Hoggies

[alisonclair]

Well, I took delivery of three hoggies for release on Tuesday, and another one yesterday. All but one have run off to better things!! Ben is the only one still living in the hog house, and seems quite happy to stay around my garden. Also just found another big hog wandering through. Am hoping for babies this year!

Here's a photo of Ben!

Alison
xx

[Hedgehoggy]

Aaaw, how lovely Alison. Good luck to all the releasees out there!

I'm hoping for babies this year too. The last two nights I've spotted one of my recently released boys* in my garden with a new female....

[*I released this boy back in February during that mild spell of weather we had as he had woken from hibo and was raring to go. Soon afterwards we had that awful cold snap with deep snow and ice , but I wasn't overly worried about him as he was a good size and weight upon release and I knew his natural instincts would kick in when necessary. My recent sightings of him have now reassured me ]

[alisonclair]

Hi Hedgehoggy

What a lovely story, I do love our little prickly friends. One of the ones I released (Clyde) has now found his way back, and has moved in with Ben

I won't get any babies with two males shacking up together

Oh well, my female Betty may return yet!

[Blackdogjnr]

Our hedgepigs are becoming really regular now, pretty much every night we see them.

Last night I saw two hanging out together, one much larger than the other.
I'd love to find out if they are boys or girls but am a little reluctant to interfere and start upsetting them...

It'd be great to have babies though...

I have read, however, that many who think they have just one visitor, in fact have multiples, just at different times of the night.

In an effort to really study my 'locals' and monitor their progress, to figure out who I'm looking at would be superb, but yet again I'm not sure about marking them in any way.

Anyone have any opinions on this?

[Pippa]

Lovely Alison, fingers crossed all goes well.

Great Hedgehoggy, hope you and Alison both see young this year.(come home Betty)

[alisonclair]

Hi everyone

Well another one, Bob has also returned, passing through my garden now on two consecutive nights. Last night he was being friendly with another hog in my garden. Couldn't work out if they were fighting or flirting as I am unsure of the sex of the other one without picking up, which I didn't want to do unnecessarily. But whatever they were doing it went on for an hour or more!!!

The ones I released are marked with Tippex, but as we had them in captivity over winter, it was easy to do. Must say though, I am tempted to mark other visitors as I would love to know how their population is faring in my village. I have put up a poster on our village noticeboard, asking people to report sightings of any hogs to me (espcially if marked by tippex). Have also put a notice in our village newsletter.

Have just started reading a book by Hugh Warwick called 'A prickly affair - my life with hedgehogs'. Very good so far.

No doubt I will be on hog patrol again this evening. Lurking around in bushes watching hogs get friendly is just so much fun!!