The largest hedgehog we have ever seen!
Snorlax arrived at our hospital in a terrible state. The average hedgehog weighs around 600g. However, Snorlax tipped the scales at over 2.3kg! This morbidly obese hedgehog was just a few grams shy of the heaviest weight ever recorded of a European hedgehog.
When he arrived, our vet team quickly discovered his claws were extremely overgrown and curling inwards, making it very difficult for him to walk. In addition to this, he had weeping sores on his chest, as he was too large to groom himself.
Sadly, it is believed he was kept in captivity for almost two years, after he had previously been released by another wildlife rescue. It is illegal to take a European hedgehog from the wild, and it is impossible to provide them with everything they need in captivity, therefore, capturing these animals is cruel.
Our wonderful vets got to work by trimming his claws to the correct length, cleaning his sores and putting him on a specialist diet to help him lose weight safely. With an animal this obese, his weight must be monitored every day to ensure he doesn’t lose weight too quickly, which can be fatal.
Once his wounds have healed and he reaches a healthier weight, Snorlax will be moved to a large, secure enclosure where he can begin rebuilding his natural foraging instincts. During this time, he’ll be observed remotely to ensure he is displaying normal wild behaviours.
If you’re wondering about his name – he was named after the beloved, large sleeping Pokémon, Snorlax.
Snorlax will be with us for a while until he is fit to return to the wild, however, we wish him all the best on his weight-loss journey!
If you would like to help Snorlax and other hedgehogs, please, consider adopting a hedgehog today.
Click on the adoption button below and become a hedgehog adopter today.
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
