Every year, Vale Wildlife Hospital cares for hundreds of orphaned, injured, or underweight hedgehogs—many of them just days old. These tiny hoglets require round-the-clock care and a carefully managed journey from helpless infant to healthy, independent hedgehog. Here’s how staff at Vale help each one along the path to recovery – and why the right nutrition plays such a crucial role.
Early Days – Intensive, 24-Hour Care
Very young hoglets are often cared for by a dedicated member of staff, who takes them home when not on duty to ensure they receive constant support. In the early stages of life, hoglets are blind, deaf, and entirely dependent on warmth, feeding, and stimulation – needs that would typically be met by their mother in the wild.
Hoglets are kept in incubators to help regulate their body temperature, as they’re unable to do so themselves. Staff feed them a milk substitute every 2–3 hours from early morning through to late at night.
Hoglets are grouped together in small litters of similar size and age for companionship and comfort – usually four or five, though larger litters are kept together if they arrive as a group.
Transition to Solids – Sloppy Food and Soaked Biscuits
As hoglets grow stronger, their feeding routine begins to shift. Staff start to introduce a soft blend of wet dog food mixed with water to create a slurry that’s easy for the hoglets to lap up. They will still receive milk during this stage, though less frequently.
At this point, Vale’s™ Hedgehog Food is gradually introduced—first soaked to soften the kibble and ease the transition to solid food. This specialist food is designed to deliver a carefully balanced mix of protein, fats, and vitamins, giving growing hoglets exactly what they need to build strength and maintain healthy development.
Caroline Gould, Founder of Vale Wildlife Hospital, explains:
“Feeding hedgehogs the right food can genuinely change their lives. That’s why Vale’s Hedgehog Food is such an important part of their recovery.”
Moving On – Independence Begins
Once a hoglet reaches around 120 grams, it is ready to move from the incubator into a cage in the hospital’s Brooder Room. At this stage, milk feeds stop entirely – hedgehogs are naturally lactose intolerant, though this only becomes a concern once they’re juveniles.
The focus now is on encouraging natural feeding behaviours. Hoglets eat independently and are offered a combination of mashed-up dog food and dry Vale’s™ Hedgehog Food, which provides essential nutrients to support continued growth.
Final Stages – Preparing for the Wild
At approximately 200 grams, hoglets are transferred to the Small Mammal Room, where human interaction is reduced, and they are given more space to develop natural behaviours. Here, they continue to be weighed daily and are fed a mixture of cat or dog food and Vale’s™ Hedgehog Food biscuits.
The final step before release is a move to Vale’s Hog Unit – a purpose-built, outdoor space with no heating. This helps hedgehogs acclimatise to natural temperatures and conditions in preparation for life in the wild. Weight checks become weekly at this stage, and hedgehogs are monitored to ensure they are curling properly, eating well, and maintaining a healthy condition.
Release – A New Start
When the time is right, hoglets are released – ideally back into the area where they were originally found, provided it is safe. By this point, they are well-nourished, independent and ready to return to the wild.
Some hoglets may stay at Vale for several months, depending on their condition and the time of year they are admitted. Throughout their entire rehabilitation, nutrition remains a critical part of their care.
Why Vale’s Hedgehog Food Matters
From the first soaked biscuits to the final meals before release, Vale’s™ Hedgehog Food supports hedgehogs at every stage of their recovery. Specially formulated by wildlife experts, it avoids harmful ingredients like mealworms and provides a complete, balanced diet tailored to hedgehogs’ unique needs.
Whether caring for hoglets in a hospital setting or supporting wild hedgehogs in gardens across the UK, providing the right food can make all the difference.
With Vale’s™ Hedgehog Food, saving a hedgehog’s life truly starts with what’s in the bowl.
