The RSPCA is fearing for the health of hedgehogs across Cheshire and beyond, as it experiences its busiest hedgehog season nationwide for three years, withintake numbers so far this year already higher than the whole of 2023.

As of 11 November, 2,002 hedgehogs have already been taken in this year by the charity’s four wildlife centres. 

RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre has so far admitted 626 hedgehogs this year, and staff fear there are many more to come before the year ends - with numbers across England and Wales already 54% higher than in 2022 (1,296), and surpassing the 1,928 who were admitted during the entirety of last year (2023).

Lee Stewart, Manager of Stapeley Grange said: “Currently, every room and some of our outside sheds are full of hedgehogs here at Stapeley Grange. 

“Managing hedgehogs, particularly at this time of year amid firework season and winter can be very challenging. It’s not only the general feeding, cleaning and care of hedgehogs but also finding space to put them.  

“Once firework season is behind us we are able to start releasing them to the wild again; and then it’s all about keeping an eye on the weather.  Once hogs are of a suitable weight we will need to ensure we have three nights above 5°C (41°F) before releasing them back into the wild.” 

In September and October this year, traditionally a busy period for helping stricken hogs, 659 were admitted to RSPCA wildlife centres across the country - compared to 545 for the same period last year. Many of these were found out during the day, a sign they are sick or injured, while others were young hedgehogs who need to put on more weight to survive hibernation over winter. 

Thankfully, the public are doing their bit to help. More than three quarters (77%) of 2023’s admissions were brought to the charity’s wildlife centres directly by concerned citizens, and the RSPCA is keen for even more people to know what to do if they see a stricken hedgehog, as this helps free the charity’s frontline rescue officers to focus on animals which have been neglected or abused.

RSPCA wildlife expert Dr Rebecca Machin said: “We’re experiencing an unusually high number of hedgehog admissions this year.

“Most of the hedgehogs which the wonderful public are bringing in were found out and about during the day, which can be a sign of problems as hedgehogs are nocturnal animals. Many are young hedgehogs born later in the year, who haven’t put on enough weight to survive hibernation over the winter months. Our wildlife centre staff work very hard to care for these hedgehogs, which may require hand feeding, rehydration, and veterinary treatments before they can safely return to the wild.

“Once hedgehogs are healthy enough, our wildlife centre staff wait for a spell of relatively good weather, and for any fireworks celebrations to pass, before releasing them into the wild.”

Now, the RSPCA is urging the animal-loving public to be informed about when to intervene or not.

Rebecca added: “With the mild weather we have been experiencing, some hedgehogs have had a second litter so there may be small hedgehogs out and about, but there is still time for them to fatten up for winter. If they are being fed in the garden, we urge people to continue to do so and leave them where they are unless they are visibly weak, wobbly, injured or covered in parasites. 

“Small hoglets may come out a little earlier in the evening to forage for food, so they should be monitored to check whether they genuinely seem unwell before taking them to a wildlife centre or vet. That way, the sickest hedgehogs can be prioritised for the help they need.”

If an adult hedgehog weighs over 450g (15.9oz - bigger than an apple) and is only seen out at night, it should be healthy enough to hibernate as normal in the wild. They'll be foraging for food overnight so offering food in the garden is a great way for people to help them to put on even more weight before hibernation. Hedgehogs can wake up from hibernation and forage for food at least once during winter, so providing food in the garden throughout winter will also help.

Rebecca said: “We’re so grateful to all the animal lovers who have rescued sick or injured hedgehogs and brought them to our own wildlife centres, or to other centres or vets. It’s a huge help to us and to every hedgehog as they prepare for the winter.

“When an animal is in need, the quicker they get help the better. By rescuing small sick and injured animals such as hedgehogs yourselves, it frees up our teams to focus their specialist skills on investigating cruelty and neglect, and reaching more victims who urgently need our help.

“We have lots of advice on our website and a YouTube video guide to help the public to safely handle and transport small animals like hedgehogs in need; helping deliver a kinder world for every kind”

The RSPCA’s four wildlife centres are at West Hatch in Taunton, Somerset, Stapeley Grange in in Nantwich, Cheshire, East Winch near King’s Lynn, Norfolk and Mallydams Wood near Hastings in East Sussex 

A hedgehog may need your help if:

• there’s an obvious sign of injury like a cut or a broken leg;
• if they’re lethargic, wobbly or walking in circles;
• if they have a large number of ticks or flies on them;
• if you see any maggots or fly eggs on them;
• if they don’t try to roll up when you approach them or touch them;
• if they’re not interested in the food you leave out;
• if it’s particularly cold (snowy, frosty or below zero for several days)
• if they weigh less than 450g (approx 15.9oz - about the size of an apple);
• if they’re in a dangerous place, such as on a road.

When an animal is in need, the quicker they get help the better. There may be times when the public can help get a sick, injured, abandoned or trapped animal quickly by taking them directly to a vet, rehabilitation centre or rescue centre.

There’s helpful advice on the RSPCA website about how to get help for animals as quickly as possible, and how to report cruelty and neglect to our specialist teams: rspca.org.uk/reportcruelty.

Rebecca added: “We’ve lost around a third of our native hedgehog population in the last 50 years due to habitat loss, fragmentation, road dangers and garden hazards. As well as taking them to specialists when they are sick and injured, there are other things that you can do at home to help these wonderful creatures live the best possible life.

“Together, we can work together to help our native hedgehogs thrive and try to repair their population. Please help us to create a better world for hedgehogs and for every animal.”

Five ways to help hedgehogs

1. Leave out supplementary food and water - a shallow dish of water and meat-based dog or cat food can help to supplement their diets. Never feed them cow’s milk or bread.

2. Create a hedgehog highway - hedgehogs travel far and wide to find food at night, but fences and walls are so secure it can reduce the areas they have to forage so to help you could create a hedgehog highway by creating gaps in our fencing to let them pass through. You can buy a special hedgehog highway gate from the RSPCA shop.

3. Build a hedgehog habitat - Hedgehogs need nests to hibernate over the winter months but they can struggle to find somewhere suitable so a hedgehog house could be the ideal place for them to call home. Place it somewhere quiet and sheltered, on dry ground, cover with leaves and put some dry leaves inside to create a bed. Pick up a hedgehog house at the RSPCA shop - it will keep your hog friend safe from dogs and badgers.

4. Check leaf piles and bonfires - Piles of leaves or wood are attractive nesting spots for wildlife, especially hedgehogs. Please check for any hidden animals which may be difficult to see and move the bonfire before setting light to ensure no animals are hibernating there.

5. Sick or injured hedgehog - If you find a sick or injured hedgehog, then the quicker they get help the better. Please wear thick gloves and carefully pick them up and place them in a secure box with air holes and take them to your local vet. We have a video guide on how to safely pick up a small wild animal online.

To help RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre continue to care for and rehabilitate wild animals please visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/RSPCAStapeleyGrangeWildlife?success=true

Animal suffering won’t stop for Christmas. So, the RSPCA won’t stop either. Join the Christmas Rescue to support the work of the charity this festive season.