hedgehogs - out of hibernation yet?
Discussion
just wondering if anyone has yet seen any this year?
mine are still in their 'houses'
i had to place a late juvenile with a carer late last year - she had bad infestation (worms etc) - cost quite a lot in vet bills etc
she's fully recovered and over 1kg in weight - sharing a cage with another late juvenile - both though have not hibernated at all
i've got five that live in my garden - experts say they are not 'social' animals - well come see me
they have a 'game' one curls into a ball and the others roll him/her around the garden - should do a vid for you tube!-
i've got a monster male - Horace - if i leave the back door open in the evening its common to find Horace walking around the house and 'grunting/squealing' for food - my Labrador loves him!
but they cost me a fortune in mealworms - each eats at least the equivalent of a large mugs worth of mealworms per night!
mine are still in their 'houses'
i had to place a late juvenile with a carer late last year - she had bad infestation (worms etc) - cost quite a lot in vet bills etc
she's fully recovered and over 1kg in weight - sharing a cage with another late juvenile - both though have not hibernated at all
i've got five that live in my garden - experts say they are not 'social' animals - well come see me
they have a 'game' one curls into a ball and the others roll him/her around the garden - should do a vid for you tube!-
i've got a monster male - Horace - if i leave the back door open in the evening its common to find Horace walking around the house and 'grunting/squealing' for food - my Labrador loves him!
but they cost me a fortune in mealworms - each eats at least the equivalent of a large mugs worth of mealworms per night!
Edited by grand cherokee on Sunday 3rd March 11:14
Not seen 'ours' yet.
The Foxes are still quiet too, normally had a lot of noise from them by now; although the 'Den family' seems to have changed
Where I knew then all & they 'knew' me & trusted me, I don't recognise these & they don't come & eat from their bowls in daylight like the old Den did I could open the window & they'd be waiting in the Rhododendron's, with a couple of them coming right up to the window at times, but then he disappeared & she lost her tail & now she has disappeared too 
the Gardeners haven't a clue where they are - no bodies found which is good as I'd known them since cubs. I guess (ok - hope!) they just lost their territory
The Badgers have been coming closer to the house this year, their prints in the snow were right up under the window & at the front door, almost like they were knocking to come in! so I know they ate more of the food put out than the Foxes did!
The Foxes are still quiet too, normally had a lot of noise from them by now; although the 'Den family' seems to have changed
Where I knew then all & they 'knew' me & trusted me, I don't recognise these & they don't come & eat from their bowls in daylight like the old Den did I could open the window & they'd be waiting in the Rhododendron's, with a couple of them coming right up to the window at times, but then he disappeared & she lost her tail & now she has disappeared too the Gardeners haven't a clue where they are - no bodies found which is good as I'd known them since cubs. I guess (ok - hope!) they just lost their territory The Badgers have been coming closer to the house this year, their prints in the snow were right up under the window & at the front door, almost like they were knocking to come in! so I know they ate more of the food put out than the Foxes did!
Nightmare said:
I am soooo jealous you have one which just comes in - how cool?!!
Haven't seen any yet this year either.....
i'll post some photographs when he 'wakes up'Haven't seen any yet this year either.....
the other line up at the back door making a hell of a racket to me fed - each has their own food bowl to stop fighting or in Horace's case he'd sit in the middle of the bowl to stop others feeding
Edited by grand cherokee on Monday 4th March 09:32
grand cherokee said:
i'll post some photographs when he 'wakes up'
the other line up at the back door making a hell of a racket to me fed - each has their own food bowl to stop fighting or in Horace's case he'd sit in the middle of the bowl to stop others feeding
i hate you! please take pics and vid the other line up at the back door making a hell of a racket to me fed - each has their own food bowl to stop fighting or in Horace's case he'd sit in the middle of the bowl to stop others feeding
grand cherokee said:
just wondering if anyone has yet seen any this year?
mine are still in their 'houses'
At least one of 'ours' made an appearance last night.mine are still in their 'houses'
Edited by grand cherokee on Sunday 3rd March 11:14
We bought a 'house' from a dedicated Hedgehog website and covered with straw as we were concerned they were rather young. Was a family of five last year but the three elders left, leaving two young.
Hopefully both made it through the winter. No sign of movement throughout the winter months.
Will be keeping a look out tonight.
My wife has a couple of Hogs which she rescued late last year, they were too small to hibernate and wouldn't have made it through the winter without her help. Both have done well and are ready to be let free as soon as she feels the weather is up to it.
We have a 'house' in the garden, but nothing appears to have taken up residence in it.
We have a 'house' in the garden, but nothing appears to have taken up residence in it.
velocemitch said:
My wife has a couple of Hogs which she rescued late last year, they were too small to hibernate and wouldn't have made it through the winter without her help. Both have done well and are ready to be let free as soon as she feels the weather is up to it.
We have a 'house' in the garden, but nothing appears to have taken up residence in it.
they are a bit funny with the houses - 'we' think they are ideal but to date a hedgehog has not done a review!We have a 'house' in the garden, but nothing appears to have taken up residence in it.
took mine two years to use their 'homes'
against popular 'science' you will get more than one in a house - pregnant mums are different and very territorial
my late juvenile 'Edwina' should come 'home' in the next few weeks
highflyer said:
Ah comon grand cherokee lets see some photos,
We live in the countryside and have a big garden but haven't seen a hedgehog for years, we have an abundance of slugs and snails which are left alone ie slug pellet etc free, maybe try and introduce a couple from a rescue ??
Apparently only a small part of a hedgehog's diet is slugs and snails:We live in the countryside and have a big garden but haven't seen a hedgehog for years, we have an abundance of slugs and snails which are left alone ie slug pellet etc free, maybe try and introduce a couple from a rescue ??
http://thehedgehog.co.uk/diet.htm
Where I live, no chemicals whatsoever are used in the garden. To deal with slugs, I go out with a torch after dark and snip any slugs I find in half with a pair of scissors. Come morning, birds have removed the corpses.
Snails just get eaten.
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