Feeding: portions and frequency

[Kodi]

I moved into a house a couple of months ago and just over a week ago saw a hedgehog roaming around the garden several times during the day. Thinking he must be hungry to be out in daylight I started putting food out in the evenings and now have regular visits from two hedgehogs every day. They seem to be in the garden a fair amount of time each night and I regularly see the smaller of the two in daylight. Will this new food source have changed their normal activity (I don’t see how they can manage the 2 kilometres a night I’ve seen mentioned with the amount of time they spend here) and is there a correct portion size to prevent them from relying on one garden (at the moment I’m putting out two saucers with eight or nine cat biscuits in each)? Also is it a good idea to feed hedgehogs out in the middle of the day or is this encouraging unnatural behaviour?

[Nic]

Hi Kodi

There is some information about hedgehogs out during daylight here :

https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/sick-or-injured-hedgehog/

Please follow the advice there, if necessary.

There isn’t a correct portion size, as such – feeding hedgehogs should be supplementary to what they can find for themselves, so making your garden hedgehog friendly is important. But what you describe doesn’t sound too much. Sometimes it’s a matter of ‘playing it by ear’ ie. if you try offering a bit more and it gets left, leave a bit less. Any food that is left out should be to be eaten overnight.

The most important thing is to make sure there is a constant supply of water available – all day every day – including during Winter. Hogs can often find some wild food but not always water which they drink a fair amount of.

Also make sure the hogs have access to other gardens via hedgehog highways.

Good luck and happy hog watching!

[Kodi]

I really need to get my hedgehogs reading this page as they’re just not getting this hedgehog lark right at all. I now know that I have at least three visiting, they show up well in the dark against the light gravel that covers most of the garden. Daytime visits are frequent though. In this nice weather I’m sitting outside as soon as I’m home from work at 6.00 and one’s usually out at that time. At weekends I see one out at any time of day: 10.00, 12.00 and 1.00 this Sunday. I’ve no idea if it’s the same one coming out in sunlight or not. It always seems perfectly healthy; is this normal behaviour? These daylight visits have now been daily since 7th July..

[Nic]

Hi Kodi

Not sure whether you read the link Iincluded previously, but this is a relevant section:

” If the sighting is during the day – it could be a warning sign that all is not well. However, there are some exceptions, nest disturbance, females nest building in preparation for young to be born or feeding while young are asleep being some. Those hedgehogs will generally be moving quickly, appear well and only out for short periods of time. Monitor from a distance to ensure no problems develop and if in doubt call the British Hedgehog Preservation Society on 01584 890 801. However if you find a hedgehog staggering around, lying still (not in a nest), with flies around it or obviously sick or injured be it day or night, it needs urgent help.”

The problem with hedgehogs is, being wild animals they will not show they are unwell if they can help it. That means they can continue to appear to be well until they are too unwell to manage that. There are certain warning signs and (except, i.e, in the circumstances mentioned in that quote) being out during daylight is one of them. If I were you I would give a hog carer/rehabilitator a ring and explain the hedgehogs’ behaviour in more detail than you can on the Forum. – They will be able to tell you if what you are seeing is worrying or not.

It’s possible, if you are feeding them in daylight, you might be encouraging them to continue to expect food then. But that in turn could inadvertently mask a potential underlying problem.

One thing that is vitally important to hedgehogs is that they have access to water all day every day. Without access to water they could become dehydrated (especially in hot dry weather, like at present) which, again, might lead to them venturing out during the day to look for water.

I hope all turns out well for the hedgehogs. Good luck.

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