The European Hedgehog

My name is Bethany Stewart, and I'm 14.

I've always been interested in wildlife, since I can remember really.

I recall being around 4 years old, when I would sit at my bedroom window, late at night, and watch the Hedgehogs that would be out and about. Often, I would see one across the road, on this little 'green'. They would forage there for a while, looking for food. Sometimes, they would even come in to my front garden, which would excite me alot.

Well, we moved house from that location, and for about 6 years I never saw another Hedgehog. But that all changed when I was 11 years old...

I remember the time I saw a Hedgehog again very well. It was the Summer Holidays, not long before my 12th birthday. There was a storm: Thunder, lightening, heavy rain etc. I even remember the time: Around 11:00pm. My dad was with me, we were watching the lightening. And that's when I saw the Hedgehog: A small, skinny little thing, foraging on our lawn. Well, that was that for me! I never went bed that night. I just stayed at my window, looking down on to the lawn, waiting for another one to come. I really fell in love with them from that point.

I remember having to pretent I was asleep, whenever my parents came up the stairs. They did not like me being awake at such a time at night. I would quickly shoot in to bed, pull the cover over me, close my eyes and 'snore'. Often though, they would hear me bumping around, and I would get a telling off. But it was worth it.

The very next day, I was on the internet looking on every website there was about Hedgehogs. I was reading so much, I found out loads! All that research has took me far. To this very day I'm still studying and researching on our spikey friends.

Since that Summer holiday, I've always done a 'Hedgehog Watch'. This takes place every Summer Holiday because it means that there is no school to get in the way. Obviously, me staying up late hours will have some impact on how tired I am. I doubt me falling asleep in class is a good thing! So, that's my reason for doing my 'Hedgehog Watch' in the holidays.

A few days after my 12th birthday, I took my first Hedgehogs in to my care.

I will now tell their full stories on this page, combines with pictures and information on them.

To date I have looked after 4 different Hedgehogs: Rowley, Snuffles, Tiggy and another Snuffles.

I now have no Hedgehogs in my care, but that will soon change. 

All about Rowley: 

Rowley was a big old male Hedgehog I found in Augast 2006.

He may have been nice and big, but he had a strimmer injury. There was a large area of blunt spines on his back, some completely missing. Because of this, I took him in to my care fearing that he would not survive in the wild much longer; it would have been so easy for a fox or a dog to bite in to his back, therefore killing him.

He was also very old. A tell - tale sign is ginger/red hair instead of grey/brown. He also had no white spines, something which young Hedgehogs have.

Rowley had also developed a cough, which made me fear he had lungworm, an infection that can be caught from eating slugs and snails. Fortunately, the cough vanished after a few days, and he displayed no other symptoms.

After nearly 2 years in my care, I made a decision that would hopfuly have him in better care. With a busy time in my life coming up (starting GCSE work) I knew that I would have less time for him. With this in mind, I got in touch with a local Hedgehog Rescue who were able to put him in to a large enclosed garden. So, in June 2008, I said my final goodbye to Rowley as he went off to a better life.

He had had a happy 1 and a half years of my full attention, with me caring for him to my very best ability.

I currently have no Hedgehogs in my care because of the lack of time for them, but I will NEVER turn a Hedgehog in need away.