Hedgehogs rousing from hibernation

[Hedgehoggy]

Just a reminder that the hedgehogs are waking from hibernation. If you can, please leave some supplementary food and fresh water out for them in your gardens. They’re weak and very hungry when waking from their deep sleep.

The People’s Trust for Endangered Species, together with the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, are conducting a survey to try and establish why our hedgehogs are declining at an alarming rate, so please take a moment to log your hedgehog sightings here: HogWatch

[Rob_D]

Mine have been happily scoffing their little snouts off for the last 3 weeks. Thanks for the links to the recording page. Always satisfying to take part in these things.

I don't know about other parts of the country but around here the hogs are doing just fine. Be interested in the results of the hogwatch and the 2007-2008 data from the mammals on roads survey when it's available.

[pressld2]

First sighting of mine was on Saturday night so I'm leaving food and water out.

Just logged the sighting and when answering the question at the end I said they seem to be more common around here than they were either 5 or 10 years ago. Had three in my garden at once last year - none of them babies.

Dave P.

[Hedgehoggy]

Great to hear you’re looking after the hedgehogs, and that they're thriving in your neck of the woods and thanks for taking the time to report your sightings. In the 7 years I’ve lived here, last year was the first time I didn’t see any babies in my garden, either with mum or on their own. My parents who live in West Sussex used to have hedgehogs aplenty visiting their garden, sadly they haven’t seen a single one for two years, not even a dead one in the road.

I saw my first hog of the year in my garden on Saturday night too, Pressld2 (not one of my releasees and not including the hog living/hibernating in one of my homemade hog houses in my garden who continued to come out to feed intermittently between short hibernation periods throughout the winter! - they don’t all sleep right through).

As for the juvenile hedgehogs I’ve over-wintered this year (which was also down on last year’s numbers), I have just 3 hogs left to release who are still slumbering away! The others have been sent on their merry way!

[Blackdogjnr]

Awww it must be great to release them and send them on their way

I suspected out hedgepig would be rousing soonish so left some catfood out for him and he scoffed the lot last night.
Still haven't seen him though despite going outside on the hour every hour before bedtime!

I'm sure we will be nose to nose before long though.

-sigh-

[pattie may]

I've been putting hedgehog food out for my garden hedgehogs for a couple of weeks just before I go to bed and it's gone in the morning. No sightings of hedgehog yet. Had the food out all evening yesterday. No visit before I went to bed but food was gone this morning. How can I check if the Hedgehog's eaten the food. There are no droppings. Well I can't find any.

[Hedgehoggy]

Hi pattie may, to check if it's a hoggy eating the food, smooth some sand (or similar) around the feeding bowl, then check the footprints in the morning. Another tell tale hoggy sign is if the water dish is very dirty - they tend to stand in/climb over their dishes!

[Gaina]

No sign of our little Hog yet. You usually hear him before you see him. He's a very.....flatulent little chap.

[Hedgehoggy]

What on earth are you feeding him on Gaina?!!

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

Had our first Hog of the year on Thursday night, a rather large portly chap. I have never fed them before so what exactly should I leave out for them to feast on, I see you fellows seem to be on catfood. I would love to see them more often. I regularly hear them truffling around in the huge amount of leaves I havnt tidied up!

Cheers Jake