A bald hedgehog named Ollie is slowly recovering in Devon after a severe infection stripped him of nearly every prickle.
Judy Thomson, 66, co-founder of the rescue charity Prickles in a Pickle in Stoke Fleming, Devon, said the crust around his face was so severe that he couldn’t open his mouth to eat properly. Every time he opened his mouth, he bled, she added, making it very painful for him.
Vets discovered Ollie had ringworm and a bacterial infection that caused most of his prickles to fall out. The creature was covered in crusts and left with very few spikes, leaving him unable to protect himself in the wild.
Thomson wrote on social media that Ollie is looking a lot better now, his skin is better and not as crusty, and he’s eating independently and maintaining his weight. Obviously, it’s not ideal to have a wild animal in captivity for a long period of time, she continued, but as long as they’re improving, that’s okay.
The warmer weather in the UK has meant ringworm and other infections and parasites haven’t been killed off by the winter frost, contributing to cases like Ollie’s. Similarly to human medicine, animals can grow resistant to veterinary treatments, meaning the charity has had to think outside the box for his care.
Ollie’s unusual appearance has captured the attention of over 13 million people online, with many comments comparing him to an avocado. Thomson noted he’s been likened to all sorts of objects, looking like he does, like a rolled-up sock or a very large potato. Some people have joked he looks like a jacket potato or a rolled up sock.
Thomson posted a video for the charity’s volunteers, followers, and the public to see what a prickle-less hedgehog looked like. Of course, it’s not something that you would see every single day, she said. I mean, a hedgehog’s not something that you see every single day, sadly. They look so different that somebody might not even know what it is.
The absolutely global posts have helped raise nearly £5,000 for the charity, and Ollie has become the poster hog for their fundraising campaign.
The charity costs Thomson and her partner and co-founder Alan Pook, 68, £65,000 to £70,000 per year to run from their home in Stoke Fleming. Seven years ago Prickles in a Pickle looked after about 40 hedgehogs per year; now they take over 1,000 per year, with up to 200 in residence at any one time.
It’s been absolutely phenomenal, and a fast learning curve, Thomson said. This gets people talking about hedgehogs and thinking about the wider picture. If you find a prickle-less hedgehog, it really does need help because it can’t protect itself.
Thomson emphasized that British wildlife is just as important as any other wildlife in the world, calling it our own little ecosystem that we need to start looking after. She urged the public to remember that hedgehogs do not get seen out in the day unless they’re poorly, adding that there’s only one exception, really, and that’s a mum that’s just about building her nest. Out in the day is not OK, she said. If you’re worried about anything, phone your local rescue. Support your local rescues.
The charity continues to care for Ollie as his recovery progresses, with no immediate timeline for his release back into the wild.