Hefty hedgehog named Hercules is rescued… after getting stuck in a shed door
A hedgehog nicknamed Hercules was rescued after becoming trapped in a shed door and taken to Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire. Weighing 3.3lb, almost twice the size of a typical adult, he was checked and monitored before a vet cleared him to return to the wild ahead of hibernation.
Hedgehogs build up fat reserves before winter, and the hospital said Hercules’s size suggested he had found plentiful food. Being too large to curl into a ball can leave a hedgehog less able to defend itself, but Hercules was reported to be fine. The article also describes Ollie, a hedgehog recovering from infections and losing most of his spikes, whose case has helped raise nearly £5,000 for a Devon rescue charity.
In short
- Hercules weighed 3.3lb, almost twice the size of a typical adult hedgehog.
- He recovered after getting caught in a shed door.
- A vet cleared him for release before hibernation.
Explained simply
Hedgehogs are small, nocturnal mammals that feed on insects and other small creatures. As winter approaches, they build up fat reserves to help them survive hibernation, a period when they become much less active.
Tiggywinkles is a wildlife hospital in Buckinghamshire that treats injured and unwell wild animals. Hedgehogs can curl into a ball as a defence, but being unusually large may make that harder; rescue centres check their health and whether they can manage safely in the wild.
Hedgehog rescue charities also care for animals with problems such as infections or lost spikes. Their work can involve treatment and recovery over time, as well as deciding when an animal is ready to return to the wild.