A child's glitter slime toy may seem harmless, but in Herne Bay, England, a discarded blob of it nearly cost a baby hedgehog her life after it hardened across her body and glued one eye shut.
Here's what to know
Found at the roadside on Aug. 11, the hedgehog — estimated to be about 3 months old and later called Sparkle — was coated in thick, gold-colored slime presumably from a discarded toy, according to Kent Online. By the time she was brought to the rescue charity Dottie's Little Hog Hospital in Herne Bay, she could barely move and was in critical condition.
In a Facebook post, Dottie's Little Hog Hospital founder Jo Hogbin said Sparkle had become "absolutely covered in the stuff."
The glittery material had glued one of Sparkle's eyes shut, and the charity believed it was likely toxic. Hogbin also described the slime as "sticky, thick, and setting fast" on the hedgehog's body.
After several baths and a short rest, Sparkle was free of the slime and is recovering, as reported by Kent Online. She will stay with the charity until adulthood and then be released into a hedgehog-friendly garden.
More background
The rescue said Sparkle's case was unfortunately not the only time things like this have happened to animals.
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Other cases mentioned by Kent Online included a 6-week-old hoglet with plastic lodged around its neck and five hedgehogs found covered in paint over roughly a month.
When local rescues have to devote resources to cleaning toxic substances off injured animals, those resources can't be directed to other rehabilitation work. Dottie's Little Hog Hospital is already caring for about 200 hedgehogs.
What can be done?
Sparkle's life was likely saved because a passerby saw her in the road and brought her straight to the charity.
People can also help hedgehogs, according to Kent Online, by putting out water or by offering meaty cat or dog food. Hedgehogs can't eat milk, bread, or fish-based pet foods because they can cause severe digestive problems.
If an animal appears injured or immobile, contacting a local wildlife rescue can help keep a bad situation from turning fatal.
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