On her walk home from work, Hollie Warren saw something peculiar on a chilly, rainy day. Warren wasn’t really sure what it was, but she felt she ought to assist.
She did just that, then.
“At first I had no idea what it was, and started Googling ‘rodents in New Zealand,’” Warren told The Dodo.
She knelt down and scooped the small animal, who resembled a wet, bumpy rock, into her hands.
“I saw that she had some quills on her back, and realized she was a hedgehog,” Warren said.
Except, she didn’t quite look like a typical hedgehog. Her health had taken an obvious toll. Warren sprang into action to help save the hedgehog’s life.
Warren added, “I knocked on some random house to beg for a loan of a towel, and they gave me one so I could walk the remaining distance home. After getting home, I tried to call a rescue, but they were already very busy and looking for foster families for other hoggies, so I offered to take care of her.
Warren was informed by the rescue that Nugget, the hedgehog she named, had mange. Small mites that burrow into the skin and create a rash, itching, and quill loss are the source of the ailment. The good news is that people like Nugget may fully recover with the right care.
Warren stated that a different volunteer had administered a couple shots for her mange. Following that, “it’s kitten food, water, and I constantly replace her hot water bottle beneath her box to keep her warm to prevent her from trying to hibernate, as well as oil baths to stimulate quill growth.”
Because they soothe her rough, itchy skin, Nugget, who resembles a little avocado, enjoys taking oil baths.
Here you may see Nugget’s remarkable development:
@hollieakala Watch her glow up with me 🤗 this is her 2 week transition and it’s absolutely amazing. Can’t wait to see her first lot of quills start to grow 😍 #hedgehogsoftiktok #hedgehog #nuggetthehog #hedgehogrescue #fyp ♬ Calm – Relaxing Music
Warren doesn’t have any other pets at the moment, so she’s able to give Nugget her full attention. The small but mighty hedgehog with the “chill” personality will be released into the wild when all of her quills grow back.
Still, Nugget’s short time in her foster mom’s life changed life for the better.
Warren said, “Having to take care of her has given me more of a sense of purpose. “Watching her progress on a daily basis has made me understand how much responsibility, but also how enjoyable, dogs are,” the author said.
0 Comments