Your Garden Hedgehogs

All of that essential hedgie chat about our favourite spiky friends
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Butterfly
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Re: Your Garden Hedgehogs

Post by Butterfly » Fri Oct 12, 2018 2:08 pm

They are too cute :love: :hedgehog: , I'm very jealous :D
How do you know their weight Willpar? Sorry if this is a dumb question, I never had a privilage of being able to invite hedgehogs into my garden :cry2:

Willpar
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Re: Your Garden Hedgehogs

Post by Willpar » Fri Oct 12, 2018 4:14 pm

Hi Butterfly, I weigh them and give them a small mark. Something that don't stand out to well, but shows up in the video. I put out night cameras. Gives me a better idea of the numbers coming into the garden. And I record it. Don't weigh the large ones, as they are big enough, but a small mark and recorded in the book. Then at the end of the year I give a tally of all recorded numbers.
Do you know if there are hedgehogs in your area? If neighbours have seen them? If you can find that out then you could get a feeding station or make your own, and leave out food and water.

They are really worth the effort put in, and give so much pleasure in having them in the garden. The more people that engage the better off our little spikey friends will be.

Jacksparrow
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Re: Your Garden Hedgehogs

Post by Jacksparrow » Fri Oct 12, 2018 7:58 pm

Great stuff. They look very well. :)

Willpar
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Re: Your Garden Hedgehogs

Post by Willpar » Sun Oct 14, 2018 9:42 am

One of the juveniles has taken over the box at the end of the path. Could not see it but felt the prickles. Have covered itself with the nesting material. Putting out quite a bit of food and all being eaten.

Willpar
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Re: Your Garden Hedgehogs

Post by Willpar » Mon Oct 15, 2018 8:58 am

Small plot camera picked up a dark small juvenile last night. No mark that I could see. And also it looked like a cat got some of the food last night in the main plot. So have now fixed a tunnel to thwart it. I did take the tunnel out back along as a couple of biggies were having trouble getting in. Back now and should do the trick.

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Butterfly
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Re: Your Garden Hedgehogs

Post by Butterfly » Mon Oct 15, 2018 10:13 am

Willpar wrote: Do you know if there are hedgehogs in your area? If neighbours have seen them? If you can find that out then you could get a feeding station or make your own, and leave out food and water.

They are really worth the effort put in, and give so much pleasure in having them in the garden. The more people that engage the better off our little spikey friends will be.
I think there are some in my area Willpar, it was unfortunate that I found out by seeing the one that was run over by a car :( , but they must be in the area, yes.
The problem is, there is no place in my garden where I can make access for them. The only place they would have access would be in my front garden, which is not ideal, not just because its small but other animals (cats, foxes etc.) have access there too. Unfortunate, because I really like hedgehogs and would love to have them around and feed them <3

Willpar
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Re: Your Garden Hedgehogs

Post by Willpar » Mon Oct 15, 2018 1:23 pm

That's a shame Butterfly. But best be safe than sorry. Some foxes will take hedgehogs if they can. I only have a front garden cut into two by the access path. Also a cul-de-sac, so no real heavy traffic. It is a hot spot here for them. But the numbers have gradually increased over the years which is good. There is a woods nearby with a badger set. Have been here over thirty years and only had one badger so far come in the garden. Lovely animals but not good for my spikey friends. But have been feeding the hedgehogs now for around 11-12 years.

Willpar
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Re: Your Garden Hedgehogs

Post by Willpar » Wed Oct 17, 2018 9:15 am

Seeing double.



Was only the darker one nesting in the box. Has now been joined by a lighter one. I put in some extra hay a couple of days ago.

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Butterfly
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Re: Your Garden Hedgehogs

Post by Butterfly » Wed Oct 17, 2018 11:01 pm

They look really comfy, snuggled up together like that. They are lucky to have a nice cosy safe place for the winter :) . Too cute :love:

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Biker
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Re: Your Garden Hedgehogs

Post by Biker » Thu Oct 18, 2018 12:19 am

Brilliant videos Willpar !!! So great to see cute, healthy hogs !! :) Agree with all of your comments entirely. You really do an amazing job. :nod: Foxes never seem to bother Hedgehogs around here. It's more likely to be a big black 'domestic' cat that is disrupting their regular trails. My pump action water gun has seen a lot of action lately !!!!! :drill:

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