A bit of diy needed I think. Will get hubby to make an entrance at right angles to the doorway. Was thinking tunnel but maybe right angle is a better idea @AnniD.
Love the hog hotel. Very posh. I have seen on YouTube people placing a couple of house bricks at the entrance thereby making it difficult for predators to cause havoc. I have made it difficult for anything to attemp entry to my hog(s) feeding station by using a couple of large square blocks of wood. They are heavy and don’t allow entry by cats, etc. They seem to do the trick. Happy New Year to everyone.
Have any members experienced hedgehogs still feeding (from feeding stations) so late in the year? My hog has only missed a couple of night visits so far so hibernating is not on his mind! I keep feeding him with turkey, chicken and veg cat biscuits and he washes it all down with fresh water. It’s not a cat having a feast as the opening and access is too small. I doubt it is rats either as there are no droppings.
‘Our’ hogs visted all the way through last winter even at temps of -3C. They were small and would not have made it through hibernation so we kept feeding them and they kept coming.
That hotel looks perfect purplerallim - I too was concerned that a fox may be able to retrieve a hog from inside so now that we can see the house has a corridor and inner room I think it is ideal for your visiting hedgehogs. Just make sure that the bedding is dry (leaves or newspaper and dried grass clippings perhaps. Keep feeding them, change the food every few days and a bowl of fresh water too. Good luck and let us know if you see anything. Incidentally as tempting as it is, don't keep opening or moving the house to see if there are hogs using it - wait until the weather warms up to do this - perhaps May or later, or install a camera if you want to see any action.
Have never seen any sign of foxes @Guernsey Donkey2 (at the last house hubby went out at 5ish and saw plenty) here, so they might be ok from them it's the cats that bug me. Didn't get the night camera this Christmas 🙁 but on next years list.😀 Thanks everyone for the thumbs up on the hog house am looking forward to seeing if it's used. When do you think I should put it out after winter say Feb or now?
Personally, l would put it out now. It's still relatively mild, so hogs may be out and about. Even if they don't use it straight away, they will know where it is for possible future use! As Guernsey Donkey says, then just leave it be until May, then have a look to see if there is any sign of life.
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