Baby hedgehog treated by vets after being found weighing only 16 GRAMS

A charity have been left with no choice but to feed a tiny hoglet through a canula after he was found weighing the same as half a lightbulb with bruises and an open wound.

Tiny hoglet Sherlock was brought in to Cornish hedgehog rescue sanctuary Prickles and Paws weighing just 16g - the same weight as half a lightbulb - with bruising and an open wound.

With Sherlock being just 24 hours old, volunteers at Prickles and Paws believe the hoglet's nest was disturbed with his mum injuring him as she abandoned the wreckage.

The disturbed nest was found in a garage where the owners discovered Sherlock, as well as one dead sibling, and rushed the tiny injured hoglet to the sanctuary.

Since arriving at Prickles and Paws in Cubert, near Newquay, last Wednesday [22], Sherlock had been struggling to feed from the teats at the sanctuary due to his small size but started feeding well thanks to a donated catheter.

The determined little hoglet had been showing progress and has been spending most of his time in an incubator cuddled up with fellow hedgehog residents, Pinky and Perky, but started struggling again yesterday and is now being fed via a canula.

A spokesperson for Prickles and Paws said: "His wound is healing but he was struggling to feed from the teats we have as he is so tiny.

"Sadly, with newborns, it’s not uncommon for the mums to abandon if disturbed or stressed in any way.

"Thanks to Penmellyn donating a catheter to try, he started feeding well and is snuggled up in an incubator with Pinky and Perky.

"Sadly, yesterday afternoon, Sherlock deteriorated a little and is now not taking feeds well.

"We’ve been feeding using a canula which was working well for him as our usual hoglet teats were too small.

"It is going to be very touch and go for him as success rates in neonates isn’t good.

"The chances for one so young are never good but we try. His injuries and the fact he may not have had any colostrum from mum lower his chances further.

"Sadly, it’s not looking like his story will have a happy ending, but we will do what we can for him."