Sighting and Help! Southport
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Hi
On Wednesday, I found a hesgehog outside my outbuilding. I had no food available, so after a quick Google, found I could feed them a bit of cut up banana. When I later returned, the hog had had a nibble on a few pieces. I hadn’t seen him since until tonight, so prepared with cat food, went out and left it next to him. He didn’t touch it when I returned.
A few questions, really:
– I have bought a hog home and am awaitinf delivery. Where would it be best to put it?
– is there anyway I can make it easier for the hogs to navigate my garden? It is large and has plenty of hiding places.
Thanks!
Scott
By no means an expert, but hope this helps;
Leaving some areas a bit wilder is always good, if you can don’t cut the grass too short everywhere leave some a bit longer. Don’t go ott on outside lights if you do have them outside make sure they are dim ones – mine prefer wandering in the dark. Log piles are good which encourage Beatles and bugs which is the natural diet of the hogs, they eat less snails and slugs than you think which also have a risk of parasites so the more Beatles you have the better. A wildlife pond is good not just for the hogs but other wildlife too (size isn’t crucial easy accessibility is), it doesn’t have to be a lake a bin lid size is fine as long as it’s easy to access and will be used as a bird bath too.
Depending on where you are cats can be an issue getting the food – when it comes to feeding, Penny on the forum has an excellent home made feeding station design on the forum, which touch wood has flumaxed the locals cats so far and is more attractive in the garden. Always make sure there is fresh water available, they drink as well as eat.
As for the hog home – put it in a sheltered spot not facing the prevailing wind / rain and not in direct sunlight. I have mine tucked under a Christmas tree which has wide branches low down this helps protect it from predators etc… so under a bush would be good if you have one.
Don’t forget a comfy chair and a big mug! It’s very addictive watching those hogs!
Happy hog watching. 😀
Sorry can’t get it to link.
Click on the carers forum then look on the list for the subject line “Cat eating food”. It has some photos of Pennys feeding station and the design measurements.
Hi Scott
To add to what Wildlifehaven said, the following are some links which you might find useful.
https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/help-hedgehogs/hedgehog-homes/
https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/help-hedgehogs/helpful-garden-features/
https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/help-hedgehogs/link-your-garden/
If your garden is very big and has internal fences or walls, you might like to make holes for the hogs to get through to make it easier to get around. Also if there are any raised areas, maybe make some sort of ramp or steps. They are quite good climbers, but if they are in a hurry looking for food, may welcome an easier route. Make sure there is an easy exit route from any pond.
There was a survey on hedgehogs homes last year and I believe the results are due out fairly soon, so that might give you more information about the best places to site a hog house – maybe for when you get the next one!
Good luck and happy hog watching!
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