Sallyrose
Sorry to hear about the poor hedgehog. It must have been very distressing for you.
It might be a good idea to have a ‘belt and braces’ exit route – in case the water level falls again – although any escape route relies on a hog actually finding it and being able to use it. That particular hog seemingly already had its own problems.
You mention foxes. Sadly, foxes, particularly young ones, are known to ‘play’ with hedgehogs and there have been reports of them nipping off hedgehog legs (with their sharp little teeth) in the process. So one of the fox cubs may have been the culprit. The problem is most likely to happen if the hogs are lulled into a false sense of security by becoming accustomed to the presence of the foxes. Then they don’t roll up quickly enough, leaving their legs exposed to attack.
You may already, but if there are foxes around it is best to feed hogs in a place which is not accessible to the foxes – maybe some sort of feeding box. Then they, at least, can’t be crept up on when they’re eating.
Fingers crossed the hogs manage to stay out of trouble. Good luck and happy hog watching.
