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Dougal's Pet Corner
The place for your pet stories and pictures, let me have them |
| So you have found a baby Hedgehog (hoglet).... |
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After a long hot summer, mother hogs very often have a
late litter of babies; these are usually born in September and have no chance of building
up strength and body weight to survive the winter. They need to be 650-700gms). Putting
out food during winter months is a good idea but they will not feed if the weather gets
too cold and will slowly die of hypothermia. Taking them indoors and keeping them warm
throughout the winter months is by far the best way of helping them survive.
Warmth is the first priority and, whatever the size of the hog, a hot water bottle,
(wrapped in an old towel) or heat pad should be given immediately. The hoglet should be
kept on warmth until it has reached a weight of 8ozs and is feeding well, after that then
kept indoors at around 65o. (Near a radiator is not warm enough to start with).
Use a cage bird rid-mite powder to get rid of fleas, only use on the spines NOT
underneath. (Do NOT use NUVAN TOP or cat and dog flea sprays). Making a run for the
hoglet is quite easy, you just need to obtain around 3 or 4 large, high sided cardboard
boxes, place them side by side in a row, L shape or square, cellotape them together and
cut holes through to form a run. Shredded paper or towels are the best nesting materials
and coffee jar lids
make easy feeding and drinking vessels. The run should be cleaned out everyday. |
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A well balanced diet should be offered every night, the
food removed in the morning to keep the hoglet nocturnal. You can feed a hedgehog anything
as long as it is not MILK or FISH. |
Recommended diet: Each night give -
Protein: Mashed meaty cat food with some cooked, chopped chicken
Crunchy: Chopped bird's peanuts and dried cat food. (to keep teeth clean)
Fruit: A grape, slice of banana, slice apple/pear or a few raisins
Other: Small piece of fruit cake, minute piece of digestive biscuit etc.
As your hoglet grows you can extend the run with more boxes. Do not encourage the hog out
during the day or make a pet of it, as it has to be returned to the wild. Nearing release
time, catch a few worms, snails, slugs etc to encourage it to eat natural food. On release
make sure you have provided a nesting area for the hog in your garden and put out food
every night, for at least one month. If the hoglet goes off its food, is lethargic,
out a lot during the day, coughs, has nasal discharge, is wheezy, has spine loss, gets
diarrhoea, green faeces or blood anywhere, take it to the vet or your local hedgehog
rescue for a check. It may need antibiotics, worming or some other treatment. A
leaflet pack on Hedgehog Care can be obtained by ringing the Hedgehog Help-line on 01379
644988, if you get the answer phone then leave name and address and ask for leaflet pack. |
FREE
TO A GOOD HOME
One year old female
BLACK DWARF RABBIT
with inside cage and outside hutch
Tel: 01263 824245 |
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The Sheringham Learning Community Presents - Radio Go Go! |
Do you enjoy listening to the radio?
Have you ever wondered how programmes are made?
Would you like to make your own programme?
Yes!
Then our 'Radio in the Community Workshop' could be for you!
Beginning in February over a session a week for 10 weeks we'll look at all aspects of
radio including: history, style and reporting and then use our knowledge to make our own
broadcast.
If you want to know more about this OCN accredited course then please contact Kevin Levy,
Sheringham Learning Community Project Co-ordinator at Sheringham High School.
Telephone 01263 822363.
This project is funded by the 'Norfolk Learning Partnership' and delivered by the 'Blue
Cat' initiative. |
| CAN
WE PLAY HIDE AND SEEK NOW? |
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We would like to regard January as a quiet time of the
year for cats needing new homes. However, it does not always work out this way. |
At present we have several cats waiting for a pen to
become free. However, our list is quite short compared to the middle of the last year. We
are also hoping that the weather is not too mild as this will mean more un-neutered
females will be producing kittens earlier in the spring.
We are delighted when Lilly and Pumpkin (two of our featured cats) found lovely new homes.
They have already left us and both settled in very well.
We have 24 cats/kittens in our care, 3 of which will leave for their new homes as soon as
they are old enough. To date nobody has offered Tucker a new home probably because of his
age and concerns about veterinary expenses. Because he is a 'senior cat' we would be
prepared to pay for any medical treatment he required in the future.
Among those waiting for new homes are:
· Vicki - (lovely long haired tortie) 2 - 3 years old. Vicki came to us from a farm and
was very thin when she joined us. It is hard to believe she came from outside as she is
content to curl up in her basket all day and consequently she is now nicely rounded.
· Misty - (black/white) 18 month old. Misty joined us because she was no longer wanted.
She is nice friendly cat but would prefer to be the "only Cat"
If you are interested in giving a cat or kitten a new home please call Stephanie on 01692
535858 to find out what is available. Alternatively, you can visit
www.north-walsham.biz/cats to view the cats before calling. |
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