Not seen hedgehog for 3-4 days
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Hi, I have had hedgehogs visiting my garden every night since the summer. We have a feeding station and a separate hedgehog house for them to sleep in. We also have a camera focused on the house to monitor them and see them come in and out of the garden. During the summer we had around 4 or 5 hedgehogs visiting the garden every single night. But then around October/November time the amount of hedgehogs visiting reduced to just the one hedgehog. So i was wondering if the other hedgehogs had gone into hibernation. As I was told that some hedgehogs hibernate early, some late or some not at all if they have food and shelter available to them. So I have just had the one hedgehog visiting since then. But the last few days there has been no sign of the hedgehog. I know we have had cold weather these past few months but to my surprise the hedgehog was still visiting us. I feel sad as the first thought in my head was that he had been injured by a car or another animal. But can’t see anything, has the last hedgehog gone into hibernation now. Any help would be appreciated.
Hi Charlie, Your description sounds quite typical of behaviour I’ve seen in my garden. During the 2023-4 winter, a hedgehog lived in one of the houses in the garden and ate regularly but suddenly vanished during February (no eating, not in house) with multiple hedgehogs starting to visit in March. For the 2024-5 winter, there were only 2 nights (very frosty) on which no hedgehog ate. This winter (2025-6) there was a period from November to end January during which a hedgehog visited on only 2 adjacent nights but hedgehog(s) have been visiting every night in February so far. Lots of variability! It’s known that they sometimes move house during the hibernation season which is likely to cause a break in routine, too. Like you, I always feel disappointed when they’re not around but keep food and water available so they know they’re still welcome!
Sam_
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