Hedgehogs have disappeared??

[Smithwinkle]

Hi,
This has been my first year having hedgehogs visit my garden and eat the food put out for them and I’ve enjoyed months of watching them on my trail cam. It started with one then ended up with four coming. However for the last 4 -5 nights there have been none at all. I keep putting fresh food out every night and nothing has changed in our garden, I keep to the same food (Brambles) and no changes to their feeding station. Any ideas why they have suddenly just disappeared? How long should I keep putting food out for? I can’t believe how much I miss seeing them and though I know they will hibernate I wasn’t expecting them to disappear so soon. I would appreciate any advice or information, thank you.

[Barbarah]

Hello Smithwinkle,
So pleased you have asked this question. I have logged on to Hedgehog Street for the same reason. We have sometimes had 4 or 5 hogs per night but for the last week we have seen none. Over the years, we have sometimes had no hedgehogs for 2 or 3 nights but never for this long and we were getting worried. Like you, I would appreciate any advice.

[Little Hoggy]

Hi everyone

My first post on here. We have had 3 regular visitors from February until a week ago. I would always see at least one each evening (never quite sure if it’s the same one visiting or different ones when they are not out together). I continue to put food and water out, but it’s untouched in the morning. I will always leave water out, not sure when to stop the food. Don’t want to encourage rats!

[Alistair]

Hi all,

It’s very interesting that others are noticing a drop off in the number of hogs visting their garden. Over several months, we’ve kept a close eye on the comings and goings of our regulars and would often have at least two or three feeding at the same time. However, like everyone else on this forum, about a week or so ago they all suddenly stopped visiting, including a smaller adolescent who would occasionally sleep in one of our hedgehog boxes. The one exception is a very loyal hog who has slept in our garden almost every night (and sometimes day) since June and still turns up to be fed. I would have thought that September would be too early for hibernation, but has the cooler weather forced a change in behaviour? Here’s hoping they return soon 🙂

[MaddyM78]

Hi all,

I stumbled across this forum while investigating why there has been a decline in hogs not only in my garden with my father in laws garden. I have been feeding them all summer I have two bowls that are empty every morning but there has been a decline over last 10 nights. My FIL has a camera and he has not had any hogs for the last few nights 🙁

As others have noticed a dramatic drop in visits I’m guessing they have started to hibernate. Although I did spot a hog while out for a night walk last night.

[Nic]

Hi everyone

And welcome to the Forum to those of you who are first posters.

It isn’t too soon to start hibernation, especially for the males. They tend to hibernate earlier than the females who often still have hoglet rearing duties. (male hedgehogs have nothing to do with rearing hoglets and leave that completely to the females.) The males then normally emerge from hibernation first in the Spring, which gives them a chance to feed up before the females return.

There are usually still some females around at this stage but they tend to be next to hibernate leaving some hoglets around until later in the year.

I would keep offering food until at least 2 weeks after you see the last hog and many people leave some food out all winter – dry food (i.e. kitten biscuits) is best for that. Do continue to look out for hoglets – they sometimes appear after all the adults seem to have disappeared and may welcome some supplementary food to get them fit and up to weight for hibernation. Be aware that although most probably do, some hoglets choose not to hibernate at all and may find it hard to find enough wild food and so rely on supplementary feeding through the winter.

It’s very important to leave water available all day every day, including during winter. Hogs do tend to move nests during hibernation time and may welcome a drink. They are usually thirsty when they first emerge from hibernation, too.

It’s always a bit sad when the hogs all disappear to hibernate – but such a treat to see them back again in the Spring!

Good luck everyone. Here’s hoping for a safe hibernation for all the hogs.

[Aquagem54]

Hi, Thank you for that information as I have not seen any hedgehogs on my trailcam for a week. Before this, I have had several visiting my garden every night since they came out of hibernation. Two overwintered in my hedgehog house but came out of hibernation in February, earlier than usual so I wondered if they were hibernating earlier but no boarders this year so far. I will continue to put out food and water as usual.

[Barbarah]

Hello All,
Thanks to everyone who posted. We’re now onto the fourth week without our hogs, but we feel reassured that we’re not alone in missing them. It’s certainly the earliest we’ve known them hibernate around here but the weather has been so dreadful and unpredictable perhaps it’s not surprising. However, we’ll still leave food in the feeding station just in case.

[MaddyM78]

Thanks for posting this, it was really informative!
After my post the last two nights my bowls have been empty! 🦔
I will continue to provide food and water as usual.

[Smithwinkle]

Thank you to everyone who has posted their experiences and thank you for the useful information too. It’s put my mind at rest. I’m continuing to put food and water out and continuing with the trailcam. After nothing since my first post, the cam picked one up last night hurrying past, but it completely ignored the food. I’m presuming it is enjoying all the snails and worms from all the rain. I think this years weather may be causing early hibernation and it will be interesting to see if this becomes a trend with climate change. I’ll keep putting food and water out regardless 😁👍

[laurabiding]

Hi all… my hogs were ignoring the proprietary hog food, brambles and spike, so i have now been making up my own, which is a mixture of an insect based kitten biscuit, (94% insect) with no rubbish in it,,, mixed with a few calciworms,, (about a handful to every 500g of dry food – so not many) and I also use regular good quality kitten biscuit, and a few peanuts and sunflower seeds. but its the insect one they love. The proprietary ones are not regulated and contain very little protein.. I also notice I have hogs under my bird feeders during the day.. very sweet, Im hoping to have all year hogs as I have three babies at the moment

[Laura R]

It’s so reassuring to hear that I’m not the only worried hog watcher who’s missing their hedgehog. I had 1 visit every night like clockwork and used both the feeding station and hedgehog house. Food was not touched last night and no signs of movement tonight which is highly unusual. Hopefully he’s either trying something new for a few days and will be back or started hibernation although it’s still incredibly mild here. I’ll continue to feed and water in the hope he turns up. Would it be safe to look in the nesting box or best leaving well alone.

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