Introducing our newest addition to the McDiggery Clan - Cedric McDiggery. Please don't be disturbed by how he looks now, because he will be as good as new with handsome new quills growing back in no time.  He is almost completely naked today. He has a bad case of mange (contracted from pet cats and dogs) and it sounds like he may also have lung worm. Good news is that both are entirely treatable. Keep posted to watch the transformation. 

Cedric was rescued by the lovely Lilli from Sandringham who contacted Hedgehog Rescue New Zealand and they placed him in our foster care. If you come across a hedgehog like this that has a very strong unpleasant smell it is likely to have mange and Hedgehog Rescue New Zealand​ can give you some helpful advice on saving these beautiful beings from literally being eaten alive. 

This is baby Leila when we first collected her from NZ Bird Rescue. She was found by the SPCA earlier that day on the roadside being pecked at by magpies. No wonder she was very shy. Poor little baby. She was grateful for the security and warmth of McDiggery Hospital. She recovered from mange and a parasite infestation, and then spent a lot of time in our outdoor enclosure 'Hoggiton' learning how to be a big hedgehog.

Leila's favourite position in the McDiggery hospital - warming her little tummy on the hot-water bottle. Leila's nose was her foods favourite position :)

Here is our beautiful healthy girl on her release day. We have opened the doors of Hoggiton. Bon Voyage. Keep safe out there little sweetheart. 

Tonight we open the door at Hoggiton and give Leila-Hoggis McDiggery access to the big-wild world of Birkdale. We have had her since she was a baby, so it is tough letting go. 

Leila is a little home-body and unlike her other clan members (Hedgepig McD) she didn't once try to escape from her outdoor enclosure, so I am sure she will hang around our garden and we will continue to leave food and water out for her. 

Thanks to a very cool app we found on the internet, we were able to make our own official McDiggery Tartan using all the colours of the chakras. Now we are a proper McDiggery Clan! :)


Colours of the Chakras:
Sahasrara - White 
Ajna - Indigo 
Vishuddhi - Blue
Anahata - Green
Manipura - Yellow
Svadhisthana - Orange
Muladhara - Red

Bath time is not all it is made out to be in popular media (see left). This is the real deal. Unscripted, uncut. No make up artists or special effects. You will not find a single bubble or pair of sunglasses in sight.

Hedgehogs do not usually need to be bathed, but for 'personal reasons', Leila needed a little rinse this day. 

Thank you for my playhouse Helle and Pablo. Sorry to hear that you accidentally used your brand new tyre instead of the old one to make my house. But I love how the 'expensive' new tread gives me such superior grip hehe. Love from Leila-Hoggis McDiggery (Queen of the Castle).