New Hedgehog custodian here

[NCayzer]

Hi Guys
I have two regular visitors to my garden (may be more?) and over the last few weeks I have purchased hedgehog specific food and a hog house, I have collected leaves for them and barricaded the area from my pets. I have also moved one of my outdoor cameras to their area and am loving the footage.

I do have a few questions though as only so much you read initially and since doing much more research things have cropped up and ultimately want to do my best for these adorable creatures.

I purchased the hog house based off reviews, its a standard wooden one and within a day one had moved in. (I part filled the bedding area with hay and left plenty of leaves and straw outside) over the past week there are two hogs that go into the house daily. One painstakingly takes leave in and later in the early hours the other one joins it. It isn’t a huge house and so assume 2nd one is sleeping in the entrance bit? I purchased a second hog house yesterday and put it next door to original (limited space in my garden where they like), one has checked it out but they are still sharing the same original one lol.

I have noticed that one is appearing on my camera around 11am-12pm and goes into the house and its hard with the camera to know if it came out and has returned, but is an unusual time of day none the less, albeit it is active and looks healthy. Anybody seen this activity before? Wondering if having another hog in the same house disturbs it so it sleeps in the garden for a while?

The two houses are wooden with a large entrance hole/corridor but have since read threads that they need ventilation holes? Looking at so many sold on line (mine included) not many have pre drilled holes in the wood and so not sure how essential this is? They are both using it so assume if it wasn’t suitable they wouldn’t? I can always add some next spring when they have stopped using them. One gathers lots of leaves and takes them with it in the early hours before bed which is lovely to see and assume it is getting ready for the winter.

Just want to do what I can to give them the best chance this winter, they have plenty of food and water and I think there may be more than two visiting as I put out 3 cat bowls of food each evening and it is gone every morning.

Any advice from seasoned hedgehog custodians appreciated.

Thank you

[stef]

Hello

You have done everything right. With a lot of hogs being rehabilitated with other hogs these days it is not unusual for them to share accomodation. It’s also possible they are siblings. Anyway I wouldn’t worry about it. If they didn’t want to share one of them would leave. We also don’t really know whether some hogs naturally share in the wild.
It sounds like one of them is building either a birth nest (hopefully not) or a hiberniculum.
You don’t need to drill holes in the house there is quite enough air getting in through the entrance. and you risk letting water in otherwise
Hope this answers your questions but if not let me know

[NCayzer]

Ah thank you for taking the time to answer. One seems to leave the house around 11-12 each day, has a drink then goes back to bed. You read so much about what is normal and what isn’t and despite this being during daylight it seems very healthy so sure it is fine.

[stef]

Hi, it is possible that there are hoglets in there if that’s the case. So keep an eye out – if there are babies they will start to emerge in approx 3 – 4 weeks but may be earlier

[NCayzer]

Ok will keep a close eye on the camera, although it seems really late for a litter as not far off the cold weather so hope not but learning more and more every day.

[stef]

Litters at this time of year are Autumn juveniles and usually will need rescuing and overwintering as they struggle to gain enough weight for winter. Do keep your eye out

[Author]

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