Hogs Eating & Sleeping in Garden!

[Salza]

I have three hedgehogs in my garden tonight. One sleeps in the daytime in the house I built. They currently visit the feeding stations and I am supplying them with fresh water, Spikes semi moist hedgehog food mixed with white sunflower hearts & mealworms. They are getting through 1kg of Spikes per fortnight!

[Nic]

Hi Salza

It’s good to hear about the hedgehogs there. I expect they will be going to hibernate quite soon, now.

With regard to the food, it would be better for the hogs if you stick to the Spikes and give the sunflower hearts and mealworms a miss. Mealworms and to some extent sunflower hearts don’t have a good Calcium to Phosphorous ratio, which means that calcium can be leached from the bones. This is particularly dangerous for hoglets, and they can become ‘addicted’ to them. There are hoglets around now. Also with hogs about to hibernate they need the very best nutritionally good food we can give them. Sorry, your 1kg of Spikes may increase, but the hogs will be better for it. If they don’t like it to start with, just add a few mealworms and reduce them gradually.

You might like to check out:
https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/help-hedgehogs/i-feed-hedgehogs-mealworms/

You are lucky that a hog is using your specially made hog house. Makes the effort all worthwhile.

Good luck with the hogs and I hope they all come back safely from hibernation next year.

[Sammy9]

I also have a hog sleeping in 1 of my 3 houses in my garden its been here since the summer do you think it will stsy for winter

[dbaker4718]

I am caring for 2 underweight hogs 280grms and 360grms I spoke to a recommended rescuer and she advised scrambled egg ( which they seem to like ) and Ark dried food they are gaining weight but any advice would be great. I really don’t know what or if they need to exercise for instance.

[Salza]

Thanks for the advice regarding the feed. I will ease off the mealworms and sunflower seeds.

[Nic]

Hi dbaker4718

Well done for looking after the little ones.

I, seriously, would follow the advice given to you by Stef under carers/rescuing a hog. She really does know what she’s talking about. I’m not at all sure that scrambled eggs would give them sufficient nutrients in the long term, but Stef is the best one to advise about this.

[Nic]

Hi Sammy9

Now there’s a question! If only we could see into the minds of hogs!

Normally they would have a different, more elaborate nest for hibernation. Apart from anything else they might want to get away from any parasites, which may be in their Summer nest – and they do apparently sometimes move nests during the hibernation period. Having said that, an individual hog may decide to stay put. Never say never! But don’t expect it to stay.

Whatever they decide to do, I hope they all have a successful hibernation and come back safely in the Spring.

[Author]

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