# Hedgehog in the house



## spudsmummy (May 1, 2009)

Hi there

Just after some advice, for the past 4 nights a hedgehog has made it into my house (back door open due to cat) the first 3 nights i found it eating the cat food but tonight i found it down the back of my sofa after hearing some rustling noise ( i thought it was the cat). each night i have just carefully picked it up and placed it back int he garden near the bushes. 

Is it normal for a hedgehog to do this??
a few people have said they are covered in fleas and ticks should i now deflea my house cause its been in?? 

I need to have the back door open for the cat is there a way i can stop it coming in?? 

I like hedgehogs and would like to do what ever i can to keep it around but i dont want it in my house lol 

Thanks in advance


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## Guest (Jul 22, 2011)

spudsmummy said:


> Hi there
> 
> Just after some advice, for the past 4 nights a hedgehog has made it into my house (back door open due to cat) the first 3 nights i found it eating the cat food but tonight i found it down the back of my sofa after hearing some rustling noise ( i thought it was the cat). each night i have just carefully picked it up and placed it back int he garden near the bushes.
> 
> ...


 You've got a little friend 

Hedgehog parasites tend to stay on the hedgehog, they don't tend to have a very big flea burden but, as with all wild animals, they do carry them.

I've never heard of one coming in but he could be hungry.

You can make him a little hedgehog hut or even buy one. British Hedgehog Preservation Society There's some ideas for a house for him.

I'd be a bit worried your cat might try to hurt him but that doesn't seem to be the case so  Flea wise, again, you might want to de-flea your puss a bit more often

You can put him some water out in a shallow bowl (especially with the dry weather - he'll be very grateful) and a bit of the cat food outside, though it may attract other cats.

Em
xx


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## spudsmummy (May 1, 2009)

Hahaha my cat is scared of it so i know he wouldnt hurt him, plus the hedgehog curls up into a very tight ball as soon as anything goes near it. i will look into building him a shelter, i think it is possibly living under the huge bush in the front garden, there is nothing in my back garden he could find cover under and its surounded by 6ft fences. 

i am kinda excited that it likes my garden lol


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## Guest (Jul 22, 2011)

spudsmummy said:


> Hahaha my cat is scared of it so i know he wouldnt hurt him, plus the hedgehog curls up into a very tight ball as soon as anything goes near it. i will look into building him a shelter, i think it is possibly living under the huge bush in the front garden, there is nothing in my back garden he could find cover under and its surounded by 6ft fences.
> 
> i am kinda excited that it likes my garden lol


You really should be! It's lovely when they choose to live in the area you've created  It's really difficult for them with so many people having decking etc xxxx


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## spudsmummy (May 1, 2009)

Right i am on a mission to build some kind of shelter for it today then i can feed it our side with out my cat getting in the food first


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## Guest (Jul 23, 2011)

spudsmummy said:


> Right i am on a mission to build some kind of shelter for it today then i can feed it our side with out my cat getting in the food first


Fantastic  Have you thought of a name for him? (you're NOT allowed to call him Spike :glare: :lol: )

xxxx


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## spudsmummy (May 1, 2009)

Well i am not sure if its a boy or a girl so i guess it needs to be a name that could be for both
Any ideas???


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## Steverags (Jul 19, 2010)

Did you use gloves too pick up hedgy? Only they are quite suseptable too ringworm and that can be passed on too human and cat, the fleas and ticks won't transfer.


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## Guest (Jul 23, 2011)

Would you like to know how to sex him?  xxxxxx


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## Steverags (Jul 19, 2010)

Go on, tell us anyway


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## spudsmummy (May 1, 2009)

Yeah go on then let me know, not sure i will go that far though. 

I used an old towel to pick it up, the put it straight on a boil wash.


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## spudsmummy (May 1, 2009)

Well i have just been out to put my bins out and could hear some noise coming from the feeding station so i thought i would have a peek and this is what i found....


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## *Amber* (Oct 22, 2010)

Hedgehog fleas are species specific, so will only stay on the hog, and not bite you or your pets. Male hoggies have their "winky" half way up their stomach, while female bits are closer to the tail end. Could you put a board or something in front of your open door, so the hoggy can't get in, but your cat can jump over and get in and out?! Is the hoggy small? They need to weigh about 700g by September in order to hibernate the Winter, so if the hoggy is smaller than this, please ring a hedgehog resue centre for advice, as he/she will need to be cared for over the Winter if small!


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