Feeding station and nesting behaviour

[HogHomeNormandie]

I’m delighted that my newly constructed hog house seems to suit my hedgehog as a feeding station. However I have a quandary because last night s/he started to introduce leaves and moss into it and I now wonder if this is ‘nesting behaviour’ which I should not disturb by lifting the roof to introduce food?

I could construct another ‘home’ near the back of the same border without food offered and provide material for nesting.
Any suggestions team?

[Nic]

Hi HogHomeNormandie

Sounds like a thumbs up for your hog house from the hog! Yes, it does sound like nesting behaviour. It might be for a short stay, but possibly for a longer one. Sometimes hogs take in a small amount of material and only stay for a day or two.

If you are able to make another hog box, I would use that for the food and let the hog continue to build it’s nest in the original food box, if that’s what it seems inclined to do. Hogs seem to like keeping us guessing and not doing what we expect them to do! Something similar has happened to me in the past – the hog built a nest in the feed box and another feed box was required! If you choose to do that, don’t put anything which could be seen as nesting material into the new feeding box – you don’t want to give any other hogs ideas!

You could try to encourage the hog to move boxes, by doing as you suggested, but it might not work and the hog might prefer the original.

[Hector]

I have a cold frame as a feeding station. Easy to put food in and keep a trail camera in there to watch them eat. Get some excellent footage of their individual behaviour and character

[Author]

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