There was definitely bathroom activity last night (poop looks solid, but soft. I think that's a good sign?), so the cardboard box that we grabbed as an emergency cage is gross. I did some rearranging of storage in the garage, so we've now moved him/her to a large plastic storage bin with a puppy house training pad in the bottom. If this had happened mid-month we would have been able to go out and immediately buy a cage and supplies, but of course I caught him/her right after the rent and bills were due. Luckily, we already had good quality cat food and insects in the house.


----------



## secretagentmaam (Sep 3, 2014)

The lights in the dragon tank are a heat/light/UV, a fluorescent UV, and an infrared heat lamp. I think we've decided not to put her in there, because the whole tank is designed to keep the ambient temperature close to 90 and the spot right under the heat lamp gets up to about 115. I think it would be way too hot in there, even if we just used the infrared.


----------



## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

If it's near the tail, it's a female. If it's up in the middle of the stomach (at least a half inch or inch or so between anus and "belly button"), it's a male. It does sound like it's probably a female from what you say.

New set up sounds good! However, I'd take out the puppy training pad. Hedgehogs like to dig and burrow, and there's been at least one person who was using them and their hedgehog managed to dig into the pad & was stuck. Do you guys have any old fleece blankets, or can you afford to grab a cheap fleece blanket from a Walmart or similar store? Cut to fit the bin, you can probably get a couple of liners out of one blanket, if not more, so that you can change them.

Edit: If you have a thermometer, use it to keep track of temperature in the bin. She's obviously pretty hardy given she survived her outdoor adventures, but it'd be best to keep her temperature at least at 73* to avoid further stressing her body.


----------



## phoenix1964 (Jan 23, 2014)

I think you are doing an amazing job of trying to find this little guy! You are obviously a pet lover and a good human! Keep up the good work and I am sending thoughts to a happy recovery for your new friend!


----------



## Katten (May 10, 2014)

What a sweetie! S/he looks just like my girl. I'm so glad you found this little one, this is wonderful news! <3


----------



## Melanie G. (May 29, 2014)

She is adorable!
I agree about not posting a lot of details about her. My biggest concern would be that someone decided they didn't want her anymore and "set her free". Although, they probably wouldn't come forward and claim her if that was the case.


----------



## secretagentmaam (Sep 3, 2014)

We'll definitely try to get her to a vet as soon as we can to get her checked out. Unfortunately, the emergency pet care fund we used to have is totally wiped out right now, since the bearded dragon we just lost died of cancer. Reptile vets are not cheap.

I think I can go out and get a few pieces of fleece for her if that's better. What kind of bugs should she be eating, and how many? I've currently got super worms and 1-1.5" Dubia roaches. We gave her worms to start because I wasn't sure if the roaches would be too big for her. The brown thing next to her head in the 2nd pic I posted is the outer shell of a super worm. She seems to be very skilled at stripping off the hard parts and just eating the squishy insides. It's kind of amazing to watch, she just zips them open like she's stripping corn off the cob.


----------



## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

I feed my guys dubia roaches about that size and they do fine with them. Also they are very nutritious for hedgies as well. :grin: Do you have a scale to get a weight on her? Might help determine age (not always but you never know)


----------



## phoenix1964 (Jan 23, 2014)

Glad you found her/him! I didn't read into the thread far enough! I still think you are awesome for taking such great care of this little stray.


----------

