Checking my Hedgehog House

[Richard]

Hi All, I have a hedgehog house at the back of my garden, I can’t tell if I have a visitor living in it and have put some food out close to it, but it has not been eaten.

Would it be ok to open the house and check if there is a hog inside or would I cause damage to any hog that might be sleeping in it?

[Nic]

Hi Richard

I would leave it for a couple of weeks, just in case. The females here haven’t come back from hibernation yet. They are usually a bit later than the males and, possibly because of the weather, even some of the males are late this year.

[Williamc]

What I do, once I’m sure they’re all awake, is to put some twigs and leaves across the entrance. If they’re disturbed then it’s in use and leave it alone, if they’re untouched then it’s empty and ok to open.

The temps are going to be a lot higher next week so a good time to do this check since they should all be out and about.

I will admit that I worry each year when I do this that i’ll find a deceased hog inside especially after a winter like this one.

[Richard]

Thanks for all your advice, I have checked the entrance of the house and there is a small collection of leaves which have not been disturbed, so no one has been out of the house since the winter.

I will leave it along for a few more weeks and then if still no disturbance of the leaves, I will take a look.

Thanks again

Richard

[Mia888]

Hi all
What do you think hedgehogs need most at this time of the year because I don’t have many supply’s.

Thanks Mia

[Nic]

Hi Mia

Water is probably the very most important thing the hedgehogs need. It is best to leave it out all the time. You can use a shallow plant saucer or something similar, the wider the better (hedgehogs are very good at tipping the smaller ones over and spilling the water), but not so deep that they could get stuck in it. Remember to keep it topped up. Water is especially important when they come out of hibernation and in the Summer when it is hot and there is not much other water around.

If you have a garden, you could try to make it more hedgehog friendly there are some tips at: https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/help-hedgehogs/helpful-garden-features/

Both of those cost very little, but if you have a bit more to spare, you could try offering them some cat biscuits or cat/dog food or even some hedgehog food. Don’t be tempted to give them bread and milk as it is bad for them and will upset their digestion. Water is all they need to drink.

[Paul J]

Bit late with this, but…..
Made a HogHouse on 15/6/2018, put a small amount of food in it (cat biscuits, Spikes and 6 or 7 mealworms), and some hay…left a small twig across the entrance, to see, as suggested, if anyone had moved in.
Well hey-ho, twig has been moved this morning, so I opened the lid very quietly to see if the food had gone, and would you believe…”Someone’s been sleeping in my bed ……..and he’s still there”!!! (fast asleep)!!
So 7 days, and a big fat fella has moved in…

[Nic]

Hi Paul J

Well aren’t you the lucky one! Don’t be surprised if he doesn’t take up residence for long. They often do have short stays at this time of year. But at least a hog has shown his sign of approval, so it is likely someone else may try it for size if he moves on.

Good luck.

[Paul J]

Hi Nic,
Yeah, I understand the short stop thing with hedgehogs.
Interestingly though, last night, just sat down to start watching S3 of The Magicians and my girlfriend said she must grab some washing off the line.
I could just see her through the window, as it was going dark and she was beckoning to me to come to the door.
Right in front of her was a small hedgehog munching through something on the edge of some undergrowth.
I opened the door slowly to see if I could see it better, when next to my feet a much larger one started crunching on some cat biscuits that were on a small plastic lid under some flagstones leaning against the house!!
Looks like there may be more than one in the garden..
I only put tiny amounts of food out for them…but they find it …no problem.

[Nic]

That’s brilliant, Paul J. Especially if the little one might have been a hoglet (?)

[Paul J]

Yep, It’s really good.
Not wishing to be too optimistic, but, I’m sure at one point there was a bit of rummaging around going on, in the far corner of the garden, at the same time as all of this….so….maybe there was a third???
Is it possible a small family has moved in…??
I’ll let you know if I find out…(in S1 E/2)…
Paul.

[Nic]

Hi Paul J

It depends what you mean by a family. The males don’t have anything to do with bringing up the hoglets, but it’s possible there could be a Mum and her hoglets, either visiting or moved in. Especially if the first ‘small’ one was a hoglet, there’s no reason why there shouldn’t be another one. Once they become independent they pretty much go their own way but if they have found your garden is a good place to visit they may well continue to do that and then their paths are likely to cross.

Fingers crossed it is hoglet(s). It’s always good to hear about hoglets!

[DwarfHog]

Just checked my house and some hay has been moved in and shaped into a bed – not enough to call a nest though. It doesn’t look as if any hog has been there recently. Has anyone seen any hoglets yet? I’m getting impatient! ‘Thanks’ to some of my neighbours I now have some graffiti-ed hogs – not good I know but at least I now know that I have at least 5 regulars!

[Jan-Marie]

Hi Dwarfhog,

we have seen hoglet poo for the first time this weekend around the garden – very excited about it. We havent spotted the hoglets yet though – but means we will put some more water and crunchy food out along the route they are using.

[DwarfHog]

How can you tell the difference between hog and hoglet poo?

[Author]

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