Early litter?

[Teetay28]

We have had hedgehogs on and off in our garden for at least the last 3 years. I recently replaced their sleeping quarters and seem to have a resident. My daughter today saw a hog out during the day. It looked lively and was snuffling around the hog house area. I checked with local rescue as I didn’t want to intervene unless necessary. They said to watch it and if it was moving with purpose to and from a nest to leave it for now. We therefore did not intervene. I then checked my camera and spotted lots of nest making in and out of the house as well as mating activity early this month. Could it be that it is a female hog that’s pregnant and preparing her nest? Is it not too early in the year?

I’ve seen mating behaviour before and usually the female is far more resistant turning away but this time it seemed much more like he may be successful…albeit that the actual act wasn’t on camera …I guess she has some standards!! 😉. What’s everyone’s view?

[Nic]

Hi Teetay28

It is early, but if there are male and female hedgehogs around together at the same time they will mate even if it is early. So now that more hogs are choosing not to hibernate it is more likely to happen – even if with fewer of them around males and females are less likely to meet. So it is possible even if not ideal.

It might become more obvious as time goes on, depending on how she behaves. They usually nest build shortly before birth and then you may not see her for a while if she has young, as she’ll need to keep them warm and fed. Sadly the mortality rate for young hedgehogs is not that good at the best of times, but she may be lucky.

Let us know how things progress. Good luck.

[spikes2]

I have cameras round my garden and have already seen hogs mating late March, and now mid April.
I tentatively opened one of our hog-houses yesterday as I want to clean it out and put fresh bedding in. There was a hog in there so I quickly closed the lid, but saw in my brief glimpse that the hay over him or her, was crawling with insects scurrying to get out of the light, and it also looked like some of the hay is decaying and slimy in places, which can’t be ideal conditions.

So when is the best time to clean out the hog house?
I’m guessing it’s after dark when the hog has left to go foraging, but what if there are already hoglets in there?

[Author]

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