Steve, that's a cute youngster. Do you think he's large enough to go into hibernation in the next couple of months. I did but it's difficult to get a perspective.
Ours have done very well this year and we've at least 2 sets of second litters.
As I said earlier "IF I see a hedghog out during the day then it's normally a youngster and often from a late second litter or it's when our weather has started to get bad early. It's safe to presume that IF you see one in daylight that it's likely to be in trouble and it's only then that I put food out for them. I just put out cat or dog food and hope that supplementing might just help them to build reserves so withstand weather or put weight on to manage a winter hibernation."
I personally don't feed otherwise though because I'm of the view that though if there's such as a loss of habitat that it's quite nice if you can give it a hand in the short term that the only sustainable way to address that matter is to do something about the habitat and the likes of what Dovefromabove did.
Likewise we're keeping a watchful eye on our 2nd litter "late starters" and providing a small amount of supplementary feed strategically placed (scattered and not in a regular spot) in the hedge and thick vegetation round the hay barn. IF the weather gets bad before they're good weight to withstand hibernation we will try to gather them up and enclose them in the barn and feed them there. Though to be realistic we know that there's high mortality and little likelihood of survival for the "late starters". Though we have managed to get quite a few through winter over the years.
Calm down NorthernLass, there are places in the UK where, certainly last year, hedgehogs were seen for most of the year. We only didn't see them for around six weeks from late November to late January down here.
Given the catastrophic state of the UK population. Feeding suitable things is a good idea, as long as the hedgehogs can access the garden and leave freely then they appear of their own free will.
Saw him /her last night at 10.30 ( I was so excited, I called OH , just as well he hadn't gone to bed )feeding on the cat food. Big one, so hopefully well able to survive the winter. I checked again at 11.30 and there was still food, but all gone by morning.
I live on the Isle of Wight and most years the hedgehogs do hibernate for around 2- 3 months.It was the winter of 2013/14 when they did not hibernate at all.The weather was relatively mild and it may be that the food I left for them was sufficient to get them through the winter.
Hedgehogs don't always hibernate all winter but can often wake during a warm spell and sometimes will move to a new hibernaculam.Youngsters born late in the year may not hibernate as they are too small too make it through without help.
So to be on the safe side I feed throughout the winter.
“Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings
The other night my dog went out before bedtime, and started sniffing in my greenhouse. I thought maybe it was a mouse or rat, so got my husband with a torch (as you do) and by my staging behind a box, was a small hedgehog, maybe a juvenile. So we put it under my dahlias with a plate of dog meat and water. In the morning my hubby went to see if anything had eaten it, but nothing had except the dog on way back from down garden. Though have seen a hedgehog poo. Hope it comes back, not had a hedgehog for years.
I live on the Isle of Wight and most years the hedgehogs do hibernate for around 2- 3 months.It was the winter of 2013/14 when they did not hibernate at all.The weather was relatively mild and it may be that the food I left for them was sufficient to get them through the winter.
Hedgehogs don't always hibernate all winter but can often wake during a warm spell and sometimes will move to a new hibernaculam.Youngsters born late in the year may not hibernate as they are too small too make it through without help.
So to be on the safe side I feed throughout the winter.
That makes sense. Here we get some pretty severe winter weather and it can often come early and last for a long time.
Even our "mild winters" are comparitively bad compared to the rest of the UK.
Ours are doing so well that they're too often have a late 2nd litter and it's those that don't ordinarily survive especially considering what I've just said about our weather.
The other night my dog went out before bedtime, and started sniffing in my greenhouse. I thought maybe it was a mouse or rat, so got my husband with a torch (as you do) and by my staging behind a box, was a small hedgehog, maybe a juvenile. So we put it under my dahlias with a plate of dog meat and water. In the morning my hubby went to see if anything had eaten it, but nothing had except the dog on way back from down garden. Though have seen a hedgehog poo. Hope it comes back, not had a hedgehog for years.
If you want to stop a dog, cat, badger or fox eating the food then if you put it inside a length of wide guage drain pipe the hedgehog will still be able to get it and other large scavengers will leave it alone.
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Steve, that's a cute youngster. Do you think he's large enough to go into hibernation in the next couple of months. I did but it's difficult to get a perspective.
Ours have done very well this year and we've at least 2 sets of second litters.
As I said earlier "IF I see a hedghog out during the day then it's normally a youngster and often from a late second litter or it's when our weather has started to get bad early. It's safe to presume that IF you see one in daylight that it's likely to be in trouble and it's only then that I put food out for them. I just put out cat or dog food and hope that supplementing might just help them to build reserves so withstand weather or put weight on to manage a winter hibernation."
I personally don't feed otherwise though because I'm of the view that though if there's such as a loss of habitat that it's quite nice if you can give it a hand in the short term that the only sustainable way to address that matter is to do something about the habitat and the likes of what Dovefromabove did.
Likewise we're keeping a watchful eye on our 2nd litter "late starters" and providing a small amount of supplementary feed strategically placed (scattered and not in a regular spot) in the hedge and thick vegetation round the hay barn. IF the weather gets bad before they're good weight to withstand hibernation we will try to gather them up and enclose them in the barn and feed them there. Though to be realistic we know that there's high mortality and little likelihood of survival for the "late starters". Though we have managed to get quite a few through winter over the years.
Calm down NorthernLass, there are places in the UK where, certainly last year, hedgehogs were seen for most of the year. We only didn't see them for around six weeks from late November to late January down here.
Given the catastrophic state of the UK population. Feeding suitable things is a good idea, as long as the hedgehogs can access the garden and leave freely then they appear of their own free will.
He will be over a kg in weight, both of the ones we see each night are very large, I suspect boars from my professional dealings with these beasties.
I didn't mean that to sound as rude as it did NorthernLass, I suspect you didn't mean for your reply to MadPenguin to sound a bit rude either.
WE'VE GOT ONE ( at least )
Saw him /her last night at 10.30 ( I was so excited, I called OH , just as well he hadn't gone to bed )feeding on the cat food. Big one, so hopefully well able to survive the winter. I checked again at 11.30 and there was still food, but all gone by morning.
Hopefully there's more than one.
Hi NorthernLass2
I live on the Isle of Wight and most years the hedgehogs do hibernate for around 2- 3 months.It was the winter of 2013/14 when they did not hibernate at all.The weather was relatively mild and it may be that the food I left for them was sufficient to get them through the winter.
Hedgehogs don't always hibernate all winter but can often wake during a warm spell and sometimes will move to a new hibernaculam.Youngsters born late in the year may not hibernate as they are too small too make it through without help.
So to be on the safe side I feed throughout the winter.
The other night my dog went out before bedtime, and started sniffing in my greenhouse. I thought maybe it was a mouse or rat, so got my husband with a torch (as you do) and by my staging behind a box, was a small hedgehog, maybe a juvenile. So we put it under my dahlias with a plate of dog meat and water. In the morning my hubby went to see if anything had eaten it, but nothing had except the dog on way back from down garden. Though have seen a hedgehog poo. Hope it comes back, not had a hedgehog for years.
What a weird thing to say! I merely asked MadPenquin a couple of questions.
"Why aren't they hibernating? Do you live somewhere hot?"
You were making some presumptions about my state of being and attitude.
Be assured that I was and am perfectly "calm" and I take it that as "rudeness" was in your mind that you knew what you were saying and doing.
That makes sense. Here we get some pretty severe winter weather and it can often come early and last for a long time.
Even our "mild winters" are comparitively bad compared to the rest of the UK.
Ours are doing so well that they're too often have a late 2nd litter and it's those that don't ordinarily survive especially considering what I've just said about our weather.
If you want to stop a dog, cat, badger or fox eating the food then if you put it inside a length of wide guage drain pipe the hedgehog will still be able to get it and other large scavengers will leave it alone.