Too much food?
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Recently there has been a hedgehog visiting my garden and last night I actually noticed that there were two hogs, but this is more of a question I didn’t know which subject to put this in but I saw this as the most popular so I just chose this in hope to get an answer. I’ve been leaving out cat biscuits and I just measured it by eye. I didn’t put a lot in as I didn’t want the hedgehog to become dependent on my cat food and also I didn’t want the food to be stollen by the neighbourhood cats so I put a small amount out and some fresh water in a shallow dish. I have a few questions so firstly the hedgehog was eating the dry biscuits then we were running out so we bought a different kind wich had more food in it and o started mixing the two biscuits I think it was dreamies soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside and some other from like lidl or somewhere and the hedgehog stopped eating the mix biscuits, so then I thought maybe it’s to crunchy so I started wetting the biscuits a bit with some water and he seemed to like it but now I’ve switched back to dry biscuits with just the biscuits from Lidl and he’s eating it. So my first question is, is it better to give the hedgehog dry biscuits or wet biscuits. Secondly what temperature water should I put in my garden for the hogs (I’ve been putting out cold water). Thirdly how much food should I give, at first I was measuring it by eye giving a very small amount of biscuits just in case of cats or rats whatever then I increased it and now I’ve started measuring it out with a tablespoon and I’ve been putting a flattened 2 teaspoons of biscuits out(small biscuits) but it’s always different cause it’s hard to measure biscuits, so should I increase the amount or decrease or is it just fine. Lastly I’ve been putting about 2 tablespoons out recently But I’ve been thinking of giving smaller amounts so the hogs don’t get dependent on it and because they might not need it cause they’re finding food okay now but then I realised there’s more than one hog so should I put out more so they both get a share? So my question is should I feed them in the summer or leave it or maybe give food once a week or something then start feeding again in the autum before hibernation or should I just feed them at the rate I am now all year until they hibernate?
Much appreciated
EmilyHi Emily
First, if you’ve found some cat biscuits that the hedgehog likes, I would stick to those. Hogs can sometimes be very funny about you changing what you offer them. One advantage of cat/kitten biscuits is that it helps to clean the hogs’ teeth. Not so sure that soft filling ones would work as well, so I’d be inclined to give them a miss and I wouldn’t soak them.
Definitely leave water out all day every day. Air temperature is fine. I wouldn’t put out water from the fridge.
It’s o.k. to feed the hogs at this time of year. I put some out every day. Hogs aren’t greedy like cats who are inclined to eat whatever you give them, so hopefully are regulating how much they eat and leaving space for wild food as well. So the hogs who visit here, will come and eat a bit of food and then wander off – leaving food in the bowl, which another hog might come along and eat or the same one might come back later. They aren’t inclined to eat everything offered in one go if it’s more than they need.
It’s different if hogs are with a carer or in a hog hospital, etc. where amounts may need to be regulated more carefully. With wild hogs you don’t need to be too precise. Just if all the food is going, maybe put out a bit more and if some is left a bit less. I would be inclined to measure by handfuls. I think it’s better to have more than one bowl, so I would put at least a handful in each of two bowls to start with and then adapt it according to how much is eaten.
I hope you continue to enjoy the hogs’ visits. Good luck and happy hog watching!
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