14/03/2024
Hi All.
Post from 2022.Black Bin bags Reminder.
Today i want to remind you of the dangers to hedgehogs leaving black bin liners filled with rubbish in your gardens,whether opened or tied up they are a hazard to hedgehogs.
Please keep them off the ground.
A black bag filled with rubbish to a hedgehog is a place to hide and nest and give birth,as it a compost bag,or grobags.
In 2022 i had a call from a lady,on opening the big wheelie bin to throw her bag in,as it was collection day there was a Mum,laid out she was so dehyrated,and deflated,and suckling 3 babies as you can see.πͺπͺ
She had been stuck in a black bag for days,no water or food,thrown in the bin in a closed black bag left outside,and clawed her way out of the bag as you can see she must have been frantic to dig her way out to get to where she was in picture at the top of the bin she was exhausted.
Getting Bindy Mum and her babies out of the situation she was i had to be so careful ,as you know contact with mum and babies,can cause so much stress to them, but i had to do it they all needed help,and hoped she would not be agressive or harm her babies.
She was so weak herself.
Monitoring her regularly during the the first days she and babies were here,in case she showed signs of harming or killing them and reject them.
But she was an amazing mum,she cared for them,she was so attentive,and as days went on,i felt that i could check her and she wasn't threathened by my approach,as like any carer we know when and when not to.
Bindy Mum fed them until they were around 250gs .Then it was my turn to give her a rest and started to wean them,and they would still suckle if needed.OMG the experience of watching hoglets feed is such a priveledge.
Mum and babies did amazing and all released.
If the lady that day never opened the bin to put her rubbish bag in then sadly they would all have been chucked into land fill.
NO ONE KNEW SHE WAS IN THE BAG,WHY WOULD YOU.
SO THIS IS WHY I AM MAKING YOU AWARE.
DONT LEAVE YOUR RUBBISH BAGS OUTSIDE,IF YOU HAVE A WHEELIE BIN PUT IN STRAIGHT IN THEM,OR SHUT THEM AWAY UNTIL YOU CAN SAFELY GET RID.
PLEASE help our HEDGEHOGS.