Wild Hedgehog Rehabilitation Welfare

Hedgehog rescue and rehabilitation provides welfare support for thousands of injured and sick animals annually; good protocols determine success.

Key Facts

Approximately 70,000 hedgehogs pass through wildlife rescue centres in the UK each year.
Common presentations include road casualties, orphaned juveniles, and animals found underweight before hibernation.
Underweight hedgehogs below 500g attempting hibernation will die — a critical welfare threshold.
Hedgehog milk is very different from domestic animal milk — cow's milk is harmful and must never be used.
Rehabilitated hedgehogs must be released at a suitable release site, not necessarily where they were found.

Welfare Considerations

Hedgehog rehabilitation welfare requires species-specific knowledge. Using inappropriate milk causes potentially fatal diarrhoea in orphaned juveniles. Juveniles found alone need warmth, appropriate feeding with Esbilac or specialist formula, and gradual weaning to solid food. Adults found during the day are usually unwell and need veterinary assessment. Pain assessment and appropriate analgesia for road casualties is essential. Returning rehabilitated hedgehogs to appropriate habitat — with garden connectivity, suitable food availability, and low road risk — is critical to post-release welfare and survival. Keeping hedgehogs as pets is inappropriate and often illegal; professional rehabilitation aims at release.

What You Can Do

Contact a local wildlife rescue or the British Hedgehog Preservation Society helpline before handling any hedgehog.
Never give hedgehogs cow's milk — provide water only until expert advice is obtained.
If you find an underweight autumn hedgehog below 500g, contact a rescue centre promptly.
Provide a designated hedgehog-friendly release area in your garden if collecting locally found animals.