One of our less common rescues, meet Mrs Pocket, our hazel dormouse.
Mrs Pocket got her name as she was found building a nest inside a gardener’s jacket pocket!
Weighing only 6 grams, our vet team realised Mrs Pocket was too underweight to be able to safely go into hibernation and survive. Because of this, they made the decision that she would stay with Wildlife Aid over winter.
After just three weeks, Mrs Pocket had over doubled her weight! A fantastic sign that reassured our vets she would be able to hibernate shortly.
Mrs Pocket did in fact end up going into hibernation… for one day! Attempting the shortest dormouse hibernation ever, our vets were able to weigh her very easily, only for her to be awake the next day.
Eventually, when the temperature dropped, Mrs Pocket went back into hibernation, this time for longer than one day!
Mrs Pocket is currently still hibernating and is warm and safe here at the hospital. Dormice typically wake from hibernation between March and May, so we still have a while until Mrs Pocket awakes from her long slumber.
In the meantime, if you would like to learn more about dormice, take a look at our dormouse fact page.
When you donate you help towards the costs of looking after all the animals here at the hospital.
Could provide medicine for a sick animal
