Found a hedgehog?

What to do?

HEDGEHOGS IN THE GARDEN: WHICH ANIMALS NEED SUPPORT?

Hedgehogs are wild animals.
If you discover one in your garden, it is important to remember: healthy, well-fed hedgehogs should not spend the winter indoors!
They do well in the wild, even in winter.
According to the Federal Nature Conservation Act, only injured, helpless or sick animals may be taken in for the necessary care.

You can show the hedgehog to a vet (who does not have to save the animal, however, as the gamekeeper is legally responsible) and then bring it to us or another regional hedgehog rescue center.

If you find a hedgehog in need of help, be sure to seek professional advice!
Injured hedgehogs need medical care, so it is important not just to feed them and wait.
Food alone will not heal injuries.
Please always contact a vet with experience in treating hedgehogs or a specialized hedgehog sanctuary.

The wrong help can do more harm than good.
On our homepage you will find expert advice and the number of an advice hotline.
Local animal welfare associations or the veterinary office can often also provide information about nearby hedgehog sanctuaries.

Hedgehogs in need of help include:

Orphaned hoglets with closed eyes and ears that are outside the nest during the day.
Injured, malnourished or sick hedgehogs.
Young hedgehogs weighing less than 600 grams at the beginning of November.
Hedgehogs that are still active in permafrost and/or snow (usually during the day).

The diagram shows how to recognize a healthy hedgehog and the characteristics of a sick or malnourished animal.
A healthy hedgehog has a pear-shaped form; it is narrow at the front and thick at the back.
Pay attention to whether a hedgehog is not just lying around during the day or appears apathetic, as this could indicate a possible illness.

What to do?

Please do not feed hedgehogs.
Unless the hedgehog is weak or it is extremely warm and it has not rained for a long time.
Important: don’t just feed them, but also put water out.
Attention, milk is poisonous!

If you do not have immediate access to a hedgehog rescue center (for example, if you find a hedgehog at night), you can offer a weakened hedgehog cat food as well as water for a few hours.
Please contact the hedgehog rescue service immediately the next day to discuss how to proceed.

There are three specific situations in which expert and targeted feeding of a hedgehog can be considered (under the guidance of the hedgehog station):

If a hedgehog wakes up too early from hibernation in late winter and the ground is still frozen or temperatures are very low for a long period of time and there is therefore little food available.
If a young hedgehog has not reached the weight of 500 to 600 g required for hibernation in late fall.
An adult hedgehog should weigh at least approx. 800 g.

Injury?

Weak, injured young hedgehogs often show unusual behavior by being active during the day instead of at night.
In such cases, they may be dependent on assistance to survive.
It is important to note that most young hedgehogs are not truly alone.
Mothers regularly leave the litter for longer periods to forage for food, but do not leave their young alone permanently.
It is therefore advisable to keep a close eye on a young animal that appears to be on its own before taking it into care.
Weak animals do not necessarily have to be removed from their natural environment.
In many cases, first aid on site is sufficient: after prior consultation with a specialized hedgehog agency, for example, set up a feeding site in a protected area of the garden.

Feeding

Species-appropriate feed supply:

- The hedgehog is an insectivore and feeds on insects, earthworms, snails and the like.
  In human care, it is fed with wet cat food.
  This should contain all the necessary nutrients, have a meat content of at least 60 % and be free from gravy, jelly, fish and cereals.
- It is best to use the following types of food for feeding:
  - For young hedgehogs up to 300 g or old animals with dental problems: “Gourmet Pâté” in 85 g tins
  - For larger hedgehogs: “Animonda vom Feinsten”
- Only mix dry hedgehog food weighing 250 g or more into the canned cat food.
  Please note: There are many types of dry hedgehog food that are not suitable for hedgehogs.
- Put about 100 g of canned cat food and 25 g of dry hedgehog food, 10 to 15 ml of water and half a teaspoon of cooking oil in a shallow bowl and stir everything into a creamy mash.
- Place the food next to the hedgehog’s sleeping house in the evening and leave the bowl out all night for self-service.
- Offer the hedgehog water in a shallow flowerpot saucer so that it can meet its liquid requirements.
- Avoid feeding milk at all costs, as hedgehogs are lactose intolerant and milk can lead to dangerous intestinal colic.
- Make sure that young hedgehogs eat about 25% of their body weight in food.
- If a young hedgehog is not eating enough, it needs help from experts.
  You can find this at specialized hedgehog and wildlife stations.
- From a weight of 400 g, you can stop crushing the dry hedgehog food and mix it directly into the canned cat food.
  However, it must still be soaked, as unsoaked dry food is harmful to the hedgehog’s water balance and stomach in the long term.
- A healthy young hedgehog can gain up to 30 g per night and a hedgehog weighing 600 g or more can eat around 200 to 270 g every night.
- Offer as much food as the hedgehog will eat.
  Contact a hedgehog center if it does not want to eat enough and is therefore visibly emaciated.
- Remember that supplementary feeding is only permitted by arrangement and on the instructions of a hedgehog station and should never last longer than 14 days, as hedgehogs are naturally able to cope on their own.

Seasons

Rescuing and caring for hedgehogs is a heart-warming and important undertaking, characterized by the different challenges and needs that come with the changing seasons.
Throughout the year, hedgehogs go through different life stages, ranging from the mating season in spring to rearing their young in summer and hibernating in the colder months.
Each season brings specific risks and requirements, whether it is the need to gain sufficient weight for hibernation or the risk of being injured by human activity or natural predators.
The expert support and intervention of hedgehog rescuers can be crucial in protecting these tiny creatures and helping them to successfully navigate the challenges that each season brings.
By understanding their natural behaviors and needs, we can create an environment that promotes not only the survival, but also the thriving of the hedgehogs in our midst.

Spring

Spring: the end of hibernation

In the Swiss Plateau, hedgehogs end their hibernation between mid-March and mid-April, with many not surviving the onset of spring, especially young animals are often affected.
Surviving hedgehogs have often lost up to 30% of their body weight during the winter and therefore need an increased food intake to replenish their lost reserves.
In exceptional situations, such as persistently low temperatures, it may be necessary to set up temporary feeding stations if no or very few food animals are available.

What should you do if you find a hedgehog outside before the beginning of April?

If you find a hedgehog outside before the beginning of April and there are no or very few food animals available, you can set up a temporary feeding place and provide the hedgehog with a bowl of water.
To determine whether food animals such as worms, woodlice, millipedes and snails are available, you should carefully search the soil in the garden.

Mating season and nest building

The mating season for hedgehogs begins at the end of April, when the males can considerably extend their range and cover long distances.
It is important to be particularly careful on the road to avoid collisions with hedgehogs, as they become more careless during the mating season.
After mating, female hedgehogs become single mothers and need stable, thermally insulated nests to raise their babies.
A hedgehog-friendly garden with natural shelters and sufficient nesting material makes it easier for expectant hedgehog mothers to start the baby season.

Summer

General information on nest building and birth

After a gestation period of around 35 days, 2-7 young are born in a nest made of grass, leaves and other materials.
The first births can be observed as early as May in the Swiss Plateau, while the baby season lasts until September.
Most baby hedgehogs are born between June and August.
In summer, between May and August, hedgehogs that collect nesting material during the day are likely to be mothers about to give birth.
The choice of nesting site is crucial for the successful rearing of the young.
Unfavorable nesting sites can lead to the nest being unintentionally disturbed or destroyed.

What to do if a hedgehog nest is accidentally uncovered or destroyed?

Carefully cover the nest again and retreat immediately.
Observe the mother’s behavior from a distance.
If the nest is intact or the mother was not present, there is a chance that she will return and continue to care for the young.
If the nest has been destroyed, the mother can try to rebuild it or move her young to a new nest.
Only intervene actively if the baby hedgehogs are lying outside the nest and the mother is obviously missing.
Contact a hedgehog rescue center or the nearest vet immediately for further assistance.

What to do with motherless baby hedgehogs?

Carefully pick up the little hedgehogs and bring them into the house.
Place them on a hot water bottle filled with lukewarm water and cover them with a kitchen towel.
Contact a hedgehog rescue center or the nearest vet immediately for further care.

These little stingers don't need human help

Young hedgehogs explore their environment independently from the age of around 3.5 weeks.
They weigh around 150-200g and already look like finished, albeit still very small, hedgehogs.
The mother continues to suckle the little ones for another 2.5 weeks until they are completely independent at around 6 weeks.

Autumn

Autumn: Before hibernation

Young hedgehogs are still born in September.
They must reach a weight of 500-600 g by the onset of winter before they can hibernate.
In October and November, these late-born young are often foraging during the day.
As temperatures fall and food sources disappear, adult hedgehogs also go into hibernation.
Hibernation is triggered by decreasing outside temperatures, shorter day lengths and hormonal changes.
Young hedgehogs must have the necessary weight for hibernation before they can go into hibernation.
Hedgehogs normally hibernate from November to March, but there are variations depending on the weather and altitude.

Why do you come across a hedgehog during the day in (late) fall?

The hedgehog could be sick or injured.
A healthy young hedgehog weighing less than 500-600 g may not yet have reached the weight required for hibernation.
A healthy adult hedgehog with sufficient fat reserves could be looking for food or have changed its hiding place.

Observe the hedgehog closely and assess its condition:

Distinguish between healthy and sick hedgehogs.
Pay attention to the hedgehog’s weight, but also consider other factors that could indicate its health.
If you are unsure or in doubt, call a hedgehog station for advice.

Winter

Winter: Hibernation and overwintering

Hedgehogs hibernate from November to March, but sometimes interrupt it for short periods of activity.
Before you help a hedgehog that is active in winter, observe it closely.
A healthy hedgehog has a round shape, is active and curls up into a spiky ball when touched.
In the event of visible injuries or symptoms of illness such as a severe cough or staggering gait, please read the chapter “Sick or injured hedgehog”.

First aid on site

You can help a healthy hedgehog in winter by providing it with a sleeping nest.
To do this, use a well-insulated hibernation house filled with straw, placed in a quiet, shady spot.
If the hedgehog weighs less than 600 g, you can also offer it some cat food, protected from rain and cats under a wooden crate.
Only sick or severely weakened hedgehogs should be taken into human care for hibernation.

Reasons for active hedgehog discoveries in winter:

A young hedgehog has not yet reached the weight required for hibernation.
The hedgehog still finds enough food and therefore does not yet start hibernating.
Christmas thaws or destruction of the original hibernation nest can interrupt hibernation.
The hedgehog voluntarily changes its hibernation nest or leaves it briefly to urinate.
Illness or injury of the hedgehog.

Why do hedgehogs hibernate?

Hedgehogs hibernate because they cannot find food in cold weather.
During hibernation, their body runs on low heat and they sleep about 80% of the time.
In mild winter weather, hedgehogs often interrupt their hibernation to look for food and can be supported with cat food if necessary.
Very cold temperatures can be problematic for weakened or poorly insulated hedgehogs, but healthy hedgehogs cope well.

Take action yourself when all hedgehog stations have reached their maximum capacity

Warming up

Hedgehogs need immediate warmth when they are picked up.
A room temperature of 20°C to 23°C is ideal.
Weak hedgehogs should be wrapped in a towel and placed on a hand-warm hot water bottle.
It is important to remember that hedgehogs, like sick people, need warmth.
Being kept in unheated rooms or outdoors requires the animal to use its last reserves of energy to maintain its body temperature.
This can lead to the animal not gaining weight despite food being available and possibly falling into an energy-sapping twilight sleep.

Contact hedgehog station or vet

Injured or very weak hedgehogs and baby hedgehogs should be taken into expert hands immediately.
Contact a hedgehog sanctuary or take injured animals to a veterinary clinic.
The treatment of hedgehog babies requires special preparations and feeding techniques that inexperienced people can easily use incorrectly.

Accommodation

Use a large, sturdy cardboard box for the home. A smaller cardboard box with a cut-out opening filled with torn newspaper from daily newspapers or similar serves as a sleeping house. The floor covering consists of newspaper or kitchen paper. Hay or straw should be avoided as they can cause injuries. The box must be cleaned daily to maintain the hedgehog’s health.

Housing several hedgehogs

Young hedgehogs can be housed together up to a weight of approx. 250 g, after which they should be separated.
There are various reasons why hedgehogs should be separated, e.g. if they have significantly different weights or attack each other.
Please scroll on for more information on the topics “Food”, “Deworming” and “Hibernation and release”.

Don't do it - life-threatening food for hedgehogs

Fruit and vegetables

Hedgehogs are not vegetarians and should therefore not eat fruit or vegetables.
The digestive tract of hedgehogs is not designed to process plant-based food.
The fructose it contains can be harmful to the small mammal.
You should therefore not offer your garden visitor bowls of apples or other types of fruit and vegetables.

Nuts

Nuts in any form are completely unsuitable for hedgehogs.
Although a hungry hedgehog may eat nuts, this can lead to digestive problems and even damage the hedgehog’s teeth.
Raisins or sunflower seeds should therefore also not be fed to hedgehogs.

Milk

Milk is particularly dangerous for the gastrointestinal tract of adult hedgehogs, as they are lactose intolerant.
This means that they cannot break down and digest lactose.
The consumption of dairy products can lead to severe diarrhea in hedgehogs, which can even be fatal in extreme cases.
For this reason, you should never feed hedgehogs milk or dairy products!

Legal texts about hedgehogs

According to Article 20 paragraph 2 of the Federal Ordinance on the Protection of Nature and Cultural Heritage, it is prohibited to kill, injure or capture hedgehogs or to damage, destroy or remove their nests or breeding sites. It is also prohibited to carry, send, offer, export, hand over to others, acquire, take into custody or participate in such acts with live or dead hedgehogs.

In the interests of preserving biodiversity, an exceptional permit may be granted for the keeping and care of hedgehogs in accordance with Article 20 paragraph 3 of the NCHO. The competent authority for such permits is designated by the respective canton (see Article 20 paragraph 4 NHV). If a sick or injured hedgehog is found, it is usually accepted for care. However, it is important to contact a vet or hedgehog sanctuary immediately.

Healthy and reproductive populations of hedgehogs are created through natural selection, among other things. The aim should not be to keep “runts” alive at all costs, for example through disproportionate medical intervention. The main aim of any care should be to release the hedgehog back into the wild once it has recovered.

Found a hedgehog?

What to do?

HEDGEHOGS IN THE GARDEN: WHICH ANIMALS NEED SUPPORT?

What to do?

Injury?

Feeding

Seasons

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Winter

Take action yourself when all hedgehog stations have reached their maximum capacity

Don't do it - life-threatening food for hedgehogs

Legal texts about hedgehogs

IBAN: CH11 0900 0000 1581 8871 2

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