got me a terry for the winter

[shaggystu]

good for you mate, it's always nice to look after something, especially a wild injured something

should it not be pterry rather than just plain old terry though?

cheers

stuart

 

[toilet digger]

as promised a few pics, thought i'd get a few while being unceremonialy woken up for a weigh in

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not sure what he weighed on friday but today he's 408grammes.

 

[Harvestman]

In response to the host-specific question, as someone else said, most fleas will bite whatever is handy, but usually they find that they don't like the taste of non-host species and hop off again without properly feeding. Unfortunately that initial bite is enough to transmit diseases like plague. For a lot of species they can 'taste' their host with their feet, so they know if they are on an unsuitable animal without biting, which is why I wouldn't be unduly worried about hedgehog fleas.

 

[toilet digger]

weighed again today before sunset and Terry is 429g.
thats not a bad gain of 21g in 24 hours. if he hits 500g in the next couple of weeks, he may decide to go into hibernation.

 

[toilet digger]

hiya chaps
just a bit of an update.
terry is currently languishing in hibernation in the front room. as of this evening he weighed 707g which is pretty good as a first winter juvenile. been reading up and apparrently ambient temp and food availability is a trigger to torpor but given my observations, i think that UV has a large part to play, due to the following factors;
ambient temp - my flat aint that cold ...... this winter!
food availability - yeah cat food aplenty.
hibernaculum - in order to moniter health, i have to weigh, observe and disturb the little fella.
this flys in the face of the current research but given the erinaceous europus is a little researched species and i teach at a college with a very large animal management faculty (who hav'ent a scooby!) who knows!
here's a linky if you're bored http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/0M...Erinaceus/Erinaceus_europaeus/09WEHHibAes.htm
if you guys have any insights i'd be appreciative of your opinions.
regards jamie.

 

[British Red]

No clues but an interesting thread. The wee beggars aren't endangered round here...I stepped on one a few weeks back (no harm done happily). Theres at least one hibernating under the pallet floor in my log shed - same place the feral cat had kittens this Spring. Cute little beggars and they eat snails and slugs so they are welcome here!

 

[toilet digger]

Cute little beggars and they eat snails and slugs so they are welcome here!

good man . i have been described as a touch bullish in the past but hedgehogs are my weakness.

 

[Paul_B]

When i lived at my folks for awhile they had a hog sleeping in an outhouse during the day. Loud snoring made it.clear it was kipping there each day. One day i went out and it was shivering in the path. Ball reflex was partly there but couldn't fully close. Call to a vets and a quick drive round. Nxt day i called in. After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing i found out it had died. Daytime, warm weather, shivering? Reckon slug pellet victim. Also doubt the vets made much of an effort neither judging by their response to my follow up call.

Glad yours is doing well. Keep it up.

 

[Paul_B]

Forgot to say, i think they're a wonderful critter. They go at a gd human walking pace, can climb well and gd Hunters. Even their defence mechanism is special imho.

 

[greensurfingbear]

Glad to see Terry doing well marra. Hope things are cool for you and yours in general


Orric

 

[Harvestman]

My wife is a practical sort of woman, and not given to over-reacting to cute animals. She likes them, but that's it.

Unless it is a hedgehog. Show her a baby hedgehog and she turns into a silly five-year old presented with a cute fluffy bunny. She just sort of dissolves into a girlish gibberish

Which may also explain her odd taste in men...

Anyway, hedgehogs are great, and I'm glad yours is doing well. Keep up the good work.

 

[toilet digger]

still asleep, rousing on a 8 day cycle.

 

[British Red]

I know how he feels! Keep up the reports please - we are rooting for Terry!

 

[toilet digger]

well as i was sat here perusing this here fine site. i hear a rustling from yon terry's enclosure (8th day rousal on the dot).
hadn't weighed him since the 21st of dec. so tonight was a good time as disturbance during torpor expends calories.
the result 632g. 21g lost since 21/12/12. not bad given that optimum weight for hibernation is 550g for 1st winter juvenile and 450g is minimum (certain death).
still proper stoked at having him in hibernation as the papers and journals state that its rare in captivity.

regards jamie.

 

[toilet digger]

as of today 619g.

 

[British Red]

Holding up well! We need new pictures of Tezza!

 

[toilet digger]

Holding up well! We need new pictures of Tezza!

well as he isn't enamoured about being hoisted out of his pit.................. soon, young man. ...

 

[British Red]

I have a stick you can poke him with


...perhaps not...

 

[Robbi]

I have a stick you can poke him with ..

it's not a cat mate !

 

[British Red]

Nah we likes Spiney Tezza