Still Feeding

[nihughes]

I still have one (at least) regular visitor to my feeding bowls. For early December I’m a bit surprised. Looks to be definitely over 1 lb in weight so I’m happy with that.

My garden had been, literally, crawling with hogs this year. I’ve never had to do so much cleaning up: a happy task.

[Nic]

Hi nihughes

I still have a young hog visiting here as well. I think she is spending the day in a hog box near the feeding area, which I recently saw her taking vast amounts of vegetation into. Not sure whether she is planning to hibernate in there, but she should be big enough to survive, all else being well.

Glad to hear you have had lots of hogs there and here’s hoping good numbers return from hibernation next year.

[logginthelog]

Our most recent visitor was still around last week – I have footage from December 5th, but pretty sure we saw him/her after then. It had moved into the box at the top of the garden, but checking it today when I got home from work early I found there was nobody in, so we are now very worried. It was cold last night, and set to be very cold tonight, still have snow on the ground.
Will keep putting food out – but we do have a fox that visits us, has been here the last 2 nights – so suspect we will only be feeding that.

[William]

I have just the one coming in for food now. Though it is making less trips looking at the video. Is a this years juvenile but has gotten quite large now.

[Rachelle51]

I have 4 hogs at least still feeding in my garden they all seem to congregate under the bird tables but I also put put food out for them every night in a feeding station my husband built. I originally thought there was only one regular hog visiting but after receiving my christmas present of a trail cam early I have discovered there are definitely at least four who all have different white markings on them which show up in the night vision. I worry that they are not big/heavy enough to hibernate as I find it hard to try and estimate how heavy they are.

[stevie213]

11 December
The regular visitor Hedgehog is here every night its 8.30 pm and is tucking in to his regular helping of asda dog food, the temp outside is about -1c but does not seem to bother him.
I will keep feeding him as i dont think he is going to hibernate.

[Nic]

Hi Logginthelog

Don’t worry too much about the hog not being in the box. (Although, I would try to resist looking in the box too much, because if the hog does go back there it may disturb it) It may just have been using that before moving into a proper hibernating nest somewhere else. I think you are right to keep putting the food (and water) out though, in case – although the fox is a bit of a nuisance if it gets there first. I have been having a similar problem with a cat here.

[knaresborogal]

Phew! I was worried because I still have a smallish hog coming to feed every night- it looks about as big as a grapefruit, so I’m hoping it will be OK and hibernate soon. It has been so cold here lately…

[Nic]

Hi knaresborogal

It sounds as if the little hog may be a bit on the small side. The only way to be sure is to weigh it. It needs to weigh at least 450g.
http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/pdf/Hibernation-Weight.pdf
It is good that you are still feeding, but the little hog may decide to hibernate at any time and if it is too light may not survive.

When you weigh a hog, it is a good idea to have a high sided box or pet carrier ready to put it in, if necessary. You can use torn up paper as bedding for them to hide in. If you need to keep it in be sure to provide food and water. They are very good at spilling both, so if possible place the food and water away from the bedding and something absorbent underneath is handy.

You should be able to get the number of a local carer from the BHPS
01584 890801. Many of them are full already, but they will be able to advise. It would probably be a good idea to contact someone for advice before you caught the hog.

Good luck.

[Author]

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