Climbing Hedgehog??

[Turnyhog]

I’ve not seen my regular hedgehog at all this year but, a few nights back my dog was barking and running long our 5 ft tall garden wall. I didn’t see anything and thought it was a cat or even rat (Neighbours had rats).
The next day I noticed what looked like a dried up slug on the wheelie bin again, ignored it although puzzled. Anyway, since then I have noticed several of these poops on the wall, two wheelie bin and a 10″ high plant stand, no smell. I cannot think of any local animal that would leave these but didn’t think Hedgies could climb, walls on 3 sides there’s nothing one could use to climb up in my garden either. I’ve just put a boiled egg out to see if anything passes by. I had some garden work done recently and the stack of wood I kept for bugs etc., was thrown away. Put some logs out today. Any ideas please?

[Nic]

Hi Turnyhog

Hedgehogs can be surprisingly good climbers. I remember reading years ago about a hedgehog which had escaped from a brick walled shed, when it apparently could only have somehow climbed up the wall. But even so, a wheely bin sounds unlikely – being so smooth.

If the things looked like dried up slugs, is there any chance they could have been dried up slugs? I have seen dried up slugs here before, although luckily not recently, and assumed that one of my then neighbours may have been using slug killer. They could have moved a fair way from the source. I wouldn’t say hog poos looked quite like dried up slugs and if they’ve been eating a good proportion of natural diet, tend to have slightly shiny bits in them from beetle wing cases.

It might be worth you checking out what other wildlife poos look like, i.e. fox for instance. You can find some examples if you search for the Wildlife Trusts, identify poo.

Good idea to put some logs back out – it all helps.

Hope you manage to solve the mystery. Good luck.

[Turnyhog]

Thanks Nic
I’ve just bought a wildlife camera so hopefully will see something, so far only a little mouse and various birds, oh, and I never realised how many times I go to the bins haha!
Was suprised to discover Hedgehogs climb, I just could not imagine it. Would like to see one as definitely less this year.
I’ve prodded the poos and it’s definitely not dead slugs.
Thanks again.

[Author]

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