Not a good day...

Been one thing after another, firstly, I put the uneaten hedgehog food dish out under the bush by the kitchen window, so that Jakey the Blackbird could eat it. Looked out about 11.30am to see a small hedgehog in the dish. Oh no. For those who don't know about hoggies, if you see one out in daylight, it means it's probably not at all well. So I went out and could see before I even got there that he was shaking and wobbly. Picked him up and he didn't even attempt to curl up, his eyes were only just open, and he was very cold. Brought him indoors, out with the heat pad, put in carry box with towels and food. I weighed him, 350gms, and he measured only 19cms. Couldn't see anything actually wrong with him though but did seem a bit dehydrated.

Anyway to cut a long story a bit shorter, phoned the lovely lady who is my nearest hedgehog rescue, I took one to her about 3 years ago, and she said to bring him over. Was 34 miles door to door, but it was in his best interests, as she has all the facilities there and medicines etc. After examining him and getting some fluids down him, she was checking to see if he had any ticks, and found a wound by his ear, looked the other side, and there was an even bigger one on the other side. Poor little bugger, something had obviously tried to pick him up by the head, and bitten him. We suspect cat or maybe next door's dog, I have my suspicions about both possibilities. Prospects of him making it not bright, but she promised to let me know, if he hadn't improved overnight, she would take him to the vets tomorrow.

Next, on the way home, an imbecile farmer-type in his land rover hit a beautiful cock pheasant on the edge of the road. He only had to brake slightly or turn his wheel about an inch to avoid, but made no attempt to do so, the poor thing was practically on the grass verge, but just got caught. I stopped and got out and he was still alive, couldn't see any breakages in legs or wings, and I held him to me and tried to soothe him, but after about 3 or 4 minutes, he did the death-flap and died in my arms, I was bloody distraught, lots of cars passed by whilst I was there and gave me looks as if I shouldn't have stopped where I did. Well tough shit. I can't just ignore things like that I'm afraid. I carried him over the bank and buried him under some leaves in a wood, to stop anything else being run over whilst they preyed on his poor body.

My mum not been doing too well. She's not eating, not drinking, and has been sleeping in the living room chair for two days by the sound of it. She really needs some care and help but it's like bashing your head against a brick wall trying to get anything done by her council, the doctors don't want to know, nor do the carers. I am going to ring Age Concern tomorrow and see if they can help. Why did this have to happen when I have the farm to do, another 20 days yet. I have the number of someone else who can step in to do a couple of days but I need to go up there for a couple of weeks by the seems of it and start chucking my weight about a bit, maybe they will take notice then. Grrrrr. Bloody authorities.

Anyway, pics of the little hoggy, fingers crossed for him. and a bit gruesome, the poor dead pheasant. :(