ooh jt,that sounds so lovely,you luck thing and so are the hedgehogs,good luck to them and hope they enjoy there new lease of life,hope in spring you get hoglets....
Thanks for all your comments, lovely to hear that so many of you are feeding and caring for your hedgehog visitors.
Asparagus Sue – I wouldn't have thought cats would catch adults, but they might have a go at juvenils. Apparently hedgehogs tend to avoid living in close proximity with badgers, so that might explain why you don’t see them now (along with the other issues in rural areas, which I mentioned in the blog)
Sarahspondlife – lovely to see that you’re interested in becoming a hedgehog champion. They have no forms left but all of the information is available to download on the website
Hi, we have a scruffy part to our garden too and are home to lots of foxes, much to one of our neighbours' displeasure! We have lots of hedgehogs too and we often see about three together in the garden with the foxes. It was very funny watching the young foxes following the courting hedgehogs as the hedgehogs circled each other for ages in the summer.
I wonder if anyone can answer my query please, should you look out for underweight autumn juveniles at night or, only be concerned if you see one in the garden during the day? With lots of hedgehogs here, I'm surprised I've never seen an underweight autumn juvenile but then again, I've never actively looked at night. Thanks, lovely to read your post Kate and everyone's replies!
I heard an awful screaming the other night and when I put the outside light on, I saw a fox with a hedgehog in its mouth! It was the hedgehog screaming as it continued after the fox had sloped off. I don't know if it was the same one but a young hedghog was rooting round the garden in broad daylight a few days later.
How sad that Humans have ruined the habitat of nearly all of the natural species in this country,will they never learn. I have lived in my little house for 37 years with only heavy guage mesh as a barrier between gardens little creatures could crawl underneath then about 10 years ago the one side of my garden was replaced by a 6'4" closed in fence causing havoc to my garden,then 2 weeks ago the neigbour who has just moved in errected a closed in fence a foot away from my fence making my garden closed in by 9' because we live on a hill, so not only have they ruined my garden for me they have closed it off entirely to any small creatures such as hedgehogs, I dispair at peoples idiotic ideas.
Nunkynoo - if you have seen hedgehogs out during the day, please phone the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) immediately. Hedgehogs are nocturnal, so if they are out in the day at this time of year it means they are too small to survive hibernation and are desperately trying to fatten themselves up. The BHPS will let you know where there is a trained carer living nearby, who will most likely take your young one in over winter and look after it. The number is here 01584 890801.
The hedgehogs are fantastic garden and gardener friendly critters & you don't need slug pellets if you've got them and frogs in your garden. They can get diahorrea from milk so the dehydration this causes can kill. Leave a shallow bowl of water for them as well as food especially in dry weather. I presume they've suffered lots with the dry season as the slugs, snails etc have not been near the surface. The Hedghog Preservation Trust can give details of a local person who can look after them and they also oversee training courses around the country - I did one earlier in the year & was given invaluable info. for their needs and care.
I have had hedgehogs in my garden for several years and feed them all year, it is also important to remember that they also need clean water. Although they often dissappear for a few weeks they do still pop out from time to time during winter months, so keep a watch out for them. Motion activated lights are a useful item in the garden and the hedgehogs will set them off too.
have hedgehogs frogs newts and squirrels frequenting my garden havent seen them as often since next door bought 2 dogs and 2 cats hope its just a coincedence.
Posts
Asparagus Sue – I wouldn't have thought cats would catch adults, but they might have a go at juvenils. Apparently hedgehogs tend to avoid living in close proximity with badgers, so that might explain why you don’t see them now (along with the other issues in rural areas, which I mentioned in the blog)
Sarahspondlife – lovely to see that you’re interested in becoming a hedgehog champion. They have no forms left but all of the information is available to download on the website
Kate
I wonder if anyone can answer my query please, should you look out for underweight autumn juveniles at night or, only be concerned if you see one in the garden during the day?
With lots of hedgehogs here, I'm surprised I've never seen an underweight autumn juvenile but then again, I've never actively looked at night.
Thanks, lovely to read your post Kate and everyone's replies!
Thanks
Kate