Overwintering indoors or in shed?

[Marbleous]

Hello
I’ve just joined this forum to get some advice.
I took in a couple of Autumn juvenile hedgehogs a month or so ago. They are currently in my spare bedroom in an 84lt Really Useful box each. With an 8lt flexi tub with a hole cut in the side for a nest box.
They’re both doing well. The first one having nearly double in weight.
I recently bought a lot of second hand equipment, a hutch, run, hutch heater and cover, with the intention of relocation them to the shed and I am wondering what your advice would be with regards to this.

It would create quite a big space and enable them to exercise more and have more enrichment – but I wouldn’t want them to be cold. Also I don’t know whether I could put them in the same space but with separate nesting quarters in the heated hutch?

I’m not in a rush to get them out of my house but I do worry they’ve not got enough space.

If they can go outside but shouldn’t be housed together I could try and procure some more equipment – the shed is big enough.

I don’t know what to do for the best.

(both have been checked by a vet and are healthy – although the second one I have has a ‘club foot’ – if anyone has any advice about this I would also be grateful)

Thanks

Vicky

[stef]

Hi Vicky

Unless a hog is sick it definitely doesn’t need to be in your house. Neither do they need heat.
You will get a lot of people who are likely to tell you they need to be kept warm etc but this is not normal for a hog, it’s humans being worried.
Just the fact you are putting them into a hutch in a shed should keep the temperature warm enough to stop them trying to hibernate. They will need daylight of some sort. You’ve not mentioned their weights on here but once over 550gms in captivity I would let them hibernate anyway if they decide to, as you can control the length of time they do so. Hogs in captivity often don’t try anyway.
Definitely keep them together as it’s less stressful for them and monitor continually as they can suddenly go downhill even when you’ve had them for some time.
To be honest I would find your nearest carer and have a chat with them. Unless your vet has done faecal samples etc they cannot just be said to be healthy. Stress of captivity can lead to internal parasites getting out of balance and killing the hog. Your carer will happily let you keep the hogs, but should be able to help with all questions.
Regarding the club foot, if it’s a back one and not impeding the hogs normal activities then I wouldn’t worry. If it’s a front limb then it may be a problem as they need to be able to dig for food

[Marbleous]

Stef – thanks so much for replying.

I’ve not managed to get hold of our local rescue – despite trying lots of times. I believe they are over run with juveniles and limited to what the staff can do in these covid times.

So I think my course of action is to get them checked for internal parasites (I live in Cambridge if anyone can suggest an alternative to Shepreth to help me do this) and once they get the all clear I will move them into the shed. The shed has windows so they will get light.

Meanwhile I will sort out their living quarters in the shed so they can get up and down to the hutch etc.

The club foot is at the back – so that is good news.

One weighs 608g the other is 540g they were both ~300g when I found them.

My plan would then be to move the hutch set up out into the garden in spring and then open the door so they can come an go until they stop returning.

I feed them all year round and have various nesting places set up in the garden so hopefully the little one with the club foot will stay close by.

Thank you

Vicky

[stef]

Hi Vicky

I am going to suggest you get a poo sample from them and send to Vale Wildlife hospital. They do charge for the service but they can let you know if you have internal parasites that need dealing with.
In the event of major issues I am only an hour from you so could help in an emergency, and there is also a carer at both Ramsey and St Neots but you’d need to contact the BHPS for details.
Shepreth may also do poo sampling for you.
For their health I highly recommend you get them into the shed asap

[RubberMan]

I know the feeling of having one inside your house…
In never I took one in from my garden that had been ripped open by an owl (as far as I could tell from the claw marks that is).

He’s still in my house and very healthy. Luckily I sit outside with my garden hogs while they eat every night and talk to them (I know, mental right?), so he was very used to me anyway and would already take food from my hand before.

The female that lives in my garden has a badly clubbed foot, not natural, unfortunately, she had something wrapped around her foot when she was a hoglet and it has terribly deformed it and bent it over.

If a hedgehog is fat enough, or warm enough, it won’t hibernate. I obviously don’t want mine to hibernate as I need to keep an eye on his healing progress but, your two appear to be fine so I would 100% put them in your shed for the winter.

Good luck! Hope they’re doing great still.

[Author]

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