No sightings

[Boop]

I have 2 feeding stations in the garden as well as a nesting box. My nightcam has been picking up regular visitors for the last few months. I have at least 4 hogs visiting and sometimes I’ve had more than 20 visits in a night. Usually between 7pm and 4am. Since the clocks changed and darkness has been drawing in earlier I haven’t seen any hogs and the food is being left. The temp. has dropped but I wouldn’t say it’s been really cold yet. So, I’m wondering if they have starting hibernating already. And I’m also wondering if I should use one of the feeding stations as a nesting box as that is their original purpose which I adapted. So I can give them an additional box but keep a supply of food and water if they need it. is anyone else finding their hogs appearing less and less?

[Nic]

Hi Boop

Some hogs start to hibernate as early as September – usually the males as they have had plenty of time to put on the necessary condition – not having any hoglet duties to attend to! Usually it’s the males that disappear first then the females and often some hoglets are left after all the females have disappeared. That isn’t an absolute rule, but seems the general trend. But, you will have realised from that, that temperature is not the only trigger for hibernation. Not all hogs hibernate, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for them and keep feeding and definitely leave water available all day every day, even during winter.

It might be a good idea to make one of your hog boxes available for hibernation. Apparently hogs often move nests during hibernation, so they might welcome an alternative. Just put a small amount of bedding in the box and leave piles of other material nearby, i.e. medium sized leaves, long grasses, etc. Hogs seem to like to make their own nests and to be honest make a much better job of it than we would be able to do! Their hibernation nests are an elaborate structure of grasses and layered leaves with a chamber in the centre.

Good luck. Hope all the hogs return in the Spring if not before.

[Boop]

Thanks for the reply. It’s the first time I’ve ever noticed hogs in my garden so I want to do the right thing by them. I definitely have a couple of large males amongst my visitors so that would explain it if they are hibernating. I’ll continue to put the night cam out to see if there are any still about. And yes, of course, there will be food and water available all through the Winter for them.

[Nic]

Hi Boop

Yes, quite understand that you would want to do your best for the hogs. Good idea to keep a camera on the look out. I normally keep one running through the Winter, just in case. Males, tend to return earlier from hibernation as well – often in March.

[Spiked78]

Hi, I have been feeding up to 6 hedgehogs a night in the garden for the last couple of years. Recently one hog went to rescue for 5 weeks & when he came back he moved straight into a hog house. A few weeks later a 2nd hog moved in with the 1st hog & a 3rd hog moved into a 2nd home. Over a period of a week they all went to rescue because of sneezing & ticks. I bought them all home on Wednesday night & released them right by the food, water & hogs houses.
They all left the box & I saw them a few times that night. Since then the food is not being eaten & I have not seen them. I am gutted, have they just found something more interesting or have I upset them? I miss my hogs 😢

[Nic]

Hi Spiked78

Hogs are not best known for being grateful! Sorry to hear they all disappeared so quickly, but it’s that time of year. They may have gone off to find somewhere to hibernate, but also hoglets sometimes disperse a bit before hibernation – which is why some people seem to get hoglets suddenly turning up at this time of year.

I would keep leaving a bit of food out and it’s a good idea to leave water out all winter, in case. Some of those hogs, or possibly some others might appear. But if not, hopefully you’ll have some hogs back in the Spring.

[Author]

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