Diary of a Home Ed Novice: Farewell Hedgehogs

I only have time for a quick one this evening, - but yes, it's true... after many months (more than I expected) of caring for Midge and Squidge, our rescued juvenile hedgehogs, they have finally been rehabilitated fully back into the wild. Unfortunately I didn't manage to get any more photos of them as I was obviously trying not to handle them too much - and on both the nights when they 'left home', I waited until they'd each come out of their house for some food, then removed the rabbit run so they could make their way to freedom, but both times they hid in their homes when I approached (which is a good thing really) and then waited until I had given up before coming out and pootling off into the night. Sigh. I miss them a bit now - but I'm keeping the hedgie houses in the garden in case Squidge (or any other local female) wants to build a nest... now wouldn't that be lovely! And of course, I'm still putting hedgehog food out every night, in the hope that we might spot a visitor. You may not know this, but apparently the hedgehog is declining in numbers as fast as the tiger! So I reckon my little efforts did make a difference, and I'm really glad we did it!
The boys were all a bit sad that Midge and Squidge have gone back to the wild.. most especially Youngest. He really got attached to them being there (even though he hardly ever saw them). In fact, he decided that he wanted to make a lap-book about hedgehogs - which tied in nicely with this week being hedgehog awareness week - so that is what we did. It's only his second ever lapbook, but he kept up his enthusiasm over the three days that it took to create - and he and I are both so thrilled with the finished article - I just have to share it here... (Grandma & Grampie, look away, or pretend you've never seen it before when we see you at the weekend!)
PS cute hedgehog graphi courtesy of the excellent Activity Village

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