still active

[William]

Hi Merdeen, Still have one or two myself still coming in for food. Am putting out food in two places at the moment. May still well hibernate, but not at the moment.
Carry on with the food and water, as yours could be the only source.

[Merdeen]

I am glad this thread is here. I was worried about whether I should continue putting food out for him or not. I thought that I might be preventing him from doing his hibernation routine. Thanks for the info – will continue to put food out as usual every evening.

[daffydill]

I haven’t had sight of anything since around Xmas. We had severe gales and on the first night of those hoglet didn’t appear, nor since, and it has got colder. I still put out a handful of biscuits each evening but in the morning the starlings seem to be eating them so all seems quiet here now. Is there any way of stopping the tray of water from freezing overnight or is that a silly question?

[janiceclarke]

Am so glad to read all the posts about recent Hog visitors. Still have one coming every night and was worried cos it wasn’t hibernating. It has several quick snacks of cat biscuits during the night from the feeding station and sometimes has a few hours sleep in one of my Hog houses and then disappears to its usual nest. On a couple of occasions it has stayed asleep in the house during the day but then is off wandering the next night. So thanks again for putting my mind at rest.

[Nic]

Hi janiceclarke

Yes, that sounds pretty much what overwintering hogs here have done in the past. It’s often a hoglet in it’s first winter that chooses not to hibernate. But even youngsters are already capable of building a good nest.

Keep up the good work with the food and water!

Good luck to you and the hog.

[Nic]

Hi daffydill

re. keeping water from freezing – not easy when it gets really cold! Some people suggest putting a table tennis ball in the water – in the hope that it would move around and make it more difficult to freeze. Never actually tried that.

When I have had overwintering hogs, I have usually put at least one bowl into a wooden hog house (better insulation that just plastic), but I also put some right up next to the house walls, where there might be a bit of heat from the house. But put some fresh water out as late as possible. (but not warm or hot water, just normal temperature) i.e. leave some out earlier, but put out more just before going to bed, in the hope that any hog around will turn up early enough, before it freezes. Luckily the overwintering hogs here did turn up early enough – there were some really cold nights those years. But, we can but do our best.

[Chdale55]

I’m fairly new to this site. I am so glad I found it.
Had 4 hogs up until the autumn. Really hope I haven’t lost them. Heartened by hearing others report sightings. I live in NE England. Is it too cold for me to expect to see any?

[Nic]

Hi Chdale55

Welcome to the Forum.

There are reports of some hogs beginning to return now, so keep an eye out for them. Hogs here tend normally return near the beginning of March – so it could be any day now.

The males normally return before the females. They go into hibernation earlier – they don’t have hoglet duties to attend to which the females have! But it also gives them the opportunity to put on bit of weight before the females return and they begin to use up a lot of energy circling them and fighting other males!

Good luck. Hope you have some happy hog watching this hog season!

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