Vanishing Hogs :(

[Mammacobb]

Hi,
I have a hedgehog house and adjoining feeding area. Since June 17 I have had 3 – 4 hogs visiting regularly each night. Very predictable with thier timings between 8.30 and 9pm. I have a camera in the feeding station and I took great pleasure in watching them feed each night and then one of them always went through to the hedgehog house. On 12th September we had terrential rain in the area. I havent seen them since although the food is disappearing once a week. Camera not recording so can’t be certain that it is being eaten by hogs but is is disappearing through thr night rather than daytime.
I am fearing the worst here – and ideas or suggestions would be gratefully received please.

Thank You

Karen

[Nic]

Hi Karen

Sorry not have noticed sooner that you hadn’t had a reply. The hogs may have returned in the meantime but they may have gone to hibernate. The males here disappeared in the early part of September. They tend to hibernate earlier than the females and also return from hibernation earlier. Unlike the females, they don’t have the responsibility of raising hoglets. But, most of the females from here have disappeared as well, now.

I know it is always easy to fear the worst, but there are many other reasons why hogs might choose not to visit for a while. Females may be on ‘hoglet duties’, someone else may have started feeding them, their route may have been blocked somewhere along the line, etc. I would keep putting food and water out, though, because sometimes hoglets appear late into November or even early December, after their Mum’s have already disappeared to hibernate.

Hibernation is a dangerous time for hogs, so now we have the long wait, and hope that all our prickly friends return safe and sound next year.

Good luck to you and the hogs.

[Author]

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