Now that the days are beginning to warm up a little I’ve finally put Holly the hedgehog out in Herbie’s hutch to harden off and climatise to the big wild world again. When I found her last November she weighed 487 grams which was far too small to hibernate. She now weighs in at ……drum roll please……1159 grams. I’ll leave her in the hutch for a couple of weeks then just leave the door open one night and let her go free. She should be fine as we have a hedgehog house and she knows where the cat biscuits are, after all I did find her eating them!!!
Curly is most interested in the proceedings.
A quick peek at Herbie. He’s now had the claws on his back legs cut which makes it a lot easier for him to drag his back legs around. He’ll go back into the hutch once Holly is released.
Just look what the wind blew in at the rescue!
I can’t express how much I LOVE feeding the baby birds. They are toasty and warm, just like little hot potatoes! They flap their wings at me and shriek for their food. It’s amazing how much they can eat in one sitting.
Now that it’s had enough it sits on my hand like a little duckling! It has a face that only a mother, and me, could love!!!
The renovations are complete at the rescue which is a huge relief as it’s now baby bird season and lot’s of rabbits and guinea pigs are coming in. Just look at this young guinea pig that came in yesterday. I swear it looks just like a little lamb. It even feels woolly!
I’ve NEVER seen a guinea pig like it!
O.k……enough of the lamb/guinea pig pics!
In other news, the barn owl has been released by the guy who found it. He was amazed at how good it looked as it was lying lifeless on the ground when he found it. It flew off like a dream apparently. And… on the same day we released the ducks that came in last year as day old chicks. No-one expected these three animals to survive, so it really is a wonderful outcome. Now we have to start hardening 60 hedgehogs off in preparation for release…..
To my utter horror I went out today and found that the slugs had been nibbling my seedlings so I’ve covered them in eggshells to try and keep them at bay. Everyone’s going to be force fed eggs for the immediate future as my stash of crushed eggshells is running low.
I’m now able to have my own home grown salad leaves and herbs each day, they taste so fresh and beat supermarket lettuce hands down.
And finally…..have to dash as this overgrown herb garden is calling to me. No doubt I’ll be back in a few hours bent double and groaning.
Thanks Dessie, they only need a little tlc and food and water.xxxxx
Good to see the animals and plants thriving.
The animals are certainly lucky to have you around!
Ahhh, thanks Deb.xxxxx
Love the wooly lamb guineapig! Seriously endearing! 🙂 but all the creatures are beautiful and endearing really aren’t they? Your saladings look wonderful…. inspires me to start trying to grow things but there we go!
Sixty hedgehogs to release? Wow! That is a lot of hedgehog nurturing you’ve been doing… well done! It’ll be spring before we know it! xxxx
Lol….thanks Arose!
Maybe if you get a little more time in the future you could have a go at growing your own….
It is a really slow process releasing hedgehogs….and now it’s baby bird season…..xxxxx
I really would like a hedgehog or two (?) to come and eat all my slugs, maybe we should just drive down and come and collect one or two when they are ready! It is about 200 miles but hubs says we could do it. We have a largeish garden with several more around. There are not many around, we have seen one or two since we have lived here but there is lots of food and open ground. I would be quite happy to install a house in the garden. What do you think?
Your photos are fab! What is the chick?
That sounds like a wonderful plan. We usually release at the end of April when all chance of frost has past. Maybe a boy and girl…..so they can breed???
A hedgehog house or two would be great for them, they have plans on the BBC Gardener’s World website re how to build them. My neighbour built one for me and it’s great.
If you have shrubs it’s ideal, and if you have a pond you need a sloping edge or a plank to stop the hogs drowning, they are good swimmers but often get stuck getting out.
If you are interested, pm me or email….my email is on this site.
The chick is a wood pigeon.xxxxx
Oh I sympathise with the aching muscles. It’s been a glorious day down here, and I think I’ve overdone it somewhat!
Great to hear success stories with the rescues.
I’ll also be interested to hear how you get on with the eggshells.
Glad to hear you’re having good weather, it’s back to being cold and wet here so all work has ground to a halt which is rather nice on the back.
I’ll keep you posted on the success or not of the egg shells, they do usually work with only the odd casualty.xxxxx
Your Lamb GuineaPig looks like it is a curly coated GP cross. We have got a black and tan one called Charmaine. I love Guinea’s, my beautiful Abyssinian Cross is called Cookie. You are so lucky to have all these wonderful animals with you. xx
Ahha!!!! So that’s what it is!!! You’ll have to post pics of yours, they sound lovely…..do you have a curly coated one? I’m hopeless on the different breeds of rabbits and guinea pigs…..they sure do come in all shapes. colours and sizes.
It is lovely to have such an endless variety of animals around.xxxxx
That is a hilarious guinea pig – it’s mum must have been crossed with a sheep???!!! It must be sooooooooooo satisfying feeding the babies and knowing that their little lives are in your hands and they are flourishing as a result! I love the idea of force-feeding your family on eggs HA HA HA HA HA!!!
Lol…..it really is HILARIOUS!!! So fluffy looking, I can’t keep my eyes off it!
Ahhhhh….the babies. I LOVE to feed them and it gives me an excuse to hold them. They don’t stay babies long though, and all too soon their wild, which is a good thing.
Yes…..everyone is already egged out….omelettes tomorrow!!!xxxxx
I thought you’d been hatching those baby birds when I saw all the eggshells. It’s amazing how slugs are about already, I’d have thought it would be far too cold for them, but I’ve lost a couple of my broad bean plants, which are in pots in the greenhouse waiting to be planted out, to them. Such a nuisance. I’m so pleased to hear the success stories, the barn owl, and the ducks. Where do the rabbits and guinea pigs come from? Are they just unwanted pets? Such a shame.
Hahahahaha….I never thought of that re the eggshells!!!
Slug…..a plague on them. They seem to be around all year long.
Oh no…..how annoying to lose the broad beans, and so early in the season too!!! It doesn’t seem to matter what you do the slugs always beat the system.
Yes, the rabbits, guinea pigs etc are unwanted pets. Sometimes breeders dump unwanted animals outside the shelter. Usually as they get older.xxxxx
It is wonderful to read of your love and kindness to these different creatures. It certainly makes me more optimistic to read your posts. May it be a beautiful spring for you and all your loved ones.
Ahhh thanks Shimon.xxxxx
It’s great to read and see all that wildlife doing well thanks to you and others.
I like to see just one hedgehog as it’s been years since I last did sadly.
Good luck with the herb garden, which I see Curly is inspecting. xx
Would you like one of our hogs Flighty? we have 60 waiting to be released! Lol
It’s a shame you don’t get them but their numbers are decreasing each year.
Curly pokes her nose into EVERYTHING!!!xxxxx
You must be so pleased when a lovely bird like an owl survives and is released and for the tender care you give to all the animals – you will definitely get your reward in heaven. As for the gardening I agree it is bloomin hard work – you forget where your muscles are over the winter.
Awwww…thanks Elaine! I’m not sure about the heaven bit though….I can be a pain!!!
It was fantastic to see the owl go, we were all really worried as owls are really stressy in captivity and to make that worse we had to put eye drops in it’s eye each day which we thought may freak it out even more. But….there you go eh….wildlife can be tough, thank God!!!
Oh a curse on digging!!! I ache everywhere and am constantly wheezing!!!xxxxx
You know, before I read about your guinea pigs, I was sure I was looking at a little lamb, but couldn’t figure out how that could be! He/she is totally adorable! Think my cats would like to play with a little lamb???
That’s very exciting about the barn owl. My, it’s recovered quickly! All that TLC paid off. And hurray for home-grown salads! My mystery seedlings turned out to be French radishes… and not lettuce.
There you go!!!! It’s not just me who sees a miniature lamb. Isn’t it odd looking?????? And it really does feel woolly!!! Lol….I think your cats would LOVE to play with it….not sure the lamb is up for it though!
Oh my….French radishes???? amazing!!!xxxxx
Wonderful stories: Holly has done so well – Herbie doesn’t look as though he wants to move anywhere just yet! I think I could love those chicks, although they’re still bald and scruffy. And fantastic news about the barn owl; another success story.
Looking forward to seeing your herb garden transform with your hard work!
Lol….thanks Wendy. Y’know I have a feeling you may be right about Herbie. It’s lovely to see Holly on the road to release, she has no health issues so should be fine when she goes.
The chicks are funny looking, they still have their yellow downy feathering which makes them look even worse.
My herb garden has ground to a halt, the rain and cold are back! Shucks!!!xxxxx
The birds and hedgehog do have a certain je ne sais quoi. I’d be bothered if I thought I’d be sharing my biscuits with a hedgehog…what next! it tests the bounds of stroking and tickling behind the ears.
Lots of foodie things going on there. 😉
Hahahahahaha….I imagine Curly is MOST put out having to share. I was about to fill up her biscuit bowl and felt the hedgehog in the dark. Curly can’t harm them either so it must annoy her!
Lol…..tickling and scratching the hogs is most definitely OUT!!!!xxxxx
‘Holly the hedgehog out in Herbie’s hutch to harden off’ ~ Halleluiah and Hip-hip-hooray! What an uplifting post, other than the slug problem, that is! So happy to hear that Holly is doing so well, and that Herbie is too! What kind of baby birds are those? Your fluff-ball of a guinea pig looks very cuddly! Wonderful that the owl recuperated so well and how thoughtful to get the fellow who found it, set it loose. He must have been thrilled.
More back-breaking work in the garden…your hard work is putting me to shame. Good luck with the herbs, and those salad makings look so fresh and refreshing! Thanks for sharing the animals with us 🙂
Halleluiah and Hip-hip-hooray….hahahahahaha…I LOVE it!!!
The chicks are wood pigeon chicks, it’s odd how tame they are as chicks. The minute they learn how to feed themselves they become completely wild and loathe being around people. None of the other rescues will take them any more. We do well with them though and rarely lose one.
We called the guy who found the owl so he could take it back to the same spot where it was found. He was very emotional when releasing it having saved it’s life, he didn’t think it would live the night.
The guinea pig is gorgeous isn’t it? I’ve never seen one like that before.
Lol….it’s a shame gardening has to be so damn painful isn’t it!xxxxx
All of your rescues and each of your kindnesses offers so much to our earth, and I’m so grateful, Snow Bird. Each is so precious, and necessary. Thank you for caring and for giving so unselfishly of your time.
I still haven’t learned slugs’ value to the world. I’ve used beer traps and eggshells, and seashells, and would spend the night beside my gardens howling at the moon if I thought it would encourage slugs (and not just neighbors) to leave the area…good luck to your sweet seedlings..and always, your back!
Awwwww thanks Catherine. I agree that each of these creatures are precious and it’s a pleasure to be able to help them. I have so much fun feeding the chicks, they are adorable.
Hahahahaha….slugs….I too would howl at the moon to get shut of them…..we even have a frog living in the greenhouse and still they manage to sidestep it and gobble the tops of my seedlings!!!xxxxx
Those chicks are so ugly, but so adorable at the same time lol! I hope Holly’s enjoying herself outside again, she’s probably made up with all the spiders and beetles to choose from! xx
Lol….yes, they don’t have the most appealing faces do they.
Holly is happy as Larry outdoors, the hutch was full of slugs when I put her out, not a one to be seen now!xxxxx
You certainly care for these little vulnerables…..Herbie’s dpoing really fine…as are thee others. Thanks for sharing these images D! Hugs! :)xx
Thanks Ell, yes, all the critters are thriving, just the way I like it!!!xxxxx
Awwww, little Herbie is just gorgeous xxxxx
Isn’t he just. It will be great when he goes outdoors and can feel grass under his feet again.xxxxx
So many dear little creatures in your care. It must be very rewarding to see them recover and then fend for themselves. Your little salad looks delicious. I bet it does taste way better than anything you could get in a store. Good luck with taming the overgrown herb garden.
Thanks Jennifer. It’s such a thrill to see wildlife go back to where they belong.
My salad is gorgeous, really crunchy and tasty. Whenever I buy supermarket salad I’m always surprised at the fact it doesn’t wilt, and I wonder what goes into it. Fresh salad wilts really quickly.
I’ve not got far with the herb garden….xxxxx