* Urchin *

Yesterday in the early eve mum and I wanted to go out, but just on the side of the mainroad I discovered a baby hedgehog. Just by the way from the railway station were all the people hurried home from work. Mum almost steped on it, too. It is so small; only a few centimeters. I showed mum that it was sitting there and she took it up an brought it home. It was already very cold outside and mum made a box ready, but the little urchin escaped as it was very vivid. She found it and had it back in the box, but it was not secure there. Hedgehogs are active in the dark, so mum decided to have it in the shower tub over night. She put lots of nice things into our tub, like newspapers, leaves, a hamsterhouse, a towel and food, catfood. The tiny urchin enjoyed also some small shrimps. Mum looked into the internet as she wasn't sure how to handle those young ones. She only knows it with grown, but it is not really different. It was also written that big temp differences are not good for urchins. Our bathroom was cold all day, maybe too cold for this small one, although it was wrapped in newspapers and leaves...

This evening we finally got a place for it in an urchin shelter and the lady said that its condition is not good. She had it in a warming bed and mum was surprised - and sad! If I had not noticed it, it would have died last night out as it was very frosty. And now the little one may die anyway, although it was at home with us. Mum wanted to do all things right for it and maybe all was in vain......urchins are protected animals overhere. Babies with a weight above 100 gr. normally survive easy outside, but it was very frosty last night, very early this Fall. Our hedgehog had only 125 gr. ! Mum constantly thinks of it and is sad, but she would never had the idea to put it in a very warm place as it is a wild animal - I saved this little life and mum maybe spoiled it all. I don't think she will sleep good this night! Hedgehogs get run over on the roads by millions here; that's why they are protected...

this photo of my little friend is not very good, but please have a look at it and think of it! Y

Tailwags from

Gizmo