I’ve recently been working on a collaboration with Prickles and Paws Hedgehog Rescue to help them raise money for their new Hogspital – a dedicated hedgehog hospital for treating sick and injured hedgehogs.
In this blog post you can find out how you can WIN one of 10 limited-edition hedgehog art prints whilst helping poorly hedgehogs. Plus, read all about the ways in which you can care for your local wild hedgehogs and help secure their future.
HELPING HEDGEHOGS
Just over a year ago we moved house and were delighted to find out that our new neighbours rescue hedgehogs! Not just a few hedgehogs, but literally thousands! They run Prickles and Paws Hedgehog rescue, a family-run charity dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of hedgehogs who have become sick or injured.
Day in, day out, poorly hedgehogs are brought in for expert care. Some are new-born hoglets, weighing only a few grams, and some are expectant mothers. The reasons for their admission vary widely. Martin, who helps run the charity, regularly tells us about their latest hedgehog patients...
Last spring, they had a huge amount of orphaned hoglets (baby hedgehogs) who were brought in after being abandoned by their Mum. He told us how this can happen when the nest is disturbed, either by people or other animals. Dog attacks are a common occurrence, and many nests are abandoned due to people clearing undergrowth without knowing there’s a nest there. Orphaned hoglets quickly perish in the wild, and whenever one is brought into the rescue centre it’s all hands on deck for many weeks to ensure they get the care required.
It’s really important that we all know how to avoid disturbing hedgehog nests. Some key pointers shared by Prickles and Paws include:
👀 Check garden borders carefully before carrying out any clearing or gardening.
👂 Listen… you will often hear rustling or the high pitched squeak of hoglets if mum is moving around, or has briefly left the nest.
🐶 If you have dogs and regularly see hedgehogs visiting at night, keep an eye on your dogs whilst they're out in the garden - especially if you have overgrown and wild areas.
🛑 If you have disturbed a nest STOP, re-cover the hedgehog with the nesting material and back away immediately. DO NOT TOUCH or handle the hoglets. Back away immediately and leave quietly.
📞 Call your local rescue immediately for further advice.
EDUCATING PEOPLE ABOUT HEDGEHOGS
A large part of Prickles and Paws’ work revolves around education. I can honestly say I was pretty clueless about hedgehogs before meeting the team at Prickles and Paws. One of the shocking things they shared is how much hedgehog numbers are in decline. Martin told us how if the current decline in hedgehog numbers continues, they’ll be extinct in the UK by 2034. It’s therefore more important than ever that we all clue ourselves up on how to help these beloved British critters.
Here are three key things you can do to help. Why not share these with your family and friends too.
- Create hedgehog highways. Hedgehogs roam for up to 2 miles a night in search of food. They eat mainly insects, with the occasional slug or snail thrown in. Nowadays with our neatly fenced off gardens, and brick walls, hedgehogs have a really hard time getting about to find the food they need. Putting a few hedgehog-sized holes into your garden fence or gate will help them enormously.
- Put out water. Dehydration is one of the big reasons hedgehogs become seriously unwell. Putting out shallow trays of water in your garden, and keeping them regularly topped up, will provide hedgehogs with a much-needed water source.
- Avoid using slug pellets and pesticides in your garden. These can easily be ingested by hedgehogs, and other animals including birds, resulting in them becoming incredibly poorly or even dying.
It’s also really important to mention that hedgehogs are nocturnal. If you see a hedgehog out during the daytime, something is not right. This is when you need to call a hedgehog rescue service immediately for further advice. The hedgehog is likely in need of medical attention as soon as possible.
HEDGEHOG ART TO HELP SICK HEDGEHOGS
Having seen the incredible work Prickles and Paws do, and having met many of their adorable hedgehog patients in person, I was keen to create some hedgehog art that would help support the charity.
Prickles and Paws are currently desperately in need of larger premises. Last year they helped almost 1300 hedgehogs, and that number keeps getting bigger year on year. Expanding their premises has become a necessity and they need our help to do it! They’ve got plans approved for a new hedgehog hospital (or Hogspital!), and now need the funds to make it happen so that they can care for even more poorly hedgehogs.
To help them raise these funds, I’ve created an adorably cute hedgehog painting featuring two hoglets rescued by Prickles and Paws. I wanted to capture the incredibly gorgeous nature of these little creatures, and create a piece that will truly bring a smile to your face.
Read on to find out how this drawing will be helping to raise funds for poorly hedgehogs…
WIN A LIMITED EDITION PRINT!
From Monday 23rd October, Prickles and Paws will be holding a raffle to raise money for their new Hogspital. Anyone who enters the raffle will be in with a chance to win one of 10 limited edition hedgehog art prints worth £50 each! The raffle closes on Sunday 12th November at 6pm (GMT). Winners will be announced shortly after the closing date. The ten lucky winners will then receive their limited-edition hedgehog art prints in the post. Enter the raffle today to be in with a chance!
BUY THE ORIGINAL HEDGEHOG PAINTING
The original hedgehog painting is now available to buy, and 10% of the profits from the sale will be donated to Prickles and Paws Hedgehog Rescue. And with free UK shipping you can have it delivered right to your door.
BUY LIMITED EDITION PRINTS
Hedgehog art prints are also available to purchase, with 10% of profits from the print sales going to Prickles and Paws Hedgehog Rescue. These are high quality limited edition giclee prints, hand signed and numbered by myself (the artist), and come with a certificate of authenticity. Shop hedgehog art prints and bring some cuteness into your home!
TELL YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS!
So, there we have it – plenty of ways to get involved and do something positive to help secure a future for our British hedgehogs. Why not share this article with your family and friends and spread the awareness!
