Firstly, make sure you are safe from whatever is contaminating the hedgehog. rubber gloves are OK, but the prickles will pop through them, so we recommend a stout pair of old leather or garden gloves over the top of your rubber ones.

If you know what is covering your hedgehog, such as engine oil, paint, woodstain and it is safe to handle, you can have a go at cleaning him up.

If you suspect the substance may be toxic or harmful then seek professional help from a vet immediately.

The first thing to do is to check the hedgehog has none of the substance in his mouth or eyes, have a look at our “uncurling a hedgehog” video for some tips on how to do this.

If he has swallowed any, or has any in his eyes he will need to see a vet for some anti-poisoning therapy.

Do your best to remove the substance from nose, mouth and eyes with a dry cotton wool pad or cotton bud, be very gentle around the eye area and get to the vet ASAP.

If there is nothing in the eyes, nose or mouth and you simply have a case of non – toxic oily hedgehog, follow this procedure:

Get your gloves on

Top tip: thick engine oil or used cooking oil and gloss paint may need dissolving before you can clean it – get some cheap margarine (the cheaper the better) and smear it on the affected area, wrap the hedgehog loosely in a towel and let it melt before cleaning as below:

Knoxwood recommends Ark Original hedgehog food – buy it here! Knoxwood gets free food for every new customer order!