Hedgehog behaviour.

[valleyforge]

The males do the running around whilst the females are the most vocal ... now why is that so familiar?

[pattie may]

How lucky you got so close and was the supporter for the "gooseberry".

I have had a hedgehog visiting my garden since April and put hedgehog food out under some bushes.

In the middle of June I move the dish of hedgehog food onto the edge of my patio. Ever since a small hedgehog (female - I have called her Harriet) has arrived about 11.00 p.m. and eaten some of the food.

Last Saturday a second one (male - I've called him Harry) arrived as the first one was eating. Harriet scurried off and Harry ate some food and disappeared too. Then next door's dog started to bark and scratch at out fence at the bottom of the garden. We rescused Harry and fixed the hole in the fence. Harry was gone next morning (through hole under fence at top of garden).

Hadn't seen Harry for a few days but he was back last night. A hedgehog was eating food - second one comes along.Second one (smaller - Harriet) tries to steal the food off the dish. First one (larger - Harry) continues eating and tries to hide food from Harriet. Harry scurries off and Harriet starts eating. Harry returns but Harriet hisses and puffs up into a ball. Harry scurries off and Harriet eats food. She then scurries off too in opposite direction. I put more food out. This time in two dishes a few feet apart. Harriet goes to dish by light and eats food and then goes off. Harry eats a little food from the second dish in semi darkness and scurries off. I put the food in one dish and put a cover (measures about 20 inches by 15 inchces with a hole cut out both ends) over it. About 12.30 a.m. both hedgehogs are under the cover. One hedgehog was eating the food and the other one was dancing back and forth. After five minutes they had both disappeared.

The smaller one (Harriet) seems less timid and more dominant. Can a feamle be more dominent? There was a bit of hissing last night.