Feeding amounts

[Texaskersh]

Hi all, and WOW!

I didn’t mean to start an on line flaming war. Just asking for advice. Hope I didn’t start anything that can’t be stopped 🙂

As I have never given my new friend any mealworms, I will just stick with the dry biscuits and occasion wet cat food.

Update on him/her’s progress – as Nic did mention, I can now set my clock as to when he turns up, just after 9pm, dark enough in the garden and have now stopped looking for him first, and just stop and listen. I can hear him/her first and can figure out where he is by the crunching. Maybe me just being sentimental, but sure he comes closer to the door with a look that says “enough now with the camera, where’s the grub?” Still timid and I make a point of not getting too close, but he he/she is getting better. Noticed there is only the one now, not two as I originally had, but in line with what I have learned on here, I.e. They must have been young when in a pair and have now gone their separate ways. Either that or they just take it in turns to come and eat me out of house and home.

Couple more questions (without the need for Kofi Annan if possible 🙂 but I am heading away on holiday in a couple of weeks. Do I need to keep the frequency of feeding? I don’t want to provide a food source this close to hibernation to take it away and then try and reintroduce. I have a friend who (although thinks I am a crack pot) is prepared to come and change the water and food whilst I am away. Is this needed or would they be happy without. If it is the same hog, then he is here every night so don’t want to disappoint!

Thanks again for all the advice, and I do believe we are all looking out for our little friends!

Cheers all and best regards

Paul

[stef]

Hi,
I would definitely keep up the feeding while you’re away. While it is supplementary they do come to rely on it as you’ve noticed. This is also the start of the hog juvenile season where late born hoglets are trying to fatten up in order to survive hibernation so any help you can give is good.
It’s also a great way to encourage them to stay around a safe area.
You never know you may end up converting your friend into a hog friend!
Have a nice hols

[Nic]

Thanks for your support Stef, Penny and Catherine.

Stef, like Penny indicated, I have missed your wise words on here, and keeping us on the right lines with such diverse things as recommended weight for overwintering hoglets and dried banana liking hogs!

Penny. I hadn’t heard about the ‘juvenile’ hormones and mealworms. What will they think of next!

Catherine. I had seen that document before, but hadn’t kept the link, so, brilliant that you have put it on here.

Paul. I’m glad you haven’t been put off the Hedgehog Street Forum. It is normally slightly more peaceful!

[Texaskersh]

Thanks all for your input, all taken on board.

I now feel bad about going on holiday….. 🙂

Now have two young (based on size) and know there are two because as one exits garden left, a new one enters from stage (sorry, garden) right!!! 🙂

Nic – you were spot on with sizes even based on my one photo. Having now seen a much bigger one tonight, obvious the others were youngsters and this is either a large male or female compared.

Should I (as some one else has put in a different part of the forum) put different food sources out so as to stop any hostilities, or do they have their own hierarchy that will prevail? I have a big enough garden to separate them by about 10m. Or am I just (as I suspect) turning into a fussy old hog dad! 😎

Best regards all

Paul

[Nic]

Hi Paul

Please don’t feel bad about your holiday. You have your friend to look out for the hogs, so they should be ok. You could always ask your friend to put out a bit more food than usual, if you are worried – and the little ones who are around already have a much better chance than the ones who are born a bit later. Go and enjoy yourself and come back refreshed all ready to look out for the hogs again when you get back!

Funny, that you should be thinking of the enter stage left/right, etc. I always used to think my patio was a bit like that. It is a bit like a play sometimes!

Re. the spreading the food around different parts of the garden. It is really personal choice. I have heard some people suggesting that if the food is more spread out, the hogs may be less aggressive, but I have seen (from a cam down the garden) that hogs have altercations in areas right away from the food. I feed them in several smallish dishes, but comparatively close together. Normally, here, a hog who is biffed doesn’t suffer much worse than the indignity of finding himself rolled up in the water bowl!

[Nic]

Hi again Paul

Forgot to say. If you haven’t got a pond, it is really important to leave plenty of water out when you are on your hols. It can sometimes get quite dry at this time of year. Rainwater is good, as Tony suggested, and some of the ones here definitely seem to prefer it. If you don’t have access to that, tap water is better than a dehydrated hog. I suspect some areas don’t put as much chlorine in it as others. Large flat bottomed plant saucers work well. I use 8 inch ones or bigger (just not so deep that small hoglets can’t get out) – the hogs are less likely to tip them over – they often walk straight through them!

Water is one thing which I do tend to have dotted around the garden.

[Mark Chapman]

I’ve only recently found Hedgehog Street after seeing it on breakfast telly and what a great site it is. Due to my lack of knowledge I used to feed mealworms along with hedgehog food and cat food. Thanks to this site the mealworms will now go in the bird feeder.

[Author]

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