A HEDGEHOG had a prickly problem when he became trapped in a smelly, slurry pit at a farm in Caernarfon.

RSPCA Cymru animal collection officer (ACO) William Galvin was called to a farm in Saron on Tuesday, (September 5) where the creature had managed to get wedged in the pit.

ACO Galvin said: “It’s unclear how this hedgehog managed to get into this fix! Perhaps he was a bit inquisitive or took an accidental tumble, but he ended up needing our assistance.

“The caller who reported this to us had tried to rescue him, but they were unable to free him successfully. Using a rescue pole I was able to catch him and lift him out. Luckily he was uninjured and was just covered in muck and - unsurprisingly - rather smelly!.

“This hedgehog was lucky he was spotted, although the poor thing had been there for a couple of days.”

Following the ordeal, the hedgehog was cleaned up and returned to the wild.

“It is not unusual for animals to get stuck in things like pits and cattle grids,” added ACO Galvin. “Some grids have ramps in them to allow an animal to climb back out.”

RSPCA Cymru offers hedgehog-friendly gardening tips to members of the public, They include:

Cover drains and holes and place bricks at the side of ponds to give hedgehogs an easy route out. Cover swimming pools overnight and when not in use.

Check for hedgehogs before using strimmers or mowers, particularly under hedges where animals may rest. Check compost heaps for nesting hogs before forking over.

Build bonfires as close to the time of lighting as possible and check them thoroughly before lighting.

Remove sports or fruit netting when not in use to prevent hedgehogs becoming entangled, and getting injured.

Slug pellets can poison hedgehogs and should only be used as a last resort. Instead, it is advised to try using one of many "natural" alternatives, like sprinkling crushed eggshells or coffee grounds around the plants.

For further advice on helping hedgehogs in your garden, please visit: https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/wildlife/inthewild/gardenhedgehogs. If you find an animal in distress please call our 24-hour helpline on 0300 1234 999.