Two hedgehogs met a cat and were completely bald because of severe fright
On the street of Bridlington, East Yorkshire, a passerby found two strange creatures.
Looking closely, he realized that they were actually hedgehogs, but completely bald, without thorns. And in this state, they are easy prey for any predator from owls to foxes.
Hedgehogs, who were most likely brothers, were named Charlie and Snoopy. A passerby took them to the shelter of the Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary.
Initially, the orphanage believed that hedgehogs were bald at birth. Very rarely, but this happens due to a genetic mutation. But then they assumed that it was all about the severe shock suffered in early childhood. It is possible that hedgehogs met a cat or fox and dropped all their needles out of fright. It also happens.
«They are still very young and probably recently left their nest. We don’t know, maybe bald hedgehogs wander somewhere else, or maybe only these two managed to survive,» says volunteer Alexander.
To help hedgehogs grow thorns again, they began to be fed with food with the addition of vitamins with iron. But it’s not yet clear if it will help. If hedgehogs never grow thorns, they are likely to spend their whole lives in an orphanage. In the wild without thorns, they are completely defenseless against any danger.
