Little Friends Welcome Back
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Here in Derbyshire, I’ve always been fortunate to have hedgehogs in my garden. Last year, Horace and Harold were regular visitors. Horace had a prodigious appetite and Harold was never seen to eat anything, despite his size. He was always on his way to somewhere else in a hurry! In August last year, a baby turned up. I named it Tiny. Tiny had a good appetite and began to grow, hence I renamed him/her Tiny Pudding. I have left food out right through the winter and it was almost always gone each morning with the dish moved from its position. On 08 February this year, I saw a large hog striding down the garden path in broad daylight! It seemed perfectly steady and not wobbly. I put food out in the hedge bottom immediately. In early March, Tiny Pudding reappeared and commenced eating. Earlier this week, I saw three hogs in my garden and there were some fisticuffs going on! I’ve missed these cheeky little creatures over the winter. I love my hedgehogs and I’m hoping for some babies later in the year!
Hi Cattypuss
It’s good to hear that your hog friends are returning. Yes, some hogs, especially hoglets decide not to hibernate and will continue coming for food all winter.
However, seeing a hog out during the day rings alarm bells – especially in the winter when the nights are so long. If it should happen again, it’s best to contact your local carers and take advice. (you can get contact details of your local carers by ringing 01584 890801 – number also below on the left) Hogs, being wild animals, do their best to look ok until they really can’t, so it’s not easy to tell just by looking whether they are ok or not.
Sounds like the hogs there are keeping you entertained with their antics! Good luck with them all and happy hog watching.
Hello Nic
I was astounded to see the hog in daylight and dashed outside immediately in case there was a problem but he disappeared under a wooden building where I know there is at least one den. He didn’t re-emerge and I haven’t seen him again in daylight. I put out a dish of food near to where he disappeared and some of it was eaten. I know for sure that Tiny lives in my garden. The others seem to come from the allotments. I log their appearance times and the direction from which they enter my garden. They do seem to have routines which is something I noticed when I first started feeding hogs back in the 1980s. Routines…but abysmal table manners!
Hi Cattypuss
I know what you mean – hogs are very good at disappearing where they can’t be reached. Sometimes there’s just nothing we can do about it.
Re. routines – yes I used to have one female who used to turn up at the same time every night – could almost set your watch by her arrival time! At the same time there was another female who dug through the food and sent it flying everywhere. She was a lovely hog and such a character, so I forgave her, but that fits in with your description of “Routines…but abysmal table manners!”
You are lucky having those allotments – sounds a lovely habitat for the hogs.
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