Hedgehog party in the garden
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We were surprised to hear a snuffling/panting/snorting yesterday evening near our garden tree which backs onto a large field. On closer inspection, we saw 4 hedgehogs! I couldn’t believe my eyes. After a quick internet search, we realised the snorting was a mating call. So we are wondering if perhaps it was one lady and three males vying for her attention. Our cat was very bemused by this too and watched from a distance. Does anyone know why they might have come up into our garden for this? We’ve only ever seen one before about a year ago.
I also want to make sure that area is safe and hedgehog friendly from now on. Any tips?Hi Chelseaford2021
Great news that you have hedgehogs there! It’s hard to say from a very short description and not knowing what the hogs where actually doing, whether they are males or females, but the important thing is that there are hedgehogs in the area, so likely to be some of each. Hopefully at some stage some hoglets might appear!
The best things you can do for the hogs is to make sure they have access to other gardens, i.e. have hog holes to make a hedgehog highway for them.
https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/help-hedgehogs/link-your-garden/Then you can try to make your garden wildlife friendly so that it can provide plenty of wild food for them (and try to encourage others to do likewise). I will put the link to the garden information on a separate post (the Forum doesn’t always like more than one link per post).
Two things which particularly come to mind to keep the garden safe for hogs, is to make sure there is no loose netting around, or anything which the hogs could get caught up in. Also, if you have a pond, make sure there is a way for hogs to get out, should they get in there, for instance a beach or shallow area. If you have a straight sided pond escape routes can be made by using stacked up bricks, etc.
Should you wish to offer some supplementary food to the hogs, then cat/dog/hog food or cat/kitten biscuits are suitable. They don’t need any other ‘treats’ and any other foods are best avoided – there are so many things not good for them. If you decide to offer food, I would recommend feeding in several small bowls/dishes rather than one larger one.
Vitally important – especially in the hot weather – is to leave water available for the hogs all day every day. (Water is all they need to drink. Don’t ever offer milk – they are lactose intolerant). Wide but shallow plant saucers are ideal for the water. Make sure there is some water in the shade in this hot weather and that the saucer sides are not so deep a hoglet could get trapped in them.
Good luck and happy hog watching!
Here is the link re. gardens:
https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/help-hedgehogs/helpful-garden-features/For the past week or so, I’ve noticed more activity in my garden. First one large male, then another smaller one. 2 nights ago a very small youngster, then a very small baby arrived. Last night I put water and a bowl of cat biscuits down and decided to sit out for a while to see what came back. 6, yes 6 were in my garden all at once. 3 youngsters and 3 larger adults. I looked down at my feet and 2 of the babies were right by me. I have no idea why my garden has turned into hedgehog central, but it’s so lovely seeing them. I must be doing something right.
Hi janie275
Great news about all the hogs there. I suspect the hogs follow scent ‘messages’, so that if several hogs have gone one way, the others might go and see what’s happening there – although I have no scientific evidence for that at all! But the hoglets soon swell the numbers – lovely that you have some there – they are such endearing little things! Whatever the reason, sounds as if you are doing something right, so keep up the good work.
Happy hog watching!
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