Rescuers save bald hedgehog that lost all its prickles

By Georgia Cook

A bald hedgehog has been taken into care - because it has lost all its spines.

Ollie has been saved by charity Prickles in a Pickle after it was found with no spikes.

Vets discovered he had ringworm and a bacterial infection, which caused most of the spines to fall out.

Because of the warmer weather in the UK, ringworm and other infections and parasites haven't been killed off by the winter frost.

Ollie was covered in crusts making him bleed at the mouth and with very few spines left.

The creature has had a very slow recovery and is still not able to be released.

Some people have joked he looks like a baked potato or a rolled-up sock.

Judy Thomson, 66, co-founder of 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. So it was very painful for him.

"He's looking a lot better now. His skin is better and not as crusty.

"He's eating independently, maintaining his weight.

"Obviously, it's not ideal to have a wild animal in captivity for a long period of time. But as long as they're improving, that's okay."

Ollie's unusual appearance has captured the attention of over 13 million people online, with many comments comparing him to an avocado.

Judy said: "He's been likened to all sorts of objects, looking like he does.

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"Like a rolled-up sock or a very large potato.

"I posted a video for our volunteers, our 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. 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."

Similarly to human medicine, animals can grow resistant to veterinary treatments, meaning they have had to think "outside the box" for Ollie.

Ollie has now become the "poster hog" for the charity's fundraising campaign, and the "absolutely global" posts of him have helped raise nearly £5,000 ($6,710) for the charity.

The charity costs Judy and her partner and co-founder Alan Pook, 68, £65,000 to £70,000 ($87,230 to $93,940) per year from their home in Stoke Fleming.

Seven years ago Prickles in a Pickle looked after about 40 hedgehogs per year, now it takes in over 1,000 per year, with up to 200 in residence at any one time.

Judy said: "It's been absolutely phenomenal, and a fast learning curve.

"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.

"British wildlife is just as important as any other wildlife in the world. It's our own little ecosystem and we need to start looking after it.

"Hedgehogs do not get seen out in the day unless they're sick.

"There's only one exception, really, and that's a mom that's just about building her nest.

"Out in the day is not OK. If you're worried about anything, call your local rescue. Support your local rescues."