A prickle (that’s the term, believe it or not!) of sick and orphaned baby hedgehogs have been tenderly nursed back to health by a kind Cheshire East couple, and are now waiting to being released back into the wild.
Award-winning vintage wedding company owner Sharon Lomas along with her photographer husband Garry Lomas discovered the trio on their Lyme Park farm last month.
These nocturnal newborns were spotted out on the farm yard during the daytime, with no parent in sight, and were herded into a nearby barn to keep them safe from prowling badgers.
In their short lives the trio have defied the odds having escaped the clutches of predators, illness and several oncoming vehicles.
ADORABLE: One camera-shy hedgehog enjoys lounging on the grass
But the miniature spiky Houdinis managed to break out from the safety of their temporary lodgings and scuttled off, choosing to sunbathe in Sharon and Gary’s garden where the kind-hearted pair placed a shallow dish of water and some food to help them out.
Sharon said: “The next day only two of the three were still on the lawn and they didn’t seem to be very perky.
“Despite being popped back into the bushes they kept coming back out to bask in the sun.
BRIGHT-EYED AND PRICKLY: One orphan shuffles around the garden
“We knew this couldn’t be good news so my husband Garry made a call to the RSPCA who advised bringing them indoors straight away.”
Hedgehogs are nocturnal creatures and if they’re out during daylight hours it’s a sign there are in trouble and risk getting seriously dehydrated and flies laying eggs on them.
The couple quickly fashioned a cardboard box into a cosy hedgehog bed and, following RSPCA instructions, gave them a tea towel-covered hot water bottle and fed them by teaspoon with wet cat food mixed with water.
NURSED BACK TO HEALTH: Two of the babies in their makeshift bed
Sharon explained: “At first it didn’t look as if they would respond but after a few attempts one hedgehog started to gobble up the food.
“Once satisfied it scurried over to its sleeping sibling and gave him a few a nudges of encouragement.
“The other hedgehog seemed to be in a much more fragile state and was hardly breathing but maybe the smell of the cat food did the trick and he was soon was nibbling away on the teaspoon.”
AMONG THE FLOWERS: This chap enjoyed an amble in the garden
By pure chance Sharon spotted the missing third hedgehog on the driveway as she was reversing the car, and thankfully missed him, while a fourth baby was sadly found dead in their neighbour’s garden.
She added: “After several goes at hand feeding they just seemed to come alive again, and once they started to pass water/stools we knew they must be feeling better and had re-hydrated.”
While changing the bedding they noticed what looked like creamy-coloured eggs on one of their charges.
GRASS IS GREENER: One explorer has a mooch in the garden
Remembering what the RSPCA worker said about flies Garry gallantly rolle his sleeves up and removed as many of the eggs as he could with a pair of tweezers – not an easy task when their spiky visitor kept rolling up into a ball!
They then took the poorly trio to the RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre in Nantwich where they are being monitored by specialist vets.
Once they’re better Sharon and Garry will be allowed to pick them up and release them back into the wild.
CHILLING OUT: The day’s antics got too much for this little fella
Sharon said: “This is great news for all our neighbours who have really grown quite attached to these little spiky creatures.”
RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre worker Chrissie said the trio were still in their care but we’re improving day by day.
She said: “They’re still being looked after here and are doing really well. When they’re ready twe will get in touch with Sharon and Garry so that they can release them.”
Pictures courtesy of Garry Lomas Photography, with thanks
