An unusual four legged guest...

Well, we live in the middle of the Scottish countryside, so the occasional mouse, vole or even the odd rat ain't even vaguely unusual in the middle of the harvest season. We are surrounded on all four sides by fields afterall!

However, you can imgine my surprise when I walked in here after dinner this evening, and a juvenile hedgehog went wandering past me! Yes, a hedgehog, in my bedroom. Took a good second and a half before it actually clicked in my head, before I paused and went "What on earth are you doing in here?!?" To which he responded by turning around, looking up at me...and continuing to wander across the floor. Not oblivious, but totally unconcerned.

After possibly the best double-take since Kryten's in the Texas Book Depository incident in Red Dwarf, I tried to decide what to do next. Initially I thought about putting him outside...afterall, he's a wild animal afterall. That approach however was foiled somewhat by a combination of the weather (marble sized hailstones followed by truely torrential rain, anyone?) and knowing that next door's cat was on the prowl. I couldn't in good conscience just dump him outside the door - and getting him anywhere better was going to result in me getting drenched, and him probably drowned. Really don't know where he lives anyway! Need to research that tomorrow, see if I can find any likely candidates.

So...back to the initial problem...having a hedgehog wandering around my room (How did it *get* there?!?). How to contain it without scaring the wits out of it...no problem it appeared, as the moment I appeared with a saucer of catfood, he walked straight over to me, placed both paws on my foot, looking hopefully up at me...Cue me "Aren't you meant to be kinda afraid of me?" Which was responded to with a highly cute noise, and a small hedgehog walking around in circles. I gave him the food and decided to rethink the situation. The next half hour proved one thing: This is one completely and totally tame hedgehog. Following the usual advice regarding wild animals, keep handling to a bare minimum etc has been kept to as best as possible, though I did need to move him across the room. Have made a quick enclosure for the night, having decided to find a suitable location for release tomorrow.

However, over the course of the evening, I've found myself beginning to wonder if this is a hand reared hedgehog who's just been released. He (or she) is totally and completely at ease around me - and having done a bit of research having discovered that they're sometimes kept as pets in the states, seems to rate top for temperament for those destined to be pets. That doesn't happen over here however - at least not to my knowledge. To the extent that I actually put out an old sandbox - and he went and used it as intended...He has to have been housetrained!

I get the feeling that he's been hand reared, released - and has gone and sought out a house instead of going wild as intended...

How on earth does one go about releasing an animal back into the wild...which has adopted your room as its home...has been housetrained...and has adopted you as its owner?!?

He's quite plainly happy as you like in here, and doesn't seem the slightest bit interested in being released. I did just open the door and offer a view of the outside world...the answer was a grunt and wandering back into my room.

*scratches head* I've had injured birds in here before, a zillion and one mice I've rescued from the cat, and even a bat that flew into the window one windy evening. This is the first time however that a creature like this has found its way in here totally uninjured...and doesn't want to be released! No idea what to do here!

Ideas?

Next question of course will be "How on earth did he get in here?!?"

call the local zoo and ask them if they have a hedgehog exhibit.... and offer to *donate* them the first one.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif sounds like a nice little one. It sounds like you do enjoy taking care of him. Sorry I dont have any advice. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Check with the neighbors. Could be it wasn't let lose but wandered off. My sister's hedgehog wandered off for two months once. Neighbor kid found it and returned it.

Well, I know none of our neighbours would have it anyway (all three of them). Aside from the fact I know it's not theirs, they're not kept as pets in this country. Granted, that's an assumption, but I'm pretty sure it's not legal to.

Which is a bit of a shame really given how happy little Houdini here seems to be right now. He's been named as such due to his escape from the outside world into here. Which I still can't explain! This isn't the tropics where the doors/windows are open all day!

If he is too tame to be released in the wild maybe you could find someone who would take him in and care for him.
My 7 year old found a parakeet on our bird feeder this year that was as tame as could be. He would let us pet him and he would sit on our shoulders and fingers. Obviously he had gotten away from someone or had been released. He was so tame that he walked right up to the dog who quickly grabbed him with the intent to eat him. I yelled at the dog who just as quickly released the bird. There was no way he would have lasted in the wild.
We finally had to go to Wal-Mart and buy a cheap cage and some food to keep it. I called everyone I knew, we live in the country too by the way, and never could find an owner. Well this bird was quickly becoming our pet and to be honest I did not want it, but I did not want to see anything happen to it either. I just had too many irons in the fire and I did not need or want something else to take care of. To be honest my son did most of the care but I still did not want it in the house at the time. Too many feathers and seeds scattered all over the place for my liking. So after 3 months of searching for the owner , I always imagined some poor little kid crying for their lost bird, I finally gave it to a friend.
I figured that we did our best for the little bird and we gave it a good home while it was here.

Zelandeth,
Pets pick owners as well, you know! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Seems that giving it a name has been the first hurdle for you to clear! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

How about a photo of Houdini?!?!?

sure sounds like you've adopted a pet /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

keep em...

I'm with McGizmo, I'd like to see a pic.
I don't think I've ever seen a hedgehog.

What a cute little animal! It does sound as if he's adopted you, and it also sounds like he really is a housetrained animal. If it was me, I'd adopt him immediately since he sounds soooo cute, but if you'd like to offer him a good home I'd check with the nearest animal rescue facility for advice. I would definitely not release him back to the wild as I doubt that he's prepared to cope with that since he's apparently been hand-reared.

[ QUOTE ]
McGizmo said:How about a photo of Houdini?!?!?

[/ QUOTE ]

You know I was going to ask that too, but thought it was a little over the top but since Don asked as well... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Hedgehogs Photos

It sounds like houdini is practicing self survival, it's a house trained critter and it wouldn't last outdoors and knew it. I have seen short video clips on folks keeping them as pets and I thought it was in the British isles someplace. It still might be a neighbors "pet", it wouldn't hurt to ask around unless you can stand it enough to keep it as a guest.

OMG! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif Those things are cute! I don't think we have'em back home.

Nicely told story! I'd be tempted to let him stay if he wanted.

Better than the little four-legged uninvited guest I had in the Garage / workshop last night and the night before.... I've been leaving the door up about 8 inches so the cats can come in for a visit if they want. (I've been trying to get a couple of them to run the lathe for me, but neither one shows aptitude or interest. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif )

Anyway, previous two nights a skunk walked in and started poking around. Cute little guy has been hanging around the neighborhood for a few months, he and his cousin who is a HUGE smelly skunk. The little one has been pretty brave but hasn't tried to venture inside until now.

The big one is pretty shy and runs when I come within 20 feet, and seems to be pretty free with releasing his "stink". The little one has walked within 5 feet of me several times totally unconcerned. I rather imagine he would even become a pet without much coaxing.... But I'd rather not be adopted by a creature that is capable of such horrible smells.

I'd like to get some photos of them, but I never seem to have a camera in hand when they come by, and they are gone by the time I run and get one.

I would keep him. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
We want photos. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

My mother had a skunk for a pet when she was a kid, she had the stink bag part removed of course. Skunks can bite pretty bad from what I have heard though.

Animal people are good people and I enjoyed the story as well. I could not resist if I were you and I would keep the little guy.
I would maybe check the local vets office and see if any have gone missing or maybe even place an add in the paper. If there are laws against the keeping of these in your area I would maybe notify the local police.
When we get calls on abandoned or found animals we have shelters and people who will find them a home. I think he may have found you just like others here have said and if he is as tame as you describe I would surely keep him.

If it is tame, and it sounds like it is, releasing it to the wild is not an option. It will just die a slow and painful death. It will not know how to avoid predators, may not be suited to your environment, may not know how to find proper shelter or food, etc.

What would you do if it were a puppy? Try to find it's owner or find someone interested in providing it a home.

Or maybe consult a local animal expert or pet expert who can give you more advice on whether it is truly tame and what is the best thing to do.

Now of course there is always the other side of the coin..
Some animals, are prone to disease, such as distemper, when affected it can make an animal appear to be dosile, or even friendly, when in fact, they are not.
Check his eyes for a white puss, often as they walk they can seem a bit "intoxicated". I see it all the time in coons as well as skunks.
Another thing to consider is that it has got into your house, for domestic animals that is a very difficult task due to the fact that the "wild" in it has been overcome by being around humans, wild animal can get in, it is in their nature. Finding it's point of entry will help determine it's origin, if it chewed it's self in then you probally don't want him/her in the house, if it sat patiently outside the door for it's turn to come in then you may have a new friend.
Before taking it to a vet be sure it is legal where you are to keep one as a pet, otherwise you may lose it.
Good luck with the little fellow!