Hi Hettihog
I know what you mean about picking up hoglets! I wouldn’t imagine that you would after your reluctance to check Cutie! But other people read these posts as well, so sometimes I try to think about how they might interpret what’s said. I wouldn’t want to inadvertently encourage people to go around picking up hoglets and weighing them, when most of them are probably fine. Like you, I prefer not to intervene, unless it’s necessary.
Re. Hetty’s markings. She could be related, it wouldn’t be surprising, but she could be a sibling from a different year, sharing both or one parent, aunt, etc., as well as mother. Loads of possibilities.
Yes, they do look funny when they get up on their legs and run. Their legs are surprisingly long when they show them like that. I sometimes wonder whether it’s partly to keep their underneaths dry as well. They seem to mind the cold less than the rain and wind. It’s good to hear that the hogs there are eating some natural food as well. The hog here who spent months in Wildlife Hospital is sometimes seen eating wild food again as well, which I was pleased to see.
Food bowls can make quite good comparisons for how big the hoglets are, too. i.e. when they are small they fit easily into the bowl, but the adults might be twice as big. I imagine you could make quite a good hedgehog model with a potato – maybe matchsticks or similar for spines!
