Unit 9, Lower Soldridge Business Park, Soldridge Road
GU34 5JF Medstead, Hampshire
Hours 08:00 - 20:00
Why fly eggs are so dangerous to hedgehogs.
Removal of fly eggs and larvae from a hedgehog.
Fly eggs can quickly be fatal. A terrible end.
Understanding and being alert to this is vital in saving so many hedgehog lives. It is essential to act immediately and correctly,
to avoid very serious consequences.
When rescuing an injured or extremely debilitated hedgehog, the most important thing is to check thoroughly if there are any
fly eggs or fly larvae.
They appear as white piles inserted between the spines, between the hair and, even more dangerously, on a wound, on the ears, eyes, mouth and genitals.
If so, the hedgehog should be immediately brought to a vet.
​
For every moment lost the chances of saving him drop.
Once laid, especially if the weather is hot, the eggs will hatch in just a few hours.
This hedgehog made a full recovery
Betadine 10% solution
The larvae begin to eat the meat of the hedgehog until it's death which occurs after a long and painful agony.
If a recovery by the authorities is not possible in a very short time, here's what to do to try to save our specimen.
​
Use an old dry toothbrush or well-cleaned Rimmel, pads and cotton swabs, tweezers and Betadine 10% solution (disinfectant) or hydrogen peroxide.
Try to brush away the eggs/larvae being careful not to spread them further on the hedgehog.
​
Soaking a hedgehog with eggs and larvae in water can make things worse.
The eggs or fly larvae can get mixed with water and finish up anywhere on the hedgehog.
The contamination, at this point, would be disastrous.
Remove as many of the larvae as much as possible, then take immediately to a vet.
​
With tweezers, continue removing the larvae.
When we seem to have cleaned well, spray with disinfectant (attention to the eyes).
The larvae will continue to come out of the wounds: repeat the action several times.
Ears, eyes, mouth and genitals are the most difficult areas to clean, and also the most dangerous for the hedgehog.
A specific and highly effective drug that only a veterinarian can administer should be used.
This is why the fast delivery of the infected hedgehog to an expert is so important.
This hedgehog has fully recovered.
In hot months, in cases of a wounded or debilitated hedgehog, an anti-fly veil can protect it.
Insulating it from flies and quarantining the hedgehog's container is important.