Oversized Hedgehog Hercules Rescued After Getting Stuck in Shed Door

Hercules, a hedgehog weighing 3.3lbs, recently escaped a tight squeeze in a shed door. The animal, roughly the size of a football, ended up at Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire. Volunteers noted his bulk immediately. It is nearly double the weight of a standard adult hedgehog.

The rescue happened because the heavy mammal got caught in a closing door. Tiggywinkles staff took him in for a health check and monitoring. They watched him recover before giving him the all-clear to return to the wild. A spokesperson explained the context. Hedgehogs naturally pack on fat reserves now to survive winter hibernation. Finding so much food is a good sign for Hercules.

There is a risk with such size, though. A hedgehog that cannot roll into a ball loses its primary defense mechanism. Hercules, however, is fine. His ability to find abundant food sources drove his weight gain. He has been released ahead of his winter sleep.

This rescue follows closely on the heels of another unusual case. Ollie, a bald hedgehog, was saved by the charity Prickles in a Pickle. He arrived with no spikes. Vets diagnosed ringworm and a bacterial infection. The illness caused most of his prickles to fall out. His skin crusted over, leading to bleeding around his mouth. Very few spikes remained.

Warmer weather in the UK recently has kept parasites and infections alive. Winter frost usually kills them off by this time. Ollie’s recovery has been slow. He can eat independently now but cannot be released yet. His appearance went viral. Over 13 million people saw posts online. Comments compared him to a jacket potato, an avocado, or a rolled-up sock.

Judy Thomson, 66, co-founded Prickles in a Pickle in Stoke Fleming, Devon. She described Ollie’s condition. The crust around his face was severe. He could not open his mouth to eat properly. Every time he tried, he bled. It was very painful.

Veterinary treatments face resistance, much like in human medicine. The team had to think outside the box for Ollie. His fame helped the charity. He became the "poster hog" for a fundraising campaign. Global posts raised nearly £5,000. The charity costs Judy and her partner, co-founder Alan Pook, between £65,000 and £70,000 a year.

Seven years ago, they cared for about 40 hedgehogs annually from their home. Now, they take over 1,000 hedgehogs a year. Up to 200 are in residence at any one time. Judy urges people to act if they find a prickle-less hedgehog. Such animals cannot protect themselves.

British wildlife is just as important as any other ecosystem on the planet. We need to look after it. Hedgehogs do not come out during the day unless they are ill. There is one exception. A mother building her nest might be seen. Otherwise, daytime activity is a red flag. If you are worried, phone your local rescue. Support your local rescues.