That's a good plate of food @purplerallim I caught 2 hedgehog on camera the night before last, one is just not interested in the feeding station at all, and headed off just before "Speedy" turned up. He (?) can't get in there fast enough!
That amount goes every night @AnniD I think there might be three hogs, as a baby sized one turned up a month ago ( still not sure if it was just last year's runt, but is only half an adult female size) and any crumbs left are eaten at dawn by three blackbirds.😆
I managed to get a very bad photo from my phone of two of the hogs that visit. As you can see the small one is only half the size, but it's been this size since May, when it first turned up. Last night "Slinky" as I call him ( because unlike other hogs he runs close to the ground, not up on four legs) came across the little one and proceeded to do the pushing, patting, and circling, so it must be a she. Later Slinky cornered a similar size hog to him in the feeding station, who was just as uninterested in him and promptly left.
Well before a house, a covered feeding station might help, as when the weather changes the food will get wet. Do you put out water? Mine come for that as much as food. As for housing it can go from a bought one, to home made, to whatever you have in the garden. One of mine is a bought one, the other is a wide shallow bulb planter, tipped over and stood on two bricks, no holes in the bottom. Others have used wood or just a pile of twigs and leaves, but to me that doesn't seem to give alot of protection from the wet in winter, but the hogs use them.😁 so lots of choices, and if you look back in this thread you will see some of them hope this helps @JamesSB 😁
@JamesSB , If you're any good at DIY, have a look here https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/actions/how-build-hedgehog-home If you'd rather buy one, one of the main factors to take into account is access. It's best to have a zig zag type tunnel or "hallway" to prevent predators such as badgers or foxes being able to reach in and possibly attack the hedgehog. There's loads of information on the BHPS website as well https://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/ 🦔
My two are at the back of my woodland corner in a spot that I don't need to go in very often, so as long as you aren't cutting the hedge weekly😄 it maybe ok. The hogs will be going all around your garden, so any quiet corner will do. My houses are at the opposite side of the garden from the two places where the hedgehogs enter.
As long as it's somewhere peaceful and shaded so it doesn't get sun during the day, it will be fine. There's usually an untouched area in most gardens. Mine is under the thuja hedge down by the compost bins. They always seem to find them, and if they like it will move in. Not always the same hedgehog every night apparently, they like to roam around.
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Just after this photo this hog went to leave, only to come nose to nose with another one coming in.😁
I caught 2 hedgehog on camera the night before last, one is just not interested in the feeding station at all, and headed off just before "Speedy" turned up. He (?) can't get in there fast enough!
As you can see the small one is only half the size, but it's been this size since May, when it first turned up. Last night "Slinky" as I call him ( because unlike other hogs he runs close to the ground, not up on four legs) came across the little one and proceeded to do the pushing, patting, and circling, so it must be a she. Later Slinky cornered a similar size hog to him in the feeding station, who was just as uninterested in him and promptly left.
As for housing it can go from a bought one, to home made, to whatever you have in the garden.
One of mine is a bought one, the other is a wide shallow bulb planter, tipped over and stood on two bricks, no holes in the bottom. Others have used wood or just a pile of twigs and leaves, but to me that doesn't seem to give alot of protection from the wet in winter, but the hogs use them.😁 so lots of choices, and if you look back in this thread you will see some of them hope this helps @JamesSB 😁
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/actions/how-build-hedgehog-home
If you'd rather buy one, one of the main factors to take into account is access. It's best to have a zig zag type tunnel or "hallway" to prevent predators such as badgers or foxes being able to reach in and possibly attack the hedgehog.
There's loads of information on the BHPS website as well
https://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/
I do also put water out. I assumed the dry biscuits would leave them a little thirsty.
My houses are at the opposite side of the garden from the two places where the hedgehogs enter.