Bald hedgehog is rescued by animal charity after losing all its prickles

A bald hedgehog has been saved by an animal charity after it was found with no spikes.

Vets at the charity 'Prickles in a Pickle' discovered Ollie had ringworm and a bacterial infection which caused most of the prickles to fall out.

As a result, the animal's skin had crusted over, which caused bleeding around his mouth, and very few prickles remained. 

Ringworm and other infections and parasites haven't been killed off yet by the winter frost as would typically happen around this time of the year due to the warmer weather in the UK in recent months.

The creature has had a very slow recovery and is still not able to be released despite now being able to eat independently.

Ollie's unusual appearance has captured the attention of over 13 million people online, with many comments comparing him to a jacket potato, an avocado or a rolled up sock.

Judy Thomson, 66, co–founder of Prickles in a Pickle in Stoke Fleming, Devon, said: 'The crust around his face was so severe that he couldn't open his mouth to eat properly. Every time he opened his mouth, he bled. So it was very painful for him.' 

Similarly to human medicine, animals can grow resistant to veterinary treatments, meaning they have had to think 'outside the box' for Ollie.

Since his viral fame, Ollie has become the 'poster hog' for the charity's fundraising campaign and the 'absolutely global' posts of him have helped raise nearly £5,000 for the charity.

The charity costs Judy and her partner and co–founder Alan Pook £65,000 to £70,000 a year.

Seven years ago Prickles in a Pickle looked after about 40 hedgehogs every year from their home in Stoke Fleming, and now they take over 1000 hedgehogs a year, with up to 200 in residence at any one time.

Judy said: 'If you find a prickle–less hedgehog, it really does need help because it can't protect itself.

'British wildlife is just as important as any other wildlife in the world. It's our own little ecosystem and we need to start looking after it.

'Hedgehogs do not get seen out in the day unless they're poorly.

'There's only one exception, really, and that's a mum that's just about building her nest.

'Out in the day is not OK. If you're worried about anything, phone your local rescue. Support your local rescues.'