Thanks AnniD good to know the spines will regrow but could have been avoided. It's good that that the blinded one did not have to be put to sleep. I must admit it's only the last few year I have become obsessed with them. Now I'm told I'm like an old mother hen re the ones in our garden. We have selected another area where we can put the second Hog Hotel which will be at the other end of the garden. Sadly part of the plants down there died back over winter so have kept a lot of conifer branches that can replace them and keep any residence snug for their hibernation. We have an incinerator and my one worry was one would make it home in it so I have it about 8 to 10 inches of the ground which I don't think they could climb.
A few days ago I saw a hedgehog in our front garden. First time since we moved here three years ago. I put out a bowl of water and some dry cat food which he seemed to love. I kept leaving cat food every night, and it would be gone in the morning. Now I wonder if I’m doing the right thing though - should I be feeding him or would it change his behaviour in a negative way? (like getting too comfortable with humans or loosing the ability to find food by himself). I know water is definitely a good idea, but food? He seems healthy, though scratches himself a lot (flees?). Cat food given doesn’t contain any fish. Do I keep feeding him, please?
My personal opinion is yes, keep putting the food out, although others may disagree. The water is most important so if you do feel uncomfortable about putting food out, just stick with the bowl of water. This is what Hedgehog Street has to say on the subject
As regards the scratching, @timmy77 may be better placed to answer, but I think that unless you see one out in the daytime, there is no cause for concern. I know they do carry hidden parasites that can only be confirmed by a rescue or vet, so I may well be wrong in this case.
Hello and an excellent set of posts here re a real joy in our "wildlife garden"!! We were stunned a few years ago - once we had set up a pond (rather deeper than recommended but now with a ramp exit) that hedgehogs "just appeared"!
Because we have SO MANY cats in our area I decided to start using the Spikes Dry food placed inside a hedgie house and other areas around the garden. Seems to work, but possibly a bit more expensive than the other foods mentioned.
This year we thought we had been abandoned! However they returned after a few weeks of apparently deserting us! Mind you the path behind our garden is NOT on a road apart from the two ends. They have access to quite a number of gardens it seems.
Hello @mike245 They have a habit of doing the disappearing act and worrying me to death, then reappearing just as I've decided to stop putting the dog food out and go back to cat biscuits. I am trying to spread the word around here about hedgehog highways. One of our neighbours has just had a hedge taken out and replaced by a fence with concrete fence posts. I can't see the bottom, but l suspect it probably has a concrete base, so no access for hogs....unless they went for one of these https://www.kebur.co.uk/product/hedgehog-concrete-gravel-board/
(No connection to the company, but it's nice to see that some people are thinking about the wildlife. )
Thank you @AnniD I think I will lay out a little bit of dry cat food every evening, will definitely keep refilling that water bowl. Obviously nothing can be done about his flee problem, but he seems active and fit, is only seen after sunset, so scratch away, little Spiky, scratch away 😊
Yes I too have an itchy hoggie. I still see hogs rooting around the garden looking for wild food ( there is hardly a slug to be seen) even though food is out every night. We are just back from a weeks holiday and was worried hoggie might have moved on as the food I left would have only lasted a couple of nights, but there he was last night right on time chomping away.🦔😁
Our hogs are scratching too, so after reading these scratchy hog posts I think perhaps it could be the time of year - warmer weather, more fleas and other grass insects around to attach themselves to warm blooded mammals. I am sure the hogs will be fine, just upsetting to see them being bothered by the itches. @timmy77 may have some advice how to treat them, perhaps there is a power or spray that we can administer. Tics are a different matter, and should be removed with a special hook by someone who knows what they are doing.
Just watched a weeks worth of video/pictures from my camera. It seems 10.30pm is the arrival time for hoggie. If food is available he will come back three times in a night, drinking as well. When the food ran out he still came and returned to just drink. This kept him in/near my garden till 3/4 am. The only time this differed was when it rained, he came till midnight then left. The camera never as far as I could tell ( in black and white) picked up the two others that I saw just before we left for our holiday. 🦔
Posts
Now I wonder if I’m doing the right thing though - should I be feeding him or would it change his behaviour in a negative way? (like getting too comfortable with humans or loosing the ability to find food by himself). I know water is definitely a good idea, but food?
He seems healthy, though scratches himself a lot (flees?). Cat food given doesn’t contain any fish. Do I keep feeding him, please?
https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/help-hedgehogs/feed-hedgehogs/
As regards the scratching, @timmy77 may be better placed to answer, but I think that unless you see one out in the daytime, there is no cause for concern. I know they do carry hidden parasites that can only be confirmed by a rescue or vet, so I may well be wrong in this case.
They have a habit of doing the disappearing act and worrying me to death, then reappearing just as I've decided to stop putting the dog food out and go back to cat biscuits. I am trying to spread the word around here about hedgehog highways. One of our neighbours has just had a hedge taken out and replaced by a fence with concrete fence posts. I can't see the bottom, but l suspect it probably has a concrete base, so no access for hogs....unless they went for one of these
https://www.kebur.co.uk/product/hedgehog-concrete-gravel-board/
(No connection to the company, but it's nice to see that some people are thinking about the wildlife. )
Obviously nothing can be done about his flee problem, but he seems active and fit, is only seen after sunset, so scratch away, little Spiky, scratch away 😊
The camera never as far as I could tell ( in black and white) picked up the two others that I saw just before we left for our holiday. 🦔