Hedgehog Sleeping in Feeding Station – Napping, Nesting or Hibernating?

[HampshireHedgehogs]

Hi, I would be very grateful for any advice on the following:

I have had my first feeding station house set up for two weeks, after discovering we have Hedgehog visitors. Hedgehog(s) have been using the station every night since eating and drinking. The past 3 days on two of the days I have lifted the lid off gently to do the daily ‘clean’ and top up and to my surprise a hedgehog has been in there sleeping.
Day 1: 18:30 hedgehog asleep so left it in peace
Day 2: 09:30 hedgehog was gone so managed to clean & top up food & water
Day 3: 15:00 hedgehog was asleep with not much food eaten, although I must have woken it as he/she opened eyes. 21:00 Hedgehog is fast asleep although has drunk some water. I left it in peace.
Day 4: I plan to check in the morning but I am worried about disturbing? I am just conscious of the amount of toilet in there and providing food/ water.

Please can you kindly advise on next steps which are best for the hedgehog. I am a complete newbie to this. Is the hedgehog trying to use the feeding station as a nest? Or trying to hibernate? If so, do I need to remove all the current poo, kitchen roll and move the water and food bowl out and put some straw in instead? And then make a new separate feeding station? I am worried it is trying to hibernate and that I am disturbing it which I know is very bad indeed. Or, do I just need to chill out and let the hedgehog use is as a napping station when it feels like it?

It might be completely unrelated but for the first week +, quite a bit of the poo was green and quite loose. It has since improved, is less loose and mainly brown. I note this incase the above sleeping is a sign the hedgehog is unwell.

Thank you so much in advance.

[Nic]

Hi HampshireHedgehogs

Do you know if the hedgehog is actually going out at night?

It seems unlikely that it is trying to hibernate in there – they normally build a fairly substantial hibernating nest. But hogs do sometimes decide to sleep in feeding boxes. They do tend to poo around their feeding areas, especially if there is more than one visiting. But what you’re describing does sound slightly odd i.e. they don’t normally poo in their actual nests (although never say never!) and this hog box’s use sounds as if it’s become slightly ambiguous!

If you are worried about the hog you can get contact details of your nearest carer from BHPS 01584 890801. It might be worth having a chat with them. It’s very difficult to get the full picture on here, i.e. you can explain more fully and answer any questions they might have immediately.

You might like to provide another box specifically aimed towards nesting. You never know the hog might move in there (assuming that any carer you may have spoken to has said they think it sounds ok). If you do have a new hog house, put a small amount of bedding inside and provide lots more nearby so that the hog can take in what it chooses to build it’s nest. Long grasses and medium sized leaves are ideal nesting material for them.

I think I would be inclined to try that way round first and hope the hog moves out so you can clean the feed box out properly. But that would be on the assumption that it is actually going out at night to be able to find the other box!

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