Hi simbo65
You haven’t done anything wrong. He is better off without all those ticks. From what you’ve said elsewhere, I think it is very likely that he has another nest somewhere else. They wouldn’t normally hibernate in the nest that they have been using day to day – probably because of the parasites. Males, in particular, often change nests during the Summer anyway, so it was a seal of approval that he stayed so long.
Hibernation is always a difficult time for us hog lovers, but all we can do is hope that they come back in the Spring. Loving wild animals is always a bit of a roller coaster. They give us a lot of worry, but also a lot of joy.
