My first sighting of a hedgehog in my garden!!!

We have several visiting nightly, some are ones I've overwintered or hand reared and a couple appear to be new hogs.

Some hogs do enjoy being stroked along their back. Apparently they find it very relaxing. I have a few up here who enjoy that. Jaye Jaye ( who was my first hand reared hog baby ) used to flatten himself right out with all four legs stuck out from his body - looked most peculiar.

Slugs/snails form only 5% of their diet, worms 10%. Problem with those is that they contain parasites, which when ingested are passed on to the hog. A few parasites a healthy hog no harm but a lot will and can sometimes be fatal. I've had several hogs who have had very heavy burdens and have been very sick as a result. Obviously you cannot stop the hogs from eating slugs/snails and worms but its not a good idea to actively encourage them to do so - personal opinion only here. If you want to encourage them into your garden there's a whole range of foods you can offer, which they will appreciate .......... quality kitten biscuits, quality cat/kitten wet food or dog food ( but not in gravy or jelly ), chopped peanuts, rasins/sultanas, sunflower seeds and bird seeds, grated cheddar cheese, chopped chicken/turkey, dried mealworms, ( but not too many as mealworms do not contain anything nutritional for hogs). chopped fruit such as blueberries,bananas, apples. Hogs can be quite fussy with their food, so its a case of trying different things and what one hog loves another will dislike. Avoid bread and milk, even cat milk, as it contains lactose and hogs are intolerant.

Setting up a hog house or two may also encourage hogs to visit.

 

Wish there were more hedgehogs here in bristol :( Although I did get rather close to two of them in my friends back garden...

(I'll let you guess what they were up to )

 

Were their drinks spiked?

 

I did put a makeshift one out last Autumn, but it didn't show any signs of being used - but, then again, the garden is big enough (with a few "rough" places) that a 'hog could have found a home somewhere else

Haven't seen it again though ... hoping Ozzy didn't scare it half to death

Great information, by the way

 

no, just their hair

 

Hogs can be very particular where they choose to sleep, give birth or hibernate. And it can take them awhile to get used to houses. Location is important too, ideally facing southeast, in a sheltered, shady and private position. As well as a home that is watertight, draught proof and predator proof. And even if you have all of those things they may still choose to go elsewhere . I have houses set up and no-one is using them at present. Occasionally someone will have a nap in one during the night. We have rats in the garden ( and the attic - they are refusing to come out ), so I didn't expect anyone to choose the houses as a birth place. Did you leave extra bedding materials close to your house ? Don't give out hope, it may still get used. You could try moving it to a different location if thats possible.

 

Yes to the bedding material.

Unfortunately, I hope to be moving home myself shortly, so hedgy will have to depend on the next people to move here. But, I'll take all your advice and set up a Hedgy House in my new garden: thank you for the great advice