Vicki McLean's European Adoption Story:
Vicki McLean’s European Hoglets, Jola and Justina Hawgzinska, at The West Bretton Hedgehog Rescue.
June 30th, 2003
Hi Vicki,
Jola & Justina were found at the bottom of a grassy bank in the garden of a
nursing home. There was no sign of mum & no clues as to how they got there.
One of the nurses rang a vets who gave them some advise how to care for the
youngsters, but they decided they would have a better chance if they came to
me.
24.6.2003 On arrival they were both cold with their eyes shut, this was not
because they were too young to have their eyes open or because they were
asleep, but they were very dehydrated. I prepared an incubator & syringe fed
them both with rehydration fluid, then let them rest under the heat of the
lamp after tickling their underparts to encourage them to go to the toilet.
Both girls are nearly identical so one was marked on the back of the neck
with a spot of tippex this one I have decided will be Jola, you may just be
able to see the mark on the photo of them having a tug of war with a tissue.
Jola weighed 98g & Justina 96g they are little mini hogs & so adorable they
remind me of little teddy bears & so mischievous.
By 8pm they were ready to be fed Esbilac a substitute milk both took 5ml
readily.
25.6.2003 They were both fed 5ml of Esbilac every 3hours to build them up,
both have their eyes fully open now.
26.6.2003. Continue feeding every 3 hours, but I noted they were both
licking my fingers, so were possibly ready to lap.
27.6.2003 Jola now weighs 110g & Justina 108g, milk is placed in the
incubator on a very flat dish & the hoglets encouraged to lap.
29.6.2003 Both are happy to lap but not until they have walked through the
milk, what a mess.
Sprinkling baby rusks into the milk to start the weaning progress.
Jola now weighs 122g & Justina 122g.
They are a joy.
I will send more photos & an update as the girls grow into adults.
Best Wishes,
Sonia
©2001-2006 The Hedgehog Welfare Society
