Hi dgd17
I agree Jan Marie. In this dry weather it is really helpful for hogs if we put food out. Some of their natural diet – such as earthworms – are not so easy to find and water is vitally important 24 hours a day. And whilst you may not think there are flies around at night, they are probably active early in the morning so with wet food, I would change it daily if any is left over. When it is this hot and dry I leave enough food out that there is usually some left in the morning, in case, but at more normal times I tend to adapt it according to how much they are eating.
As I mentioned it’s a good idea to leave as many sources of water around as you can 24 hours a day, in case, as yours have, they come out during the day and are desperate for a drink. You are right that it isn’t normal for them to be out in the daytime, but this isn’t normal weather! They sometimes sleep outside in hotter weather. If they venture further from cover or if you see them just standing or lying, in the open (some people describe it as sunbathing) that is not normal and they need help. Leaving plenty of water around should help to prevent that happening. Large plant saucers, dotted around the garden, are ideal for this as the hogs are very good at tipping bowls over!
Good luck.
