I just want to thank all the visitors at Congleton Christmas lights switch on that came and supported the Baddeley Green Hedgehog Rescue stall. We made an incredible £653 for the rescue. Clare Simmons, Founder of Baddeley Green Hedgehog Rescue wants to extend her enormous gratitude to everyone that contributed to the stall.
Due to the cost of living crisis, as well as the energy crisis, we have seen the cost of the running the rescue escalate dramatically. The critically ill hedgehogs are maintained in small incubators which run up very high electricity bills. The rescue itself needs to maintain at least 19 degrees of heat for the other hedgehogs in care. This is due to the hedgehogs being given medication where they are not allowed to hibernate for a set period of time.
The sheer volume of hedgehogs we are now seeing admitted to the rescue is getting higher year on year. This could be due to a number of factors such as awareness has been raised or that hedgehogs are becoming sicker as a result of low food levels that they have access to. Hedgehogs are now red listed as critically endangered to extinction so it really is paramount we do as much as we can to help the UKs most popular mammal.
Hedgehogs normal diet should consist of beetles, caterpillars, woodlice and other invertebrates, but because their numbers have fallen so dramatically hedgehogs are forced to eat slugs, which are ridden with parasites thus making the hedgehogs unwell. The rescue encourages everyone to leave a bowl of fresh water and chicken flavour cat biscuits for any visiting hedgehogs.
The rescue ordinarily cares for upward of 70 hedgehogs in the rescue itself, with hundreds out at weight gaining foster homes or enclosed gardens to rewild the hedgehogs prior to their release. There are many layers of care at the rescue.
If you are worried about or see a hedgehog out in the daytime, please don’t hesitate to call 07917 161491 for advice.
Once again, huge thanks to everyone that has supported the rescue. ❤️🦔
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