My lodger

[Shaza67]

We have had a hedgehog living under our garden shed for the last 2 years or more. He is very pampered, fresh water and nibbles every night all covered so it doesn’t get wet or stolen by our cats. When I look out of my window to check on the little chap (or lass) sometimes I see that we have 2 hedgehogs eating, could they be mates or just a passing hedgehog?
Hoping in the next few days to buy a camera so I can film all their antics, placing the camera near their entrance in case one day I might see some babies, fingers crossed.

[Nic]

Hi Shaza

It’s good to hear you have a hog living under your shed.

The hedgehogs won’t be mates, as such. They are solitary animals but tend to come together around the food we put out for them. Youngsters often seem to like to share bowls with another hog, either an adult or another hoglet and adult females will sometimes share. Males on the other hand, don’t normally share with another male but they may eat in the same general area, if the bowls are spread out. It depends a bit on the male. The more dominant ones are more likely to roll up any other males in the vicinity.

I have found in the past that some females will tolerate certain other females but not others, so I suppose it could be said that they were, sort of, mates, but it’s also possible that they could be related, i.e. sisters or mother and grown up daughter.

[Author]

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