Its National Hedgehog Day...

[CRA1G]

Yep... National Hedgehog Day today 2/2/20... but it just made me think,I can't remember the last time I've seen one,not even splattered in the road..! I remember seeing them in the garden regularly as a kid and feeding them milk..

I blame Brexit...

[Equus]

Mmmmm.... baked hedgehog!

Whose bloody stupid idea was it to have National Hedgehog Day in February, though? They're all hibernating!?

[Zirconia]

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

You can help them along if you have the will. They need helping.

https://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk


Well worth the effort. But it means no weedkiller, no slug pellets or other poisons and cutting holes in fences.

[Zirconia]

Equus said:

Mmmmm.... baked hedgehog!

Whose bloody stupid idea was it to have National Hedgehog Day in February, though? They're all hibernating!?

Warm weather. Reports of lots waking up and looking for food. Cheap Tesco cat biscuits and a few quid for a box and you have a nice feeding station to help them along. Always leave out water in a shallow bowl.

[Who me ?]

Yep- my terrier is bothering the hole under the fence panel where harry/Harriet comes out. Regularly 10 C in back garden, so it 's a possibility. I'm in a quandry- to put out food or not, as putting out food near his/her hole means that if BOB( bloke or bird) is not active, we get cats galore and dog goes mental. I'd prefer dog to warn us when BOB makes an appearance.

[Equus]

Zirconia said:

Warm weather.

But presumably National Hedgehog Day is the same date every year?

We may be having unseasonably warm weather this year, but mostly they'll be nowhere to be seen.

It's like celebrating National Snowman Day in August...

[Zirconia]

Equus said:

Zirconia said:

Warm weather.

But presumably National Hedgehog Day is the same date every year?

We may be having unseasonably warm weather this year, but mostly they'll be nowhere to be seen.

It's like celebrating National Snowman Day in August...

Yeah, sorry, it was a mention for the "They're all hibernating!?" particularly for this year rather than in general.

No idea why they pick this time of year but there quite a few it seems popping up in the warmer weather looking for food and water and worth a mention to help them along. Most days have been around 8-11 degrees with me this Jan.

Another plug for the prickly pals help with useful info.
https://www.gracethehedgehog.co.uk/project-amazing...
A certain astronomer that can strum a geeetar is involved.

[Harpoon]

[quote=Who me ?]Yep- my terrier is bothering the hole under the fence panel where harry/Harriet comes out. Regularly 10 C in back garden, so it 's a possibility. I'm in a quandry- to put out food or not, as putting out food near his/her hole means that if BOB( bloke or bird) is not active, we get cats galore and dog goes mental. I'd prefer dog to warn us when BOB makes an appearance.
[/quote]

It's pretty easy to convert a plastic storage box into a hoggy feed station:

https://littlesilverhedgehog.com/2016/06/20/hedgeh...

I made a little feed house out of spare wood and with an extra log on the top, cats passing through overnight look but leave it alone.

Our prickly visitors have carried on all winter, so I stocked up on Sainsbury's dry kitten food at the weekend.

[Zirconia]

I am seeing tips now on leaving a shallow bowl of water at the entrance to feeding stations. Prevents Tiddles getting a free meal, seems to have worked on mine.

[Who me ?]

Harpoon said:

[quote=Who me ?]Yep- my terrier is bothering the hole under the fence panel where harry/Harriet comes out. Regularly 10 C in back garden, so it 's a possibility. I'm in a quandry- to put out food or not, as putting out food near his/her hole means that if BOB( bloke or bird) is not active, we get cats galore and dog goes mental. I'd prefer dog to warn us when BOB makes an appearance.

It's pretty easy to convert a plastic storage box into a hoggy feed station:

https://littlesilverhedgehog.com/2016/06/20/hedgeh...

I made a little feed house out of spare wood and with an extra log on the top, cats passing through overnight look but leave it alone.

Our prickly visitors have carried on all winter, so I stocked up on Sainsbury's dry kitten food at the weekend.

Harpoon- little terror has not found Harry/Harriet in garden, so I'm loath to put out food as we're plagued by cats and putting out food gets madam on patrol mode. If it's not gone into hibernation due to warm weather, it's possible that it's source of food -slugs etc are still there and it's a welcome visitor.

[kinabalu]

Despite the awful weather up here in Leeds it's been very mild so my prickly garden friends have been feeding at my doorstep nightly for the last 3 weeks now, cold spell coming so back into hibernation I reckon for a while.

[Who me ?]

Lexi ,my little JRT/Yorky cross has been very interested in the hole in fence that I think harry/Harriet comes out of, but in meantime we've got problems with a cat in season and male suitors. For ten years the cats have found that a 6ft fence gets them put of trouble, but now they've found that an angry JRT can jump 5ft +. I'd like to put dog food out for H+/- knowing that terror will only eat dog food to spite cats, but any semi ferals will see this as a source of food, and Madam hates cats.

[Gretchen]

I missed this thread. I took my neighbours Pygmy Hedgehogs in to work (care home) for National Hedgehog Day. Residents with dementia and other needs.

Luna and Suzy spent the day with me (I set up a pop up play pen) All residents loved them and had a cuddle, I even wrote up a care plan for them. Even a few people came to visit to see them, inc local school children. Definitely bringing them in again.