VOLUNTEER TO HELP THE HEDGEHOGS
Due to insurance restrictions volunteers must be over 16 years old.
Hedgehogs are sweet little guys, most of the time. Occasionally we get a demon but they are few and far between. So what does this mean for anyone who offers to help out?
Well, it is very normal to get spiked unless you are wearing extremely thick gloves. Cleaning out cages doesn't mean having to handle the hogs though. Ours all have a bed box and as long as they are fast asleep in it you won't get spiked unless you do something seriously daft like shove your hand in.
Some of our sick guys need a lot of treatments. Volunteers are not expected to do any of that so we're the ones that get bitten, not you, but it's a good idea to make sure you have an up to date tetanus injection as the cages sometimes bite back.
If you're not a fan of the stuff that comes out the back end then hedgehog care is not for you. They produce vast amounts of liquid and solids and spread it around liberally over the floor, up the walls, in their bedding and some seem to spend the night shoving it through the bars and onto the floor.
We clean everything out daily. Cleanliness is paramount to avoid spreading illness and even if it wasn't, the smell from one cage not cleaned for 24 hours is unbelievable. We have A LOT of cages... and no gas masks.
If all of the above hasn't put you off and you would still like to help out, there are a number of ways you can do that.
