Porthleven hedgehog rescue’s plea after two hoglets lost in a week

Spot a hedgehog out in broad daylight this autumn and the advice from one Porthleven rescue is simple. Don’t wait.

A young female hedgehog was found on Treza Road in Porthleven on Saturday morning (24 October). A local woman, Tashy, scooped her up and took her straight to Porthleven Harbour Hedgie Rescue.

She didn’t make it. She was one of two Porthleven hoglets the rescue lost this week, and both had been found out in the awful weather. Both were too poorly to save.

“It’s heartbreaking, as their little lives had barely begun,” the rescue said in a post on Facebook, thanking Tashy for bringing her in.

Why autumn is so hard for young hedgehogs

Natural food gets much harder to find once autumn sets in. That makes life tough for every hedgehog, but hoglets and juveniles have it worst, because they need to put on enough weight to get through the winter.

Simple ways you can help

The rescue has shared a handful of easy things anyone can do:

• Food: put out meaty kitten biscuits at dusk for extra nourishment.
• Water: leave a shallow bowl of fresh water and top it up daily.
• Leave the leaves: keep a wild corner for insects, nesting and shelter.
• Shelter: a hedgehog house filled with barley straw.
• A hedgehog highway: a gap of around 13cm square in your fence lets hedgehogs travel between gardens to find food and shelter.

And you don’t need a big garden. A little food, fresh water or a safe corner can make a real difference, according to the rescue.

What to do if you see a hedgehog out during the day

A hedgehog out in daylight needs help. The rescue’s advice is:

1. Put on gloves and gently place it in a secure box.
2. Add a towel and a wrapped warm (not hot) water bottle or wheat bag.
3. Keep the box somewhere quiet, away from pets and children.
4. Call a hedgehog rescue straight away.

“Let’s give our precious prickly friends the best chance this autumn,” the rescue wrote.

📷Credit: Porthleven Harbour Hedgie Rescue