Girl performs CPR to rescue 2-inch newborn baby hedgehog — and then raises it at home
Something is fascinating about watching the process of a newborn animal grow. From being entirely dependent on the caretaker to a self-sufficient individual of its own, it is a remarkable journey to witness. The video of this exceptional development process was shared on the Reddit community, @r/BeAmazed, where an unidentified girl raised a helpless hoglet into a grown hedgehog. The impactful clip has garnered 40000 upvotes so far.
The rescue began with crucial steps, including CPR to revive the newborn and blankets to provide warmth to its body. Since the animal was microscopic and its eyes had not yet opened, the girl hand-fed it using a syringe. During the initial days, she even used a plastic spoon to pick up the tiny hoglet and lay it on its bed before nap time. It takes around six to seven weeks for the development of a hedgehog; the video captured the complete journey of the animal’s growth.
The montage of clips set to a catchy music featured the development of quills on its back, the enlargement of its body, and the anthropomorphism of the hoglet: enjoying quality time watching television and dressing up while meandering in the garden of her house.
The viral video gained traction from thousands of people who shared their differing opinions. Some were in complete awe of the animal's growth, while some raised concerns about dressing the animal in human clothes. “I was loving this video until the clothes and glasses, and shoes came out. That’s when ‘rescue’ became a play, thinking it’s a toy,” shared @u/AimeeMonkeyBlue. “Oh my gosh, he is adorable. You should screenshot the image of him in your palm and just send it to people who need a pick-me-up. He looks like he is in love,” said @u/vikegirl. “Those huge tiny glasses made my day,” @u/LaserGadgets chimed in.
According to Reports, the reason why hoglets are abandoned is either their nest getting disturbed by external factors or their mother abandoning them. They are then rescued by people or animal shelters. In severe cases, if the mother dies, then the children are taken in by the animal shelters to ensure their growth. Probably, this African Pygmy hoglet might have faced either problem and ended up under the care of the girl, who seemed more than happy to protect this little animal. The transition of this hoglet into a hedgehog is a remarkable feat achieved by her. A recent report by the BBC highlighted that four abandoned hoglets that were rescued by a local animal shelter died under their watch.
It is extremely difficult rearing these minute animals, which weigh as much as a ketchup sachet roughly. Hoglets need to be fed every two hours to maintain strength in their bodies. Additionally, proper temperatures of the surroundings must be maintained to ensure that the animals are warm enough. All these conditions are to be maintained throughout the period of six to seven weeks. Any changes might lead to their death. The woman’s remarkable job is truly worth applause as she not only rescued but also raised a fully grown hedgehog from just a "teeny-tiny pink bug" that she found in her house.