Concerned about daytime outings.
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Hi All. Joined the sight today. Have had the absolute pleasure of having hedgehogs in our garden for about 18 months now. Put up a feeding station and got a neighbour to join in too. Also bought a tracker camera. We had 3 in the garden last spring, a joy to watch and listen to.
Alas, we lost one to traffic and another I took up to the wildlife sanctuary after I found it out in the daytime, sadly it had to be put to sleep.
So my delight at having two turn up a week ago was magical. (One maybe an offspring from lasts year) My daughter had bought me a house for them at Christmas and I’ve located it next door to the feeding station. One seems to have moved in there and my concern is, that for the last two days, it’s been coming out to feed and drink in the daytime.. Is it the cold waking it up., is it poorly. Should I leave it to settle for a while or take it to the ‘hospital ‘. Sorry to waffle on, just wanted to give some background info.Hi Scar54
Welcome to the Forum.
My instinct would be that all is not well with the hog for it to be coming out during the day, the same as it would be in the Summer. I have had a hog here all winter, but have never seen it out during daylight. I would be inclined to get it checked out, especially with the cold weather putting an extra strain on it.
You should be able to get the details of your nearest hog rehabilitator from the BHPS 01584 890801.
Good luck.
P.S. Hope you have seen about and signed, the Petition about the A24 trap and told all your friends about it.
Hi Nic,
Thanks for your response.
Since submitting my post, I haven’t seen her/him out in the daytime, neither has the camera picked it up at night.
I’m really hoping that this is a sign that it’s gone back into hibernation and not died 😕. I very reluctant to check in the house as I don’t want to disturb it if it is in there asleep. In saying that, the smaller of the two has not been about either. So let’s hope they’re both snuggled down somewhere.
I am keeping a very close eye on things and will check it when the weather warms up a little. I just hope I’ve done the right thing.
There’s food and water in the station if needed.
Keeping everything crossed.
SueHi Sue
Fingers crossed for all hogs in this weather, especially those who have been out and about. I have just cleared a path to the end of my garden – where the hogs come in, and it was about an inch deep again when I got back to the house end – and my garden isn’t all that long. I am not really expecting him to turn up tonight – the snow is deeper than him! Still snowing. Just hope he has got a warm cosy nest somewhere and that, as he has been well fed, that he can cope with missing a couple of nights. They are a worry!
Sadly my little hedgehog didn’t survive the winter. He fed well before hibernating on dog meat & hedgehog food & seemed a healthy weight. He nested in the straw filled kennel so was saddened to see that he had died. I left food out all winter so he had the best chance.
Hope the other 2 adults made it through.
Must have been a worry for those of you with hedgehogs still awake coping in the harsh weather we’ve had.
Let’s hope there are lots of positive stories to be heard in coming weeks.Hi Annie
I was really sad to hear that your little hog didn’t make it, despite the efforts you went to. Sadly, not all hogs will survive hibernation, even if they had reached the necessary weight. It is a dangerous time for hogs. This year must have been particularly tricky for them, with fluctuations in the weather. But you did your best, and that is all we can do. Fingers crossed for the other two there.
I always look forward, but with some trepidation for the hogs to come back from hibernation, not knowing who is going to come back. This year I have had one little chap visiting all winter. The snow was a bit of a worry, but he was back after two days absence. The really cold weather before the snow didn’t seem to bother him so much. He made a nest here last year, but has mostly only used it for a naps and maybe a warm up in between snacking. By this time last year, the boys were beginning to return, but no sign yet. I don’t know what the little chap is going to make of it after being in sole occupation of the area all winter! He is beginning to forage already, so there must be a certain amount of wild food around now.
Good luck with the other hogs. I hope you get lots visiting this year.
Thanks Nic. From the joy of watching him grow, to knowing he was in the kennel was very satisfying but hey ho got stay positive for the others. I think there is another one hibernating in well sheltered place in the garden so I do hope he/she has survived. No food is being taken yet so I wait patiently.
It’s amazing you had one visiting all through the winter. Though worrying with the snow. They are hardy creatures.
I’ve had some tiny slugs making their way into food left out so things are starting to emerge.
Here’s hoping 🤞Hi Nic. Elated to report that one of my hedgehogs reappeared last night.
I’d noticed the night before that the food had been eaten (but had forgotten to put the sd card back in when I switched the camera back on!! Blonde and senior 🙄) thought it was cats, so chuffed to bits. Am hoping to see the two of them back real soon.
SueHi Annie and Sue
That is so exciting, Sue, that the hog reappeared. I recognise the problem of forgetting to put the sd card back in the camera! I am still waiting for some returners. This time last year about 4 were back. I sat and watched for hours last night in case the cams were missing them, but only the over-winterer turned up. It is always a worrying time, hoping to see old friends returning.
Fingers crossed for them all.Hiya Nic.
Well, I’ve now seen them both and am convinced they are Mum and Baby as they initially appeared together and he was quite small. They no longer are there together and last nights video shows him busy refurbishing the hedgehog house my daughter bought me for xmass till 5.50 am!!! I didn’t see him leave, so am hoping he approves of his new home . Hope it doesn’t deter Mum tho. SueHi Sue
That’s brilliant. I caught my hardy winter hog on cam building a nest last year, when he was still quite young. Two nights running, like clockwork, he started work at 5a.m. It’s fascinating isn’t it. Amazing how much material they can carry in their mouths at a time and I loved the moustache effect! If Mum knows there’s food there, I’m sure she’ll keep visiting. It is normal for them to separate when the youngster grows up. Sometimes the male youngsters move on somewhere else after a bit, but I have found that they tend to visit from time to time, especially to start with.
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