Trail cam
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A lot of people on here seem to have trail cams set up.
Ideally I should probably invest in one at some point as I’m going to bed pretty late each night not wanting to miss a sighting.
I have got some trees near where the feeding station is, so finding a place to put it up isn’t a problem, however, could they get stolen? Also, do you need a smart phone to view the footage? I’m one of these bores that refuses to update my trust worthy nokia as I love the simplicity of it.
Or is the footage kept on the camera and can you view it on a laptop? which would be very ideal.
Also how much would it cost me. Can you get small ones as I’ve seen youtube footage of hedgehogs in their feeding stations and hedgehog homes – it would be lovely to get a small one so it would less likely to get pinched as I could hide it.
Hi-
You can get all sizes of camera, some that link to your computer that you can watch live and the trail cams that you put out and bring in.
They vary hugely in price depending on all sorts of things and what you are using them for.
Initially we bought the camera, rechargeable batteries (8) and charger and a memory card that goes into the camera. I think that came to about £70 ish from Amazon.
In the morning I take the memory card out put it into a thing that has a USB thing at the end and goes into the USB port on the computer.
I am not technically minded and cope OK with this system.
The cameras we have are X Lounger, Apeman and Crenova (had to get another one as it didn’t work initially- supplier very good at replacing)
They are all fine for the majority of our purposes, that is, just focusing on feed station and the side gate.
Hope that helps a bitThanks Simbo, I’ve been browsing amazon and found a mini one that I like, my mum said she will buy it for me as a birthday present.
It might be trail and error getting the best position for it at first – but it’s good because I can buy some cctv stickers from amazon and stick them onto a couple of my windows, just to deter criminals – but the camera will be used mainly for hedgehog watching.
I had a bit of trouble last year as some drunk kept knocking on my door late at night 3am ish, and it frightened me, and I was thinking about getting cctv since then, but getting a wildlife camera and a few stickers will be a lot less hassle and a lot cheaper for me. Plus, the trial camera should pick up someone walking down the path, and the side garden, where the feeding station and home is, runs down along the path, so it would serve as cctv anyway but at a fraction of the price.
Hi
I’ve got a purpose built lock on my camera. I ordered mine from the wildlife charity. Can’t remember the name of the company but if you google trail cams it comes up.
Best wishesI noticed those on Amazon, so I think I might purchase one, might as well, as it’s better spending a bit extra than getting it pinched then having to fork out for another one.
I am seeking advice on trail cameras. I have tried 5 so far and returned them all as they have proved either very unreliable or utterly useless. I have put quite a lot of information in the blog on my Quivis website about trail cameras and can see no point in regurgitating it all here other than to say that all the cameras I have tried have been in the £50-60 range from Amazon, Ebay and the like but the conclusion I have come to is that I must bite the bullet and spend more!
Someone mentioned rechargeable batteries in this thread. In my experience the cameras I have tried DO NOT WORK with rechargeable batteries as their voltage, 1.2v is too low. These cameras all seem to require a full 1.5v I was also told this by the manufacturer of one of the cameras I tried – but only after I had bought their camera.
So the purpose of my post is to ask what cameras people use. Unfortunately the video clips posted on YouTube seem not to include that information. I’d particularly like to know what camera Hannah Lawson uses. The 5 cameras I have tried had their focus fixed at infinity, as can be seen in the short clips I have on my blog, with no possibility of close-up. Any recommendations would be much appreciated, particularly if backed up with sample video, as I am currently cameraless! Thanks.Hi Hurcheon
I also tried some cheaper cameras before eventually deciding to spend a bit extra and got a Bushnell, although probably one of the cheaper models. I haven’t been disappointed. The picture is much better and in general it is more reliable and doesn’t miss as much as the others. Sorry I don’t have any video on the internet, so can’t direct you to a sample.
Re. the rechargeable batteries. They don’t work if you only use four, because, as you say they are only 1.2v and the cameras need 6v. But if you have a camera which takes 8 batteries and you use all 8, they work. I found it became quite ridiculous using non-rechargeable ones – they just ran out far too quickly. My Bushnell is aimed at the feeding area, so the busiest location and I re-charge the batteries daily. I find that it is necessary to keep the batteries well charged to get the best performance from the camera.
Hi all, I’ve got a trail camera and still not used it! My house cctv is on the feeding station and there is a security light which comes on with movement (when the hogs can’t sneak round it, they are very apt at trying to escape the light coming on!) I’ve noticed how expensive these trail cams are and I don’t like advertising, but if considering cctv for house, try Maplin, on line. All mine have come from them. Providing you have security lights and feeding station is near to a window you can see the hogs if camera is inside the house. Best wishes.
Just be aware, that if you use security cameras with security lights which go on and off, you may be putting some hedgehogs off visiting. Some may become accustomed to it, but others seem to prefer the lights being either on or off rather than fluctuating between the two.
Most night cams use infra-red light. So only black and white images, but probably less intrusive to the hogs.
Hi Nic, thanks for that, but guess they’ve got used to the lights going on and off by now as they’ve been there 4 or 5 yrs now. There’s also some solar lights outside as well, but don’t think it’s like Blackpool illuminations as it’s not. I’ve noticed a few of the hogs set the lights on then walk round the box looking in to make sure nothing else is in there! We’ve now lost Pippa for 3 or 4 nights, but looking at the hog box we bought, the straw my hubby put in the tunnel has disappeared. Now we only have Big Benny who’s coming 2 or 3 times a night and then wanders around outside the box sniffing the ground till he waggle off again. My neighbour has acquired another 3 cats, that makes 7, plus the rest. It worries me if cats can manage to get at baby hogs, as they won’t last long at this rate. Best wishes and hope you all see some baby hogs soon. Our sparrows have had 2 maybe 3 lots of baby’s and we have a Blackbird with a white patch on its neck and a white front! She (we think it’s female) is quite friendly with my husband, I’m a bit worried she is too trusting as she stood there today whilst I put the washing out and didn’t move. I’m thinking she is a mix of Blackbird and Thrush.
PS, I’ve now got a gravel tray with a step In it, filled with rain water so the hogs can have a paddle if they want.
tell me more about the gravel tray – as I’ve been looking at trays online to do the same thing. Where did you get it from and how shallow is it, will the hogs be able to climb over the edge? i was thinking if I buy a tray, I might have to set it in the ground a bit so they won’t have a problem getting over the edge.
I want something decent sized but not deep as I don’t want to find loads of drowned hedgehogs. However I’d love to see one swim though – but I feel it’s a bit too risky.
These hedgehogs are costing a fortune – I wasn’t expecting to get so much stuff for it – camera, home, feeding station, then food – they are getting through more and more food, especially now I’m putting down spikes semi-moist –
But I think there are quite a few hedgehogs that now visit – I had a new one the other night that couldn’t work out to get into the feeding station and left without any food – but reckon if she comes back, she’ll finally work out how to get in – the other hedgehogs have worked it out.
But given the amount of food I’m now putting down, and the fact that almost every time I come out to watch them, there is a hedgehog either already in the feeding station, or one just arriving.
Most of my visits are by Huffy, and he’s now created a nest in my garden, but I think there are many others now. Word must have got around – perhaps they have their own Trip Advisor which tells them the local Hoggy restaurants in the area. Perhaps mine has got a good Hoggy rating.
I have spent hours researching trail cams. I bought a Victure some years ago, basic but good. I then wanted better / sharper video clips and eventually settled on. Browning Recon Force Advantage. Excellent video clips even at night but a much more expensive camera (£160 ish). I now only use rechargeable batteries and they last some weeks. After research I paid a lot more for high quality ones, Panasonic Eneloop 2500. They work brilliantly and last for ages. So in conclusion I would say pay a bit more and you do get much better quality for both the camera and batteries.
Hi all hog lovers, just back from my holiday so first time for a while on the forum.
Lots of new hog experiences and stories to read about, some very funny and all very entertaining and interesting. I’ve missed reading the forum!
Whilst there may not be any cure, or magic pills for this hog addiction, it’s good to know I’m not alone and that the hogalism is shared and supported by so many others. I freely admit to getting hog withdrawals after 24hrs away from home, despite knowing my daughter would be a good hog sitter in my absence and provide me with regular updates via text messages.
Now I’m back the trail cam is back on and I’m hoping for some good footage of hogs tonight to feed my addiction! 😂
Hedgie Lover I found the online site I bought my camera from, it’s called Nature Spy. A non profit organisation- have to say the service has been fab and I’ve been very happy with the cam!Sorry it’s taken so long to provide the info- probably too late now for you, but might be useful to others)
Happy hog watching!
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