Boogie - my foster hog

[*elphaba*]

For those that knew I fostered a young, sickly hedgepig last year and released him in May (he escaped the first night from the soft release pen my husband and dad spent some time making)........I saw him again the other night!

It was unmistakably him, as he had a hurt back left foot, so I could confirm, but I just 'knew' when he let me pick him up 🙂 

He is a tubby hog, covered in fleas I can't do anything about but no visible ticks so he is a healthy boy.   There was a smaller hedgepig seen a few days earlier that I have hopes might be his girl, and be carrying my grandhogs 😄 

*pic forthcoming shortly when I have battled with photobucket as its too large to add*

[*elphaba*]

<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/user/elphaba-oz/media/P1040522.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v203/elphaba-oz/P1040522.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo P1040522.jpg"/></a>

[bitsnknots]

Aww he's gawjus.  Just love hearing stories like that.

[**towery**]

good to see him  🙂

had he hurt his foot after you released him, 

i ecpect he came back for a de flea and brush up

have you been leaving food and water out for him?

[merc1_clocks]

He's a grand looking we fella elph, & a wee porker.

Well done for taking care of him

[*elphaba*]

Towery, he lost two toes somehow while living in my utility room 😞   No idea how he did it.  FIrst I knew was little bloody pawprints everywhere.   I'm told that its fairly common for hedgehogs to chew their own toes off if they get injured in any way.  He didn't appear bothered about it, and its certainly not hindered him but I was horrified.

However, it does at least mean I can positive ID him 😄

[stampingpat]

Elphaba, he looks good and healthy. Did you weigh him? We always weigh ours here and keep note of the weights. That way you can tell if they are in trouble or not. But he looks good. 🙂 A product to get rid of fleas is Johnsons small animal mite powder. You can get this on ebay or at the pet shop. Don't get it near the head, I generally cover the head while they are standing, puff it lightly along their back. Give the bottle a bit of a shake first to get the powder loose. And then puff puff puff. This is the only safe product to use on the hogs. DON'T USE Frontline as this can kill hogs. The girl I have in at the moment had frontline used on her and she got pneumonia. Just now getting her back to eating on her own and gaining weight again. 🙂

I have 8 hogs in at the moment here. 🙂 Two tiny ones and four a little bit bigger and then the pneumonia girl and an old gal who is riddled with parasites and who is missing two front toes. She will be going to a friends enclosed garden as having missing front toes means it is difficult for her to dig and get worms.

[captainbovine]

aaaawwww poor wee things Stampy, you will be busy then eh? how's your little dog doing? oh and poor Jingles with his poorly head?

[stampingpat]

Thanks Caps, Kitty is doing well. It is almost healed. I have had him on crate and head collar rest for a bit until the antibiotics kicked in and it quit weeping. Little dog is feeling much better too. And you wouldn't even know she had been ill. 🙂 The hoglets are all doing well and gaining weight here. 🙂 Even the big hogs are doing better. 🙂

[*elphaba*]

I didn't weigh him Pat, but as I could barely get my hands around him and went 'oooph' as I picked him up I think he's ok for weight at the moment LOL

I have a Johnsons dusting powder, but figured its pointless as he will just collect them again.  I'd do it if I had him for more than a quick squidge of course.   I did check for ticks and would have had those off him but he was clear as far as I could see. 

Its just so nice to know that it was all worth it - the 6 months of having him and pain of letting him go - because he is fulfilling his hedgepig destiny nicely.  Most rescuers don't get to know what happens afterwards so I feel blessed. 

I'll be haunting the lawn from September on of course!

[stampingpat]

Elphaba, I brought in my great great grand hog last night. 🙂 The neighbor found him under her gate. So brought him in for a little tlc and fattening up. Deflead him as the minute I picked him up they were getting onto me. Ick!!! I got my powder out to give him some respite and to get rid of those little blighters. They can cause the little ones to go anemic.