This baby hedgehog had to undergo an emergency procedure after getting his tiny head stuck inside a conker.
Vet Simon Lapish was alerted to the hoglet’s plight by his dog Bert, who starts barking when he smells the animals.
He helped out the hedgehog, which weighs just 74g, by wiping maggots and fly eggs away from its eyes at his home in Wokingham, Berkshire.
Vet Simon Lapish was alerted to the hoglet’s plight by his dog Bert, who starts barking when he smells the animals
He then placed the animal, which was named Conker after his escapade, on a heat-pad and gave him fluids while cleaning him.
The hoglet is now being treated at The Happy Hedgehog Rescue centre in Yateley, Hampshire.
Jayne Morgan, who works at the centre, said: ‘I reckon a squirrel has gnawed-away the centre of the conker and the hoglet has come along and got stuck while looking for food.
‘Hoglets leave their mum at 250g so at 74g this baby should still be with his mum, so something is wrong.’
Ms Morgan said when she first saw the photos sent by Mr Lapish she gasped.
‘Hedgehogs can and do get themselves in a right pickle and constriction injuries are quite serious,’ she said.
‘Any animal with a constriction injury should be seen by a rescue or a vet as once the constriction is removed problems can present within a week such as pressure necrosis or even breaks once the swelling has gone down.’
He helped out the hedgehog, which weighs just 74g, by wiping maggots and fly eggs away from its eyes at his home in Wokingham, Berkshire
Mr Lapish and his son Ollie were searching for Conker’s family and have laid food out in their garden but there has been no luck so far and Ms Morgan explained the animals average number litters have four to five babies.
With winter nearing Conker’s siblings and mother are in danger.
Ms Morgan added: ‘Simon and his family are now trying to locate his family, as at this weight they just won’t survive winter.
‘Sadly late born hoglets suffer from a high mortality rate due to many internal parasites which they get from eating slugs, snails and earthworms who are the intermediate hosts for microscopic parasites such as lungworm.’
‘He is stable but not eating. He’s in an incubator and comfy so we’ll see how he goes. We are hoping he will be released in spring.’
He then placed the animal, which was named Conker after his escapade, on a heat-pad and gave him fluids while cleaning him