My Hedgehog has moved out.

[Keith59]

Hi, for nearly a year now I’ve had a hedgehog visiting my garden. I started to feed him/her and put water out. I placed a house at the end of my garden and although I wasn’t sure in the winter if he was sleeping in there, when I saw him emerge from it at the end of March I knew he had. He’s been eating his food/water ever since until a few days back and has now gone off. He had 2 of his mates with him on my patio having a party a few weekends ago. I’m partly sad but also can understand that he wants to explore new pastures after all this time. Possibly with his mates. I’ll miss him though. I’ll continue to put food but especially water out for quite awhile longer just in case he pops back. In a month or so after checking on my trail camera first I’ll clean the house out (a newer one is now next to it) just in case he or any other hedgehogs return in the autumn to use it.

[Nic]

Hi Keith59

It sounds as if the hog stayed in the hoghouse longer than some! Normally they would move nests to avoid a build up of parasites. But he may be exploring another part of his range. But also if he is a young hog, he may be moving to a slightly different area.

I think you are doing the right thing continuing to offer food and water. If there is one hog around, there are likely to be others, so if not him, another hog may visit.

If you are sure he has vacated the house (which it sounds as if you are), and no other hog has moved in, I would clean it out now. Best to use boiling water to kill any parasite eggs which may be left in there.

Good luck. Hope you get another hog visitor soon.

[Keith59]

Hi Nic,
Thanks so much for your reply. I think in the last few weeks he has been sleeping in the overgrown part of my garden. Yes I will clean the house sooner then. I’ll put my trail camera near it for a few nights just to make sure him or any other hog isn’t using it and then clean it out as you suggested. I’m not sure how old he is but I first spotted him in my garden at the start of August last year. Going by the amount of poo I found afterwards I think he had actually started visiting from sometime in July. He looked fully grown to me the first time I saw him. I did see him only once with a smaller one but that was only once back in late August. As I said I’ll continue to put out water at least just in case he or another hog decides to visit for a drink during the summer months and look out for any signs if anyone visits from the autumn onwards as well. All hogs are welcome in my garden. Thanks again for your excellent advice.

[Keith59]

Just to say my Hedgehog is back coming into my garden. Has been for awhile now (all through July) although some nights he doesn’t come as the food and water in the feeding station isn’t touched. Usually when it rains which I assume he’s getting his natural food on them nights. Think though he’s not coming in until well after midnight, more like 3am. Had 3 on my patio one Saturday night having a party awhile back. If he’s still coming in late September I will reopen the house (recently had mouse problems so shut it) plus buy another one to go next to it for any of his mates. He spent last winter in my garden.

[Nic]

Hi Keith59

It’s good to hear the hog has been visiting again. It’s not unusual for males to miss some nights – they have larger ranges than females, so don’t always visit everywhere every night.

I would be inclined to open the box earlier than late September. Some males begin hibernation in September and they may be looking around for suitable nesting places earlier. Don’t forget to leave lots of nesting materials nearby (medium sized leaves, grasses, etc.). Nesting material is as important as hog boxes – the boxes are, to hogs, just structures within which they can build their hibernation (or other) nests.

Good luck and happy hog watching.

[Loracenna]

I have discovered that I have a family of hedgehogs living in the garden. There are at least four hoglets and they have been around every evening for the last month. I’ve only seen the mother once but she seems to have now disappeared. I have established a feeding station in the garden along the guidelines Found on the Internet. Unfortunately the little ones don’t appear to be using it. Is there anything I can do that will entice them to use the feeding station. I am currently giving them a special hedgehog food which I purchased online. The presence of the hedgehogs has been a huge joy for me and I suspect there may actually be more as when I am sitting watching them in the evenings I can hear hedgehog like rustlings at the other side of the garden. I also want to present hibernation boxes and to work towards their safety and well-being. Any advice would be most helpful thank you.

[Nic]

Hi Loracenna

Great news about the hogs there. It sounds as if the hoglets are now old enough for Mother hog to leave them to their own devices.

You don’t say what kind of feeding station you have, but have you tried offering some food outside. Some hogs don’t like going into boxes to feed and the hoglets may be a bit wary. I have some feeding boxes, but also have a sheet of perspex balanced on earth filled pots which even the hogs who prefer to eat outside don’t seem to mind. But you might find if the hoglets eat from any food outside that you can gradually move it into any box you might have.

Hog nesting boxes are useful, because the hogs aren’t always able to find suitable sites to build their nests. Just bear in mind that the materials to make a nest are important as well. So lots of leaves (medium sized preferred) grasses etc. available nearby. Hogs use far more in the way of materials than most people probably expect to build their hibernation nests, so think of how much you think they might use and multiply that several times. The leaves etc. aren’t just piled into the box – a well built hibernaculum has the leaves layered a bit like tiles so that the structure is waterproof and well insulated.

Probably the most useful thing for the hogs is to have access to as many gardens as possible – so hog holes in fences/walls to create a hog highway are good. But also making your garden wildlife friendly is helpful for them, so that the hogs can find plenty of food for themselves – what we offer them by way of food is only supplementary. Some tips here: https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/help-hedgehogs/helpful-garden-features/

Also most important is to leave water available all day every day. Wide but shallow plant saucers are ideal for that.

Good luck and happy hog watching!

[Keith59]

Thanks Nic, your excellent advice has been taken onboard. I’ll will do that. Think I have 2 regulars at the moment.

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