So an update on the hedgehogs, and what I've learnt over the past couple of days...
I've spoken to a local wildlife rescue centre, and they advised that although these are probably litter mates that might still be hanging around together, it's still unlikely that they will hibernate together, as one will decide that it's their territory and push the other out of that area. It's not impossible that they might curl up together, but it's quite unlikely.
I also asked about their size, as I thought they were on the small size. I was told that because the temperature is still mild enough for them to be out and about, and because I'm feeding them cat biscuits, as long as they are eating well they can put on about 100g per week at this time of year! So there's still plenty of time to feed them up for winter.
I was a little concerned about one of them last night, as it was scratching away for about 10mins, and self-anointing a little. I later saw it eating happily and mooching about the garden, so I'm going to keep an eye on it. I was advised that it could be a bad case of fleas, and that if I see it looking really in distress I can take it in to a local rescue or a local vets and they can give it a bit of treatment. If not, it could just have been something that it had got on its spines that it didn't like, like a stuck spiders web...! I couldn't see any evidence of ticks, thankfully.
AND the local rescue place has their own hedgehog houses for sale, and a branch of a charity shop not too far away, so I can buy one from them directly, which supports their work as well. Win-win all round.
That's good to hear @Anna33 Your hogs sound well cared for.😁 The only year I had a sick baby hog, it didn't appear that way until nearly December , so just keep an eye on them, and hope that when they disappear to sleep they will return next February/March/April ( depending on the weather)😁
Our hogs both residential and visitors are still out and about and eating us out of house and home. They need to be at least 600 grams to hibernate, we've had a lot of late autumn litters who won't make it, so they are already being taken in to the hog sanctuary. As for hibernating together, we had two that did, both were females and one had a litter in the spring, unfortunately there was not quite enough room in the hog box, my husband makes ours, as one of the hogs was very large, so the hoglets were kicked out when quite small, but they did have their spines and were looked after and released again when a good size. The main problem this year has been due to 'fly strike' and if caught early hogs can survive, but unfortunately some hogs are discovered too late. Keep an eye on the hogs, just to make sure they are putting on weight and don't hesitate to act if you think one is not quite on form. Ours don't usually hibernate till late November early December, all depends how mild the weather is, we will start weighing them towards the middle of November. If you see it scratching badly again just see if you can examine him for 'fly strike', the maggots will make them itch and scratch.
There is a post going round on social media at the moment regarding an article which stated that if you see a hedgehog in your garden that "looks underweight", catch and weigh it. If it is under a certain weight , keep in it a box "and look after it over the Winter". This is wrong on so many levels that l don't even know where to begin. Fortunately most rescues have heard about this and are emphasising that hedgehogs that are out and about at night and feeding etc. should be left alone for now. Obviously those suffering from possible maggots/flystrike should be checked over by a vet or local rescue , there is plenty of information online. Please spread the word 🦔
The usual 'misguided nonsense' @AnniD, isn't it? No different to all sorts of other stuff. People can't seem to differentiate between pets and wild animals nowadays unfortunately. I appreciate that people don't want to see an animal or bird in danger or unwell, but if you don't know what you're doing, leave them alone. Get some education about them. It's not as if there isn't plenty of that online and readily accessible, as you say. I cringed a few weeks ago when listening to some bloke on the radio who had 'rescued' a baby squirrel and everyone was fawning over him, and saying how wonderful it all was. No - it isn't wonderful at all.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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I wasn't sure how much info you had, but I needn't have worried
It isn't a problem if they get one or two mealworms that have fallen from a bird table or similar, but they shouldn't be deliberately fed to them regularly. They can be addictive, and they would eat those rather than the food that benefits them.
This has some good info
https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/forums/topic/what-to-feed-hedgehogs-the-danger-of-too-many-mealworms/
It's a bit like giving kids sweets alongside their greens
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Your hogs sound well cared for.😁
The only year I had a sick baby hog, it didn't appear that way until nearly December , so just keep an eye on them, and hope that when they disappear to sleep they will return next February/March/April ( depending on the weather)😁
This is wrong on so many levels that l don't even know where to begin. Fortunately most rescues have heard about this and are emphasising that hedgehogs that are out and about at night and feeding etc. should be left alone for now.
Obviously those suffering from possible maggots/flystrike should be checked over by a vet or local rescue , there is plenty of information online. Please spread the word 🦔
No different to all sorts of other stuff. People can't seem to differentiate between pets and wild animals nowadays unfortunately. I appreciate that people don't want to see an animal or bird in danger or unwell, but if you don't know what you're doing, leave them alone. Get some education about them. It's not as if there isn't plenty of that online and readily accessible, as you say.
I cringed a few weeks ago when listening to some bloke on the radio who had 'rescued' a baby squirrel and everyone was fawning over him, and saying how wonderful it all was.
No - it isn't wonderful at all.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
https://warwickshirehedgehogrescue.org/Feeding-Station/
I would advise adding some form of tunnel entrance as mentioned in the article. It's surprising how flexible a cat can be if there is food on offer !