Hetty survived the night

Well that's good news. I didn't know what I was going to come down to this morning. A dead hedgehog? An escaped hedgehog? A hedgehog that had clawed my sofa and broken into the fridge to help herself to chicken?

All these thoughts and many others had crossed my mind.

What I came down to was a fast asleep hedgehog in a bed of leaves lying next to the fire. So far, so good. Except she doesn't roll into a ball, which, perhaps isn't so good. That's why the photo today is of the old wooden apple box that Hetty now lives in - Hetty has not got out of bed for a photoshoot!

You wouldn't believe how much there is to learn about taking care of a hoglet. I feel like a new Mum all over again. What with regular feeding, checking they're ok and cleaning out poo.

Of course my daughter is delighted, being a bit of a Doctor Doolitle / animal whisperer herself. When she came home yesterday evening she sat by Hetty's box for an hour until her little black snout appeared for food.

Then I had an excited, animated talk through of Hetty's every movement and a list of likes and dislikes surrounding food.

The cat seems totally disinterested in Hetty I'm pleased to say, but animals have come and gone throughout her 15 years, so she's used to another guest turning up unannounced at the dinner table.

Since I went to bed last night, Hetty ate 10 gms of chicken, so her appetite has slowed down already. This morning I haven't seen her, but we have heard her snuffling around, so all is well I think.