Hi Emily
First, if you’ve found some cat biscuits that the hedgehog likes, I would stick to those. Hogs can sometimes be very funny about you changing what you offer them. One advantage of cat/kitten biscuits is that it helps to clean the hogs’ teeth. Not so sure that soft filling ones would work as well, so I’d be inclined to give them a miss and I wouldn’t soak them.
Definitely leave water out all day every day. Air temperature is fine. I wouldn’t put out water from the fridge.
It’s o.k. to feed the hogs at this time of year. I put some out every day. Hogs aren’t greedy like cats who are inclined to eat whatever you give them, so hopefully are regulating how much they eat and leaving space for wild food as well. So the hogs who visit here, will come and eat a bit of food and then wander off – leaving food in the bowl, which another hog might come along and eat or the same one might come back later. They aren’t inclined to eat everything offered in one go if it’s more than they need.
It’s different if hogs are with a carer or in a hog hospital, etc. where amounts may need to be regulated more carefully. With wild hogs you don’t need to be too precise. Just if all the food is going, maybe put out a bit more and if some is left a bit less. I would be inclined to measure by handfuls. I think it’s better to have more than one bowl, so I would put at least a handful in each of two bowls to start with and then adapt it according to how much is eaten.
I hope you continue to enjoy the hogs’ visits. Good luck and happy hog watching!
