Two in one house

[Nic]

Hi rosieyvonne

Never say never, but I think Mother hog will think her job is done now and will have left them to their own devices. She will, likely, either be hibernating already, or fattening up in preparation. Mother hogs have done an enormous amount of work in bringing up and feeding all those hoglets, so she may need a bit of time to herself to put on weight.

Re. the fish oil, I know it used to do the rounds that fish flavoured food wasn’t good for the hogs, but apparently it was a myth. This link gives lots of information about feeding http://www.valewildlife.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Feeding-wild-hedgehogs.pdf

There are so many brands, etc. of dog/cat food, that everyone would probably suggest something different! But as long as it is good quality it should be o.k.

You must have been doing a pretty good job to have 3 hoglets up to those weights. The important thing is to keep offering them food until they decide to hibernate (if indeed they do. Some hogs decide not to).

Some information from ‘News’ from Hedgehog Street’s Hedgehog Officer:
https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/should-i-keep-feeding-hedgehogs-over-winter/
It’s always worth checking out ‘News’ from time to time for interesting new information.

Good luck.

[Hettihog]

Hi Nic
Yes I’m aware that BHPS are busy people and I’m in full agreement that they wouldn’t have time to waste.
However, in the event that the local rescue centre is not answering their phone or providing advice, I’m sure BHPS wouldn’t mind providing advice if a hogs survival was in question.
Forgive me if I am wrong, but I thought BHPS central purpose was to conserve!
Just attempting to be helpful, so apologies for any confusion I may have been responsible for causing!
Regards

[Nic]

Hi Hettihog

Not criticising you. Not your fault if you misunderstood, especially if others did too!

I think BHPS do an amazing job letting us all know our local rehabilitators, etc. Of course they want to help hogs any way they can. Just not sure that they could be expected to know that information. It would be a big ask! I imagine the logistics of providing that particular information, for all over the country, would be enormous. I just, personally, would not want to add to their work unnecessarily because of something I said. So, just trying to correct any potential misconception.

[ElsieD]

Hi

You can usually find a local rescue centre by putting it into your search engine. That is how I found two in my area. They are more pro-active and will collect the little chaps usually. My mummy hog is quite happy in the house on her own now, no sign at all of the other young ones but as you said Nic they may have been big enough to survive. I am hoping so anyway. Food is still being eaten, possibly by more than one visitor as well as big mummy. I am going to check up on my two little hoglets at some point to see if they have survived. The lady from the rescue centre said they don’t always. She said that sometimes when she puts them into some heated accommodation it brings out the lungworm and they die. A shame but hopefully mine will be ok. They looked healthy enough anyway. So glad we have this site to look to for advice.

Cheers, Elsie.

[Nic]

Hi Elsie

Glad to hear that Mum hog is happy without the hoglets. The others may be eating some of the food as well.

Fingers crossed for the little ones. You have given them a good chance. Hopefully they will be o.k.

I believe that the rescue places on the BHPS list have to fit in with certain criteria i.e. training they have done, etc. (which might not be the case with all), so that is the advantage of findiing your local carer/rehabilitator via them. And they do, of course, give information and advice about all sorts of other hedgehoggy things as well!

[rosieyvonne]

Hi everyone

just an update on my wee babies .My video caught footage of a bigger hedge hog coming by and i’m hoping it was there mummy.
There is still one tiny one out the group but the other 2 look like they are putting weight on. I also bought another hedge hog home but the 3 of them just go into the original hedge hog house and cuddle in together and they come out together to feed and go back in together and don’t seem interested in the newer house .They come about 9 pm to my garden and leave about 5.30 am and i have no idea where they go 😭
just keeping feeding and watering them and hoping for the best .Ive seen cats on my footage would they harm my hedge hogs ?
I also called local wildlife place as there poops were not hard but they said i shouldn’t be concerned as that can happen ? and if i seen them out in the day to call them back and especially if the wee one doesn’t bulk up
Thanks
Yvonne

[Nic]

Hi Yvonne

That’s really good that the hoglets are growing. Don’t forget the little one was almost up to 450g. Try to remember the size the others were when you weighed them and compare the size of the little one to that. It’s lovely that they are still curling up together! It’s good that you have another hog house, at least they have a choice, if they get fed up with sharing. But it sounds as if they must have another nest somewhere else where they spend the day.

Don’t worry about the cats, they won’t bother the hogs, just maybe try to eat their food!

Good luck and keep up the good work!

[rosieyvonne]

Hi Nic

For the first time , none of the wee hedge hogs came last night , no food was eaten or pics taken on my camera. I found it very strange that not even one came . The night before they were all there eating and sleeping. The adult one was there too and the wee one was trying to get under its belly with its nose .
i just find it very strange not even one came and i know they go into hibernation at this time but would they all go at the same time from your experience
A little worried all night 😔

Thanks

[Nic]

Hi Yvonne

They might have decided to all go to hibernate at the same time. It’s a worrying time of year for us hog lovers. My last remaining hog wasn’t here last night either. She didn’t hibernate last year and then got a life threatening strimmer injury and spent months in wildlife hospital, so she has become a very special hog, visiting every night since she came home. However much I hope that she hibernates somewhere safely in my garden, the most important thing is that she is wild and free. We just have to hope that they’re safe somewhere and have chosen their hibernation sites wisely. But it is a worry!

But if yours were spending the day elsewhere they must have other nests. I would keep leaving food out for a while in case one of them decides it isn’t quite ready to hibernate yet. Also in mild weather look out for signs of hogs, so that you can offer food again if necessary. I leave my cameras out all winter to check for any signs. But it’s also very imporant to leave water available all winter.

Good luck.

[rosieyvonne]

Hi Nic

oh that’s a shame about your hedge hog and what she had been through in her life at least she has you looking after her .Where would she be without you taking care of her ♥️
You must have been the same as me last night just expecting them to show up i couldn’t believe they didn’t come not even one , i couldn’t sleep because of it .
I just have to hope i’ve helped them in some way and i will keep an eye out incase they come back . Just very strange all 4 have gone .

boo boo but your right they are wild and free and hopefully snuggled up together somewhere 😔❤️

[Nic]

Hi yvonne

It’s really the amazing people at the wildlife hospital that the hog has to thank. Everything else she has done herself. All I’ve done is offer her food and water, which thankfully she has decided to accept.

You might see more of the hoglets yet. Sometimes they miss visiting for a night or two before hibernating completely. It may be that Mum has gone to hibernate and that they have been following her to the food. Try not to worry too much. You will have helped them by providing food and water. It’s one of the things we have to accept – with hibernation – we just have to wait and see – most often until the Spring.

[rosieyvonne]

Hi Nic and Hettihog

My wee ones are now over 600g they disappeared for one night which i panicked about. .. but then they came back all 4 again .I just have the 2 wee ones coming back now for last 2 days . They are still coming about 8/9 pm and staying till 6 am . I weighed the smallest 2 and one is 630 g one is 715 g they didn’t even try to hide from me and let me give them a wee scratch and had a wee look at me 🦔♥️. I feel happy knowing they are now at a good weight and i’ve helped them along the way . Have any your hedge hogs gone now and came back like mine .

[rosieyvonne]

oh and i forgot to say they aren’t sharing a house anymore they have been sleeping in their own houses . I also saw the mummy hog trying to get into one of the houses but couldn’t cause she was too big . My question is would she have been able to get in or are some hogs too big for the houses that are built for them ?

[Nic]

Hi Yvonne

Yes, the hogs do sometimes miss a night or even two and then come back. It may have been something to do with Mum trying to distance herself from them. Glad to hear the small ones are all so big and now have their own nests.

Normally hogs can get into most boxes, but sometimes they’re made with smaller entrances. But maybe there was another reason why she couldn’t get in, i.e. it was full of bedding and hoglet. or something similar? It’s sometimes not easy to work out exactly what’s happening on video – which I’m assuming is how you were seeing her? If she can’t get into any of the boxes, hopefully she will make herself a hibernation nest the natural way, if she hasn’t already. It may not be in your garden, but hogs visit many gardens.

Good luck with all of them.

[rosieyvonne]

Hi Nic

yeah i think that all have nests somewhere else as they are not here during the day at all .

it’s just been the 2 wee one coming now still but it’s absolutely freezing . The water bowl is frozen solid now and before i go to bed i break it up again… do they crunch into the ice sometimes if it’s not to thick and are they able to do that ? One of them didn’t leave my hedge hog house till after 7 am today . There is runny poo also but they have always had runny poop and i did ask about that when i called the wild life centre and they didn’t seem concerned when i mentioned it . They don’t get a chance to eat the cat food as this street has about 10 cats and as soon as i put it out the camera would pick up them eating it so they just get spikes semi moist and the hard biscuits but they leave the hard ones . Should i be concerned that they are still coming in freezing weather like this x

[Author]

Posts