Boar or Sow ?
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I wonder if any of you experts can tell me what gender is my Hedgehog, I call him/her Prickles and it visits me most nights,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8i980h4cbgHi tomplum
Sorry a bit inconclusive. It really needs more footage – either to see underneath them to see if there is a ‘fifth appendage’ – roughly mid abdomen – for a male (it really can look almost like an extra leg on some males). Or alternatively to see interactions with other hedgehogs. But for the latter you would need quite a bit of footage to be sure, as sometimes behaviours can appear a bit ambiguous in short clips.
Ok thanks Nic, I’m not comfortable handling it in case he/she moves out, I do have another which come mating and because I haven’t seen any hogletts , I’m assuming its the boar, I think I’ll wait for the next mating session and then put a blob of food colour dye on the boars back,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_asNhO6hLwHi tomplum
In your latest video the one doing the circling is a male. The one being circled is possibly a female, but if it is she is not impressed by him.
No it would not be necessary in any event to have to handle the hedgehog and never a good idea unless it was absolutely necessary. Also how would it benefit the hedgehog, by you putting food colour dye on it? I see no need to interact with wild hedgehogs unless it is for the benefit of that hedgehog or hedgehogs as a whole. They should be allowed to get on with their lives in peace.
But, it is possible to learn to identify hedgehogs by their natural markings. The following is a link giving a few tips to help with natural identification. https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/forums/topic/identifying-hedgehogs-from-their-natural-markings/
thanks Nic, I was not thinking of interfering in anyway with the two hedgehogs but, the male was obvious by the circulating so, If I coloured that with a blob of food dye, which will wash off in the rain, this would tell me if, the male is my resident hedgehog or a the other unhappy invader, 😉
Hi tomplum
The male hedgehog in your video looks as if it has an ear tag of some kind – its right ear. (possibly put there by researchers?). Check out around 18.25 and 21.46, when the right side of it is close to the camera. If it is indeed an ear tag and it remains in place, you will be able to recognise the hog that way.
But take a good close look at the hogs, in general, and you may find that there are distinguishing features on each hog which will enable you to identify them by their natural markings.
It’s definitely tagged. It will be worth you finding out who is monitoring in your area
Please do not put any other markings on this or any other hog. You have no idea how they will react to dyes – eg it could be allergic. Secondly it will add a smell to the hog that isn’t natural and may attract predators, and will also make it visible to other nocturnal animals.
I know it’s tempting but we wouldn’t like something putting identifying marks on us….
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