Hi Simbo65
That’s a bit tricky. She could be getting ready for babies (especially if she’s taking more nesting in) although if she hasn’t been out from hibernation that long, it seems unlikely she would be about to produce – gestation about 4½ weeks, although a bit variable. But is there any way she could have been out before, without you knowing? It’s just possible she already has some young ones and that’s why isn’t going far.
Did you get another house? That would be the best thing to put it next door and hope she moved in. Just a bit worried about her having babies in a nest she hibernated in, which seems likely to have parasites in it, but it has to be her choice. But you could help her make up her mind by providing another house nearby.
Re. the feeding. It’s difficult to know whether she has become dependant. Does she look as if she’s finding it hard to get around? I wouldn’t have thought missing one eye would be too much problem, they don’t have very good eyesight, anyway and rely a lot on their sense of smell and hearing. (the one here seemed to get around like any other hedgehog – although was the only one around for most of the time.) But maybe if fairly newly out of hibernation she is getting really well re-acquainted with her immediate surroundings before moving further afield.
I can’t remember what you’re feeding, but any hog food is really only meant to be supplementary, so not ideal for complete diet. For instance, I normally feed ‘I love hedgehogs’ but when I have had non-hibernators, I have given them kitten biscuits as well, during winter, because I thought they were less likely to be getting natural protein (although they did actually forage as well, even in Winter). You wouldn’t want to cut the food down if she is about to produce and if she really did only come out of hibernation so recently, she may not have reached her ideal weight yet.
How close is your feeding station to the hog house? If it is nearby, I wonder if you could move it gradually a bit away, so that she has a chance to forage on the way there – might give her the idea again. Although I think you said there wasn’t a lot of space. Did she go further afield last year?
Sorry not being that much help (mostly just thinking ‘out loud’) but it’s a complicated situation and it’s more difficult not knowing all the circumstances fully.
P.S. I rang up about the hog with the strimmer injury, the other day. Couldn’t talk long because the lady was on the way somewhere, but apparently the hog is doing well – had to leave all my other questions for another day, but I know they will be looking after him/her well.
