Follow up from my previous post about emerging from hibernation
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I just went out into the garden to get the dog in and noticed that there was a visitor in the hedgehog feeding station. I went up and lifted the lid and found a small hedgehog in there so I quickly replenished the food that was empty and closed everything up and left him/her to hopefully have a good feed.
The hog was very small. I know that a mum and two hoglets were in the hog houses but the babies were 600g plus last time I weighed them. Is it possible that this small hog is one of the hoglets that has lost weight during hibernation. It hadn’t occurred to me that they would be visibly so much smaller than they were when they went into hibernation. It must be a last years youngster mustn’t it and therefore one of my hoglets that has come out of hibernation.
It sounds as though this little hog is a different one to those you weighed at 600g.
At least he has found your food and water so he should be fineHi Jackietb
Great news you have a hog back. Hogs do tend to use up some weight when hibernating, but if it’s very small, Baldwin hedgehog might be right that it’s a different hog.
It’s never easy to tell what people mean by very small. But it would probably be worth weighing the little one and having a chat with your local carer. Some hoglets do need a bit of care from a carer/rehabilitator if they are very small coming out of hibernation. You can get contact details of your nearest carers from BHPS on 01584 890801
Little hog didn’t show up on the camera last night but a ginger cat did, it managed to slink into the feeding station.
Hope little hog is ok.
I have put a couple of bricks inside the feeding station now opposite the entrance to form a tunnel, hopefully this will deter the cat until I can get my son to make a tunnel to go on the front of the feeding station.
Hi jackietb
Sorry to hear the little one didn’t turn up. Fingers crossed it might visit tonight.
Bricks in a tunnel work really well as cat deterrants – possibly even bettter than tunnels. The idea is that if the cats have to flatten to get over the bricks (i.e. the height is shallow there), it isn’t so easy for them to turn. So ideally if you have a turning place, the best place to put the bricks is either side of that. So just inside the entrance is not necessarily the best place – depending on how yours is constructed. But you could also put bricks/earth filled flower pots either side of the entrance so that (if the passage turns immediately left or right) the cats can’t get at an angle to get in – as an extra deterrant.
I’m not sure how the cats seem to know there is food for the hogs around again! I hardly had any visits during the winter and now as soon as a hog returned, they’re back. Luckily the hog visiting at the moment is one who doesn’t mind going into boxes. So far the cat who is normally a bit of a houdini hasn’t managed to get in.
Good luck. Hope the bricks work and there is some food left for the hogs!
Bricks worked, cat has come twice but hasn’t managed to negotiate the bricks inside the entrance.
Little hog has returned for the last two nights but I can’t pick up whether he/she is going into the house where I think it hibernated but it does seem to stay in the vicinity of that area of the garden for a few hours each night.
Still no sign of the other two emerging, of course they may already have come out but they were such regular visitors before Christmas that I assume they would come back for an easy food source. I just hope they are OK if they are still hibernating in the other two houses.
When should I think about looking for them in the houses and having a clean out. Obviously don’t want to wake them if they are still asleep, but am fearful they may not have survived the winter.
Hi Jackietietb
Glad to hear the hog is back and the bricks are keeping the cats out!
I would be inclined to leave the remaining hog houses until late April to clean out, if no-one has obviously vacated. Especially if they went into hibernation so late. But they could have gone somewhere else to hibernate. I have known females to return as late as early May, although that could have just been when they made it here rather than when they came out of hibernation. But they were regular visitors, so I would have expected them to visit soon after they emerged. But don’t worry. It’s still early, yet.
Thanks Nic, I know I’m a worry guts about the hedgies but I feel so fortunate to have them visiting the garden.
Hi Jackietb
Don’t worry about worrying (if that makes sense!) I think we all worry when it comes to the hogs. They are such endearing animals that we all want the best for them. Yes, we are lucky to have them visiting our gardens.
Just called wildlife rescue out as I was concerned about one of the little hogs on last nights video. Really lovely chap from WRAS turned up and checked out the 3 hog houses, 1 was empty, 1 resident was asleep but not hibernating so he checked him/her out but it wasn’t the one I was concerned about, in the last hog house the little one had ticks, fleas and a lot of spines missing so he has taken it into the wildlife hospital for checking out and treatment and they will return it to me when it is in better shape.
Unfortunately the one I was really concerned about wasn’t in either house so I will have to watch out for it tonight and maybe able to detain it so they can check it out tomorrow for me.
Have cleaned and scalded out the two empty houses now and they are drying out ready to go back into use tonight.
At least I know all three survived the winter hibernation and for that I am very grateful.
Hi Jackietb
Well done getting the help of a wildlife rescue. That’s a good job done cleaning out the empty hog houses – they can be good hiding places for flea and tick eggs.
Good luck tonight. Hope the other little one turns up (and at a reasonable time!) Let us know how the hogs get on.
No hedgies visited for the last two night. I was worried that the one that was checked out but not taken away because they felt it was alright was still hibernating because it hasn’t come out of the house since. I am worried that if it is still hibernating it won’t survive. Checked with the wildlife rescue people and they seem to think it quite likely has gone back into hibernation because of the drop in temperature and said not to worry too much, which is very hard not to do.
Plus the blooming cat is back even though my son put a tunnel on the feeding station it still managed to negotiate its way in. Have not put bricks inside the station to narrow its passage in, just in case the hedgies decide to come back.
Good News
Hedgie is up and about. Just went up the garden to check the cat wasn’t in the feeding box again, as it was last night despite a tunnel leading into the box, have not added a tight turn in with two bricks.
Hedgie was going back into her house with a mouthful of hay, so hoping she might be planning to have her babies in the garden, if there are any, as she had two last year and they made it right through hibernation here.
Doing a happy dance now that I know she’s alright, just need to get her little one back from the wildlife hospital now.
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