Found a hedgehog? Call us now.
In a hedgehog emergency every minute counts. You can reach us – at weekends too.
Emergency pickup is only available in the Villach and Villach-Land area.
Live further away? Please call anyway – we are happy to help arrange a referral.
“Better to call once too often.” — Ursula Ertl, chairwoman
Does the hedgehog really need help?
Not every hedgehog you see is an emergency. These two columns will help you decide in 30 seconds.
Probably not an emergency
- The hedgehog is out and about at dusk or at night, moving briskly, sniffing and eating.
- It rolls up and hisses when you come closer – being defensive is a good sign.
- You have found a nest with baby hedgehogs and the mother is still there: cover the nest as it was and watch from a distance for a few hours.
- A hedgehog is rustling in a pile of leaves or under bushes – it is setting up its shelter.
In that case: leave it in peace, keep your dog on a lead, put out a bowl of water – and enjoy the visit.
Please call immediately
- The hedgehog is out during the day or lying out in the open.
- It is injured, bleeding, limping or has been hit by a mower, dog or car.
- It seems listless or wobbly, or is lying stretched out flat.
- It is lying on its side – this is a warning sign too.
- You can see maggots (small white worms in the spines or in wounds).
- A baby hedgehog is alone and the mother has not come back for hours.
- A young hedgehog in late autumn looks very small, thin or bony.
If you are not sure, calling is always the right thing to do. A quick phone call costs nothing – a hedgehog rescued too late costs a life. Just describe what you see.
The most important warning signs
Does one of these apply? Then please call immediately.
Active during the day
A healthy hedgehog only comes out at night. If it shows itself during the day, something is usually wrong.
Visible injury
Open wounds, limping, blood – even small injuries can become infected quickly.
Listless / wobbly
Does not react when approached, lies flat or on its side, staggers or does not roll up.
Very light in late autumn
A young hedgehog that weighs clearly less than around 500 g from about mid-October often will not survive hibernation. This figure is a guideline, not a rule – please call.
Baby hedgehog alone
A small hedgehog without its mother, eyes possibly still closed – act immediately, do not wait!
Maggots
Small white worms in the spines or in wounds are always an emergency – this can be fatal within a day.
Why we do not give fixed weight limits
The often-quoted “500-gram rule” is a guideline for young hedgehogs in late autumn – and even then, weight alone says nothing about health. An emaciated animal weighing 800 g can be a seriously ill adult, while a lively young hedgehog weighing 450 g in September often just needs a good garden. That is why we say: always assess the individual case, never just the scales.
Expert guidance can be found at, among others, Pro Igel e. V. (in German) and the Igelzentrum Zürich (in German). This page is no substitute for veterinary advice.
Step by step
In this order – calmly, but without delay.
Observe, do not touch
Look from a distance: is the hedgehog injured? Is it lying flat or on its side? Is it staggering? Is it active during the day? These are the first warning signs.
- Keep children & pets away
- Watch from 1–2 m away, do not disturb
Place it safely in a cardboard box
Pick it up carefully with gloves or a towel. Put it in a tall, well-ventilated cardboard box with a cloth & a bowl of water.
- Box at least 40 cm high (otherwise it will climb out)
- Line it with an old towel or newspaper
- Place it in a warm, sheltered room
Provide warmth (if it is cold)
Weak, cold animals need warmth straight away. Place a lukewarm hot-water bottle or a plastic bottle filled with warm water under a towel.
- Warmth = lukewarm, NOT hot
- Warmth in one half of the box – the other half to move away to
Note down where, when and in what condition
So that we can decide quickly on the phone: where exactly was the hedgehog lying? Since when? What have you noticed? A photo taken with your phone often helps more than a long description.
- Exact place where you found it – also important for releasing it later
- Time and weather
- If possible: its weight on kitchen scales
Call immediately – do not feed it first!
Please do not feed it or give it milk until you have spoken to us on the phone.
Together with you, we decide whether the hedgehog comes to us, needs to see a vet or can stay outside. Do not give it anything beforehand – the wrong food can do more harm than good. A shallow bowl of water is always fine.
+43 650 269 97 10What you must never do
Even with the best intentions, you can make life hard for a hedgehog. These 9 things can be fatal.
The 9 don’ts
- Giving milk – hedgehogs cannot digest lactose: diarrhoea, life-threatening
- Fruit, nuts, cereals or bread – hedgehogs mainly eat insects
- Feeding worms or snails – they transmit dangerous lung and airway parasites
- Putting it in the sun – risk of overheating
- “Releasing” it too early without advice
- Forgetting it in the box in the car – heat!
- Bathing it – stress, chilling, pneumonia
- Cleaning it with cotton buds – injures eyes, ears and skin
- Deworming it yourself or giving medication – this always belongs in a vet’s hands
You can leave ticks and fleas where they are until we have spoken on the phone – a few more hours make no difference. Maggots, on the other hand, are an emergency straight away.
How to reach us
In an acute emergency, please always call. For questions, tips or photos you can also use the form.
Hedgehog emergency line
Emergency pickup is only available in the Villach and Villach-Land area.
Live further away? Please call anyway – we are happy to help arrange a referral.
SOS Igel in Not – Lehr- und Lernpfad Drautal
Schulstraße, 9710 Feistritz an der Drau, Carinthia, Austria
ursula_ertl@yahoo.com
You can reach us at weekends too. If nobody answers, we are probably busy with a hedgehog – please try again a little later.
Auskünfte erteilen wir gerne auf Deutsch und Englisch.
Information is available in German and English.
Would you rather write than call?
In an acute emergency, please always call. For questions, tips or pictures you can also use this form.
If in doubt: better to call once too often. — Ursula Ertl, chairwoman
+43 650 269 97 10