No false help for hedgehogs to hibernate

Hedgehogs in the garden to facilitate the wintering

17/10/2012

The Bund Naturschutz (BA) warns against taking healthy hedgehogs home to protect them from the cold winter temperatures. If you want to provide effective help, the animals are best provided with an adequate accommodation in their garden for the winter. But sick or stray animals after the onset of winter can be helped.

„Healthy hedgehogs should not be taken home“, so the admonition of the animal rights activists from the federation nature protection. Instead, the animals can be helped to overwinter by preparing a large heap of leaves in a calm and windless corner. „This is a wonderful winter lodging for hedgehogs“, the activists write in a recent communication. Taking healthy hedgehogs home, however, is a pity for the animals. „The hedgehog is a wild animal and adapted to the overwintering outdoors“, declared animal rights activist Martin Hänsel.

Help for injured or stray hedgehogs
However, if the hedgehogs are injured, garden owners find orphaned babies or even if the animals wander around after the onset of winter, they would need active human help. The animal rights advocates advise to see if the animals are injured. Supercooled hedgehogs have a cold abdominal base that is colder than their own palm. To warm the animal, use a towel that has been toweled and wrapped in a hot water bottle. The hedgehog is then placed in a box. In any case, helpers should seek the fastest way to a Hedgehog or, if not available locally, a veterinarian.

If the animals are emaciated, food can also be served. You should not give fruit or milk. „Milk causes diarrhea, while fruit contains too few calories for insectivores.“ Hedgehogs are more pleased with a mixture of dogs or cat food with chicken, oatmeal, sunflower seeds, bananas, roasted minced meat, hard-boiled eggs and feed lime from the pet shop. (Sb)

Image: Thomas Messerli