Heartbroken

[Curlytop3]

Just found my hedgehog dead in the garden pond and can’t stop crying.
There was plenty of water in bowls around the garden and I had built a rocky pile in the pond as an escape route just in case. I fed this little beauty all summer and had bought a hedgehog home which he had been visiting.
Why did I not find him in time and what should I do with his wee body as I my garden is paved so I cannot bury him?

[Lesley]

Hi Curlytop 3, That’s aw-fall you should have put a bit of netting over or around the pond , re getting rid of his body wrap it up and put him in dustbin or bury him in the hedgerow some where near you, i would do the latter.
I’m so sorry hopefully you’ll get another one in.
Lesley

[Jan-Marie]

Hi Curlytop3,

that’s a tragic tale – so sorry to hear it. Hogs do prefer pond and rain water – even dirty water to fresh water in bowls put out for them.

I don’t know how large your garden pond is – but it sounds as though you had made provision for escape, which a hog would normally have found.
(I would myself advise caution with netting over and around ponds however as it can trap hogs underneath or get entangled in it even if they do manage to escape the water). Better to provide a shallow end and or something they can use to climb back out by using.

Its worth bearing in mind though – that although hogs are in fact usually good swimmers – on coming out of hibernation they are often quite weak. The demise of this little fella might have been as a result of that – or he could perhaps have been unwell in some other way that put him at increased risk near or in the water

recheck your pond escape provision for robustness and I’m sure you will be seeing more hogs through the spring. your pond could be a lifesaver for them if we have another dry summer as they are beginning to predict!

[Curlytop3]

Thank you so much Jan-Marie for your good advice, my pond is 8ft square and deep in the middle but has a shallow edge, unfortunately still too deep for the hedgehog, I had constructed an escape route but will make another on the other side of the pond. He was only young and looked in good condition but the cold water probably didn’t help.

[Curlytop3]

New brick steps constructed on two sides of the pond and hedgehog will be buried in the front garden, can’t really do much more x

[Lesley]

That’s good news curlytop3, when i read your story i thought you didn’t have any garden to bury him ‘Sorry’

[Nic]

Hi Curlytop3

So sad to hear about the little hog. That must have been such a horrible shock for you to find it. It sounds as if you had tried to make it safe, but the sad thing is that even with the best will in the world, there will always be the occasional tragedy.

It sounds a good idea to put a new escape route at the other end of the pond. If it was mine, I think I would be inclined to put some down either side as well. You can never have too many escape routes! I hope some more hogs find you this year and manage to stay out of trouble. Good luck.

[Alcuza]

So sad, I know how you feel as I found a dead hog in a low terraced area behind our house last year. The area is only accessible down several steps and we rarely go down there. It must have got down and couldn’t get out. I still feel terrible about it. I have now put a board over the steps so a small animal could climb out. We just need to take steps to a avoid these accidents happening again and it sounds like you have done just that. I also have 2 ponds so I will be making sure they have sufficient exit points today, so you have helped alert me to the problem of ponds, thanks. Alcuza

[Curlytop3]

Thanks everyone for your kindness and suggestions, take care of yourselves and your wee hogs x

[Author]

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