Can I have 2 shelters in my garden?

[Pricklyfriends]

Hi All. I’ve been feeding hedgehog(s) in my garden since September and monitoring them for 2 weeks with trail cameras. They’ve been very active from 6pm-4.30am but for the past 2 nights this has reduced to 10pm-2am. I’m quite sure they only visit and then leave. I have one house in a quiet leafy spot and the larger hedgehog has been napping in it (20-45mins) between visits to the feeding station. Twice the slightly smaller hedgehog has gone into the house only to make a hasty exit. I think it was occupied by the larger one (although they can slip in and out past my camera due to lag so not 100% certain). At the risk of personifying these little animals, I felt really bad for the smaller one and ordered a 2nd house. So my question (a little late) is will hedgehogs share a garden when hibernating? And can I place shelters close together in the same flowerbed? (I have a modest garden). As there’s been no nesting activity I’m accepting the fact that I may have an empty house (or two) over winter. And I’m happy to just keep feeding them (dry hedgehog food) until they disappear. But atleast I’ll have offered somewhere dry to them both.

[alanfrew]

I have 6 hog houses in my garden, 5 of which are now occupied and hybernating. I did have a similar situation to you in that two hogs were interested in one of the houses and there was a bit of a to-do at one point. I bought the 6th house in the hope that it would sort the problem, but had no takers. Hybernation started eary this year with the first hog getting their bedding sorted in mid-September. While last year only one house was occupied, as above five are now occupied and they are not going out anymore.

[Pricklyfriends]

Thanks alanfrew. I’ve set up my 2 houses about 2m apart in the same flowerbed. The visiting hedgehogs were using both throughout the night for naps between trips to the feeding station (on the edge of my patio). However all hedgehogs seem to have vanished over the past 4 nights (before the snow) and I’m certain they’re not hibernating with us. In fact the only thing my cameras has picked up is some lovely daytime footage of birds darting in and out of both houses. Blackbirds, blue tits and a Robin which may actually be moving in. So I’ve hastily ordered an open bird box 😄. What a great result for you and your 5 out of 6 houses filled! I think despite my best efforts, the presence of our curious dog may have sent them packing.

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