HE/SHE IS BACK! Help needed any advise helpfully! Story attached
Hello Everyone!
Two days ago I posted about this little hedgehog that suddenly appeared in my room, I asked about it here and it was revealed to me he would not survive the winter below 600 to 650 gramms. I found him to be about 370 gramms.
While I was still researching in a diffrent room since I fed him cat food and wanted to leave him be as to not stress him out my sister kicked him out after ChatGPT said he'd be fine because he's 'acting normal'
Me and my neighbor were looking all night last night hoping to find him without success.
Now this night just a couple minutes after I was outside my neighbor called saying he found him! I couldn't believe it, but its actually the little guy, weight confirmed it. He's now again within my care.
Ive been suggested to hand him over to a rescue, unfortunately within my range there's only two that take in hedgehogs and both are very overrun and dont take in any animals anymore.
By law im allowed to keep him over the winter but have to release again when hibernation is over, atleast that what I think what it means because it just says you can't keep them 'permanently' not that I wanted to do that anyways.
So now that it looks like he'll stay with me during the winter I have a bunch of questions id like answered as soon as possible, since I can't ask the rescues until Monday because everything is closed during Sundays. (Not that I won't try to reach them)
So here's my questions.
What would the ideal setup look like?
Can I feed him solely on cat food or is it more of a substitute to what he should actually be eating?
What should he be fed if cat food is not a permanent solution?
Do i give him access to as much food as he wants to eat until hibernation or should it be twice a day like with a cat or dog?
Do i still feed him during hibernation?
How do I tell if he went into hibernation or not?
What are signals for disease i should look out for?
What is the right time to release him again?
Also, ill take name suggestions, my sister named him/her Fred but after throwing him out I think she's lost all rights to name him or her.
Is it possible to figure out the gender without disturbing them much?
Thank you for all and any help you guys can give