First time hoglet sighting
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I don’t feel bad, I just wish I’d read up more before putting them out!
I have an exciting update. We don’t just have a hoglet, we definitely have at least one adult, an adolescent (slightly smaller) and I now think 2 hoglets. There was so much action in the feeding area last night. It was a total party house! I left about 60 gms wet cat food out and some biscuits and water of course, and by the time a cat showed up it had pretty much all gone.
I am of course now worried that I’m not going be putting enough out, or would more be too much? I wish I could get lessons in this!
Anyway nice to see them drinking as well as eating 😀 I’m just so happy and completely hooked.You were so right Penny! I’m all in, hook line and sunk for these little guys.
I’ve ordered another camera to get a better idea of how they are using the garden, and not just gawp at them eating. Just in case there is anything they seem to like, so I know not to mess with it. There were droppings all over the lawn last night, after a very active evening at the feeding station. I’m there instant obsession!Hi Deeb74,
That’s great news, looks like they’ve got you under their spell! Very envious of the hoglets; none here so far. I wouldn’t worry too much about putting any more food out, if it’s anything like here, the bugs and gastropods are crawling into their dishes and literally throwing themselves at their feet, so I doubt that they will go hungry. I didn’t know that there was a hedgehog group in Cropwell Butler, so pleased that there are people watching out for them close by.
Bingham is under Rushcliffe Borough council and the new development is racing ahead, so it would be great if Barratt’s could be encouraged to put the ‘hedgehog highways’ in. 🙂
Hi Deeb74
Lovely to hear about all the hogs there. Really pleased for you!
I would adjust the food according to the circumstances. If they all look nicely rounded, they were probably doing alright and may not need more than you gave them. But if some of them look a bit narrow at the back maybe give a bit more, especially if we have another hot dry spell as they seem to be threatening. I think the supply of ‘wild’ food may vary a bit according to the habitat there is around where you are.
You may find if the food runs out that they just turn up earlier and then you may be able to nip out and give them a refill. Specially if they tell all their friends! In more normal weather, I only feed whilst I am up to watch the hogs and then take the dishes in. This usually works fine and the hogs have done well on that system for many years – it also means I get to see the hogs other than on video. I have found since I have been leaving some out all night (because of the weather) some of them have just been turning up later! (Too clever!) Which means I have to rely on the cam to see them. They don’t seem to have been eating any more food. Other people have different regimes.
I always leave water out 24 hours a day and all year round in case a hog wakes up mid-hibernation. The birds make good use of it too!
Good luck with them all. I hope you continue enjoying their visits.
Well I got a chest/upper tummy movie clip of the one we named Tomsk. It had a stretch to sniff something near the top of the wildlife camera.
I can’t see any different coloured areas, but I don’t know if that’s because there’s so much flash its not particularly well focused, (cheap camera, figured the priority spend was on food for them), its the wrong part of the tummy, or because there isn’t a marking to find!
This link may not work – as I’ve never been any good at this kind of thing!
Hi Deeb74
I think the hog got a bit TOO close to the camera by the sound of things! It is more of a little lump on the males than a different colour. Probably similar in appearance to a nipple but bigger. Some people describe it as looking like a large belly-button, but mid abdomen, which is sort of the lower half of the underneath of a hog. It sounds as if you mainly saw the upper part which I would think of as the thorax. But, as you say, it may not have shown up if the glare was too bright anyway.
Sorry can’t help much re. the photos. I think you can put them on the photo bit from the home page, but I hear takes a while for them to appear. Otherwise, I understand, they have to be somewhere on the internet already.
You might have to wait until you see some behaviour. There is still a bit of ‘courting’ going on, so you might see that. The male is the one who circles the female as she keeps turning round in an apparent attempt to make sure he doesn’t get to her rear end. All the while she is ‘huffing’ – often quite noisily!
Ah interesting, last night was all about nest building, inside the house I built. I do let think I’ve ever made something and felt so validated for doing it. The big hedgi wasn’t around as much last night, it was the smaller ones.
I figured it’s probably too early for it to be hibernation, so I’m wondering if should I be getting ready for babies?
I have to read up on hedgehog guestation but I know it’s 30-40 days.
I’m so excited!
Hi Deeb 74
That does sound promising. If it’s a fairly elaborate nest it seems more likely to be a female getting ready for babies. At this time of year with it being so warm, I wouldn’t expect a male to take in much more than a small amount of bedding. But, even if it’s a male you are really lucky to have your box used so quickly. If it is a birthing nest, I imagine she would be due fairly soon. Very exciting. Keep us posted.
She* was building for hours, even changing her mind over some leaves and throwing them away after gathering others. She was very picky. But she is small. Do pregnant hedgies look pregnant, or do they hide it well?
*on the assumption it’s a birthing nest!
Hi Deeb74
Not sure you can always tell – all those spines! But if it is a small one, it is just possible that it is practicing nest building. I had a hoglet here last autumn who started building a nest in the feed box. It was very elaborate and took a lot of hard work to build. In the end he didn’t hibernate in there (didn’t hibernate at all) but used it for short stays. It might be a case of wait and see.
Thanks Nic
Well I didn’t get any footage of the small one last night. The big guy was around for a bit. He avoided the local gangster kitty that won’t give up visiting, even though it can’t get into the feeding station. He managed to sneak in while the vats back was turned and went straight for the feeding station. Gosh it was scary watching the footage.
I’m wondering if having practiced the nest building its moved on, but it seems odd that it didn’t come out for food when last night it ate a whole pouch of cat food on its own. Maybe it had a belly ache!oh, just thought I should add, I did put some additional water near the Heggie house last night, just in case. Didn’t lift the lid though as don’t want to disturb anyone who might be inside. Or do you think I should just to check everything is ok?
Hi Deeb74
No I would definitely not check inside, just in case it was a female and she has babies. They are very sensitive and can abandon or, apparently even eat the babies if they are disturbed when they are very small.
It’s not a bad idea to leave water quite near the house, but best not to leave food too close, as it may attract unwanted visitors – in case there are babies in there.
Whatever does gangster kitty do? They usually leave the hogs alone!
Re. The food. I think hogs like to keep us guessing! But if it is a female with babies, she may not have wanted to leave them so early. But all sorts of other potential reasons! Hog watching can be very exciting but it can also be quite frustrating because we don’t always know what the hogs are up to! So there is a certain amount of patience required as well. I think you will have to wait and see how things develop and hope some hoglets turn up, one way or another! Fingers crossed.
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