All you want to know about hedgehogs....

I don't use the ready made hedgehog foods, not sure what's in them. I think some contain whole nuts and sunflower seeds, which are not good for hogs. It's great you have a hog visiting and that you are feeding it . As a treat you can offer chopped egg, cooked chicken or turkey, sultanas, chopped Apple and soft fruits like blueberries or raspberry, etc. Raw meat can be offered but I personally don't and it will go off quite quickly in warm weather this attracting flies. Hogs can be fussy about food preferences and have individual likes and dislikes, so what one likes another won't. I personally don't give dried mealworms as nothing of any nutritional value in them - although I have sometimes added crushed ones to baby food or a poorly hog who need extra calories. I don't offer sunflower seeds either as linked to calcium deficiency. I feed the garden hogs good quality kitten biscuits and good quality wet kitten, cat or puppy food. Fresh water daily. This time of the year ( as you are likely aware the hogs are fattening up for hibernation ), so you may get more visiting once word gets about . Have you considered a hedgehog house?

 

All our Hogs have gone, the last one went last week and hasn't been seen since

 

I think that i have more than one visiting, sometimes the bowl gets moved out of the feeding station, sometimes the food is all over the floor and sometimes all of it gets eaten, i use a dry puppy food, it keeps for longer and small pieces and never give fish flavour mine is chicken.

 

There several reasons why your hogs are not around. It's not uncommon for large hogs to hibernate earlier as they will have plenty of fat stores. Weather conditions are also a factor. This time of the year females will often decide to have late litters, so may have gone off to have them. Hedgehogs, particularly younger ones, will have trial hibernations lasting a few days to around 10 -14 days,so that may be another reason. Another reason is that they may have died , a lot of them are killed on the road. I don't know where you live or your proximity to roads. This time of the year they may wander further than usual to find foods and have to cross roads to reach it. Although if they've been visiting you for awhile they may not be all that far away. Please keep the food and water available as they will likely return. I keep food and water out all winter as hogs do wake sometimes and come out looking for something to eat. Also, keep an eye out for those late babies as they are too tiny to survive so will need over wintering at a hog rescue.

 

Yes, fish flavour is not generally a good idea as it can cause stomach upsets, although I guess it depends on the actual percentage of fish content. I have heard some carers use it as part of a baby food formula but I have not used it. I did try puppy biscuits once but it wasn't popular. Been a few discussions here over food rights too , pee, poo everywhere, paper shredded.

 

Re wet cat, puppy foods, they will go off quite quickly too like the raw meat. Forgot to say I don't put it out when very hot weather but we've not had more than a few days of hot weather since June. Placing a feeding station in shade helps to keep food cool too. In the winter I only offer dry foods and change the food daily as it goes soggy quickly. It will freeze in very cold weather too.

 

That's why i don't put moist food out because it will go off quickly and buying a 15kg bag of dried puppy food is cheaper, i also use it as a reward for dog training.

 

I still have one or two visiting one is fairly small but healthy the other an adult. I feed them on dried Hedgehog biscuits which are insect based. Cats are a problem so I put the saucer of food in the hedgehog igloo as it was never used for hibernation, which also keeps it dry.

 

A few days ago and last night had one or two hogs that did a lot of poo and it had worms in it. Is it better for the worms to come out? or it doesn't make any difference.

 

will hedgehog rescue centres rehome them to people? I have a smallish garden, 60 feet by 18 feet but have an alleyway out back so would cut an arch in my back gate for them to come and go?

 

Sorry, just seen this. What did these worms look like and what colour were they ? Thorney headed worms can be seen with the naked eye, they are whitish in colour and resemble grass seeds in shape.

 

I think you would have to approach a rescue local to you to ask what their policy is. They will likely have a list of questions to ask regarding why you want the hedgehog in the first place, what kind of support you are able to offer, etc. They may even wish to visit you to look at not only your garden but the surrounding area to ascertain whether it is suitable, ie , proximity to busy roads, badger and fox populations, access to other gardens for finding food, etc. There is a lot to be considered

 

That's what they look like, the poo itself is normal, thanks.

 

It's difficult to say as I haven't seen the worms but it does sound as if they might be thorny headed worms. In a healthy adult hog they are not so much of a problem but with babies it is bad news . The worms can spread all over their bodies and burrow through the gut wall, which must cause immense pain to the hog.

 

Thank you, i think that there's nothing much i can do but hope that they'll be alright.