Missing hedgehog

[Lynne W]

Hi. We have had a hedgehog living in our garden for 3 1/2 years in a house we built for him. He appeared as a Small hog Trying to hibernate under a bush that would get soaked over winter. We built a house and he’s lived there every day ever since!!! Over the past few days I’ve been concerned he’d not eaten much of his Hedgehog food. So today we lifted the lid of the house. It’s rammed to the roof with straw and leaves but no hedgehog! Any advice gratefully received. He may have just gone but I’d this normal after so long? Thank you!!!

[Nic]

Hi Lynne W

Yes, it’s quite normal for hedgehogs to change nests. It’s probably unusual for one to stay in your hog box for so long. Normally they change nests fairly regularly, not least to avoid build up of parasites. However, I would be inclined to leave the contents in the box for a while, in case the hog has plans for it. But later on, once breeding season is over, but before hibernation – and you are certain no hog is using the box, then it might be a good idea to clean it out and use boiling water to get rid of any parasite eggs which may be there.

https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/cleaning-out-boxes/

Hogs do tend to disappear at certain times of the year possibly to visit other parts of their ranges. Hopefully the hog will return to visit even if not to nest in your garden, although it might do both.

[Hedgie Lover]

I’ve been told by a foster carer, who helps to run a really good hog rescue centre – that this is totally normal for this time of year – I think they like to go and explore, find a mate for the night, and they don’t seem to stay in their summer nests for too long, a couple of nights and then off.

It’s around September and October, where they come back (so I’ve been told). Last year, for me, it seemed a lot busier in my garden – might have been because I’d first started to feed them, and perhaps this was a new opportunity for them – perhaps as they know it’s there constantly, they aren’t so worried about coming back each night.

However, it’s starting to get slightly busier – for me it was fairly busy in March, when we had that drought, and when they came out of hibernation, then it’s tailed off – but I think they will be back.

I cleaned out my two houses in April, and beginning of May, and since then no occupants, even though I haven’t moved them, and I used no cleaning products. so I’m hoping they might be viewing them as winter nests, and hope that they will be used later on.

[Author]

Posts