Hello everyone! Was getting the cats in late last night and heard this almighty snuffling going on in the border! Sounded like I had a pig snuffling for truffles! So on getting my old torch you can imagine my delight to find.... not one, but TWO HEDGEHOGS! I always knew there was a reason I left the garden in such a mess - they must have set up home in my old pile of chopped down branches I haven't been bothered to move! Hedgehog babies beckon I reckon! One of them decided to follow me round to the greenhouse while I was putting my seedlings away for the night - hope you enjoy the pics - sorry for the quality but a moving target by flash in the pitch darkness was a challenge - kept images small due to inevitable handshake problems. I sat and watched and listened to him for a while and when he went into the deeper undergrowth all I could hear was .... rustle rustle rustle, sniff, BIG CRUNCH.... crunch, crunch, crunch, .... squidge squidge slurp.... pause....rustle, rustle rustle rustle....BIG CRUNCH....etc etc for about 15 minutes - he was certainly earning his keep as I guess the snails were finding out! I am so glad I didn't put slug pellets down!
Excellent Cookie,This thread has made my day............ You will have to give us regular updates if they stick around Good luck with your new found buddys:thumb::thumb:
The strange thing is - last time we were at a large pet superstore stocking up on cat food, Mr Cookie pointed out some special pelleted Hedgehog food that I had never seen before! I poopooed the idea saying it would never get eaten and lo and behold we have a pair! Never say never where wildlife is concerned!
Well folks, went out and got some Spikes Hedgehog dried food yesterday from the pet store. I put out a bowl with some fresh water in the area our friends appeared the other night. This morning it was all gone! but not sure if the hedgehogs or a visiting moggy made off with it. I need a webcam!
Wonderful pictures Cookie. I've hedgehogs in my garden and when you get a pair they do get a little noisy. Ant.
I have 2 hedgehogs that come into the garden too, i haven't seen this one's mate for the last 3 nights but i'm hoping it's ok and found richer spoils elsewhere. these were taken just last night! i was out trying to catch a snap of a bat thats been flying around for the past week or so but it's just too quick! :(
Wonderful pics everyone! I hope they will all soon be proud parents and that you get some shots of them, too. What a darling picture, IMP! Want one! We might have one in our garden, at least, I have found poo several times in the mornings, and it doesn't look like it came from a cat or bird.
Good on you Ruby! It is difficult photographing at night isn't it! Looks like he/she was enjoying that grub!
Great shots Cookie and Rouxbee,Cookie if they nest in your garden don't attempt to touch it or the young they are likley to kill them if they catch your scent,when we were kids my dad "rescued" a hedgehog he thought was in trouble it was pregnant and escaped,a few days later a neighbour called found some baby hedghogs in his garden we rounded them up eventually found their mum put them in the shed with food and water went back later to find she had killed them all.
Kath, yes it is hard photographing at night, i remembered yesterday that my camcorder has a night capture facility on it and you can also takes stills, i was too tired to wait around last night for my spikey friends to make an appearance for their nightly feed, but hopefully i'll get something on film over the weekend
