I have been sat in the conservatory for the last hour. In that time two hedgehogs have come for food and water. Last night two bats swooped for the moths attracted by the patio lights. This years hogs are a bit more light shy, but as the temperature drops they become more bold usually. 🦔🦔
@AnniD Had a large male nest building during the day in July and he stayed for a couple of days. After all that effort he went off to stay elsewhere and only came back for food. He did return a few weeks ago and added more to his nest (at night this time) but has buggered off again. Hedgehogs are a law unto themselves bless 'em.
Maybe that's his resting nest, for when he is after food in your garden @februarysgirl I had one do that one year, came for food then went for a rest ( they supposedly need to fill their tummies three times a night now😱) but didn't sleep in it.
I have one hedgehog visiting more or less every night but for some reason, he (?) isn't keen on the feeding station and so any food l put out was going to waste (well, to the magpies the following morning). There was a second hedgehog who used to dive into the feeding station with the speed of Usain Bolt and clear the dish in minutes, but he hasn't been spotted for a while. When the nights start getting cooler l will begin putting the feeding station out again.
There is a hedgehog house underneath the conifers, right in the corner of the garden, but it's difficult to access at the best of times and at the moment there's a load of stuff waiting to go to the tip. As soon as that's cleared l will set up a camera and see if anyone is in residence.
I have been clearing a large area of flower bed but left the overgrown bit down by the compost bins well alone. I could hear snuffling the other night from around that area, and spotted a hedgehog trundling across the lawn. We have had longed for rain the past couple of days and he seems to be finding something to eat 🦔. There's at least 2 dishes of water available as well.
@purplerallim The hedgehogs that visit my garden are consistently inconsistent 😂 He was visiting earlier this year and used the main hedgehog house for naps between eating and going on his wanderings. He slept in it during the day for about a week or so but one night there was some squabbling over it and after that night he didn't stay in it again, he just stopped by for food. Of course the other hedgehog didn't take any interest in the house after that night 🙄 Not long after, he stopped coming by at all and some other hogs started feeding in my garden. He did start to come back about a month ago and had a habit of falling asleep in the food bowl before he decided to start staying over again but in the other house. Didn't last long and now he's disappeared again. Lots of hedgehog business to take care of I guess!
While in the garden this afternoon near the shed I was surprised to see a hedgehog (pretending to be my yard brush, which is what I thought it was to start with!). It was initially quite still, possibly because I was making a noise near it and it was pretending not to be there... I went inside to alert my husband, fearing the hog might be ill - it was only 4.30pm - but by the time we got outside again, less than a minute later, it was trotting purposefully up the garden (under cover of vegetation next to the wall), and made straight for the gap under the fence, into the field.
I don't know if this is the same animal which was dragging dried grass under the shed a couple of weeks ago (also in the daylight). Once again, it looked perfectly healthy once it got going, and continued trotting across the field.
Should I be worried?
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
I don't think so, judging by your description @Liriodendron. If it was moving purposefully as opposed to being lethargic, staggering, or lying still, it's more than likely nothing to worry about. It's possible that the hedgehog is moving hoglets, but if you have any concerns it might be worth contacting the local rescue again, just to be sure
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Last night two bats swooped for the moths attracted by the patio lights. This years hogs are a bit more light shy, but as the temperature drops they become more bold usually. 🦔🦔
I had one do that one year, came for food then went for a rest ( they supposedly need to fill their tummies three times a night now😱) but didn't sleep in it.
I have one hedgehog visiting more or less every night but for some reason, he (?) isn't keen on the feeding station and so any food l put out was going to waste (well, to the magpies the following morning).
There was a second hedgehog who used to dive into the feeding station with the speed of Usain Bolt and clear the dish in minutes, but he hasn't been spotted for a while.
When the nights start getting cooler l will begin putting the feeding station out again.
There is a hedgehog house underneath the conifers, right in the corner of the garden, but it's difficult to access at the best of times and at the moment there's a load of stuff waiting to go to the tip.
As soon as that's cleared l will set up a camera and see if anyone is in residence.
I have been clearing a large area of flower bed but left the overgrown bit down by the compost bins well alone. I could hear snuffling the other night from around that area, and spotted a hedgehog trundling across the lawn. We have had longed for rain the past couple of days and he seems to be finding something to eat 🦔. There's at least 2 dishes of water available as well.
Got to love 'em - and l do
I don't know if this is the same animal which was dragging dried grass under the shed a couple of weeks ago (also in the daylight). Once again, it looked perfectly healthy once it got going, and continued trotting across the field.
Should I be worried?
It's possible that the hedgehog is moving hoglets, but if you have any concerns it might be worth contacting the local rescue again, just to be sure