Hedgehog in a Garage Cupboard

[David6ww]

I have found a hedgehog hibernating in my waterproof golfing jacket on a 2ft high shelf within a cupboard. Moved a bit when I was rooting around but I left it alone and closed the door. From where do I get best advice? Questions include:
Should any food be provided?
Should it be placed in some alternative nest and moved to floor level?

Advice please.

[honeybee]

As long as it's safe where it is just leave it well alone I think.

[mrs fish]

How sweet it is hibernating in your golf jacket
Leave it be and I'm sorry you won't get your jacket back until march/april

[Pete]

leave it be, but leave some dry food and water, im suprised its up there 2 ft high so it might move, may also be an idea to make a box fill with straw, dry leaves if it decides it wants a change

and welcome to the forum

[nightshade]

Hedgehogs can climb very well,one fell off a six foot fence onto me,I would gently pack some screwed up newspaper around it if the temperature drops for any length of time
but not so it would wake it up

[Riverbird]

Originally Posted by nightshade

Hedgehogs can climb very well,one fell off a six foot fence onto me,I would gently pack some screwed up newspaper around it if the temperature drops for any length of time
but not so it would wake it up

A hedgehog fell on you??!!! Ouch!!! lol

[David6ww]

Originally Posted by David6ww

I have found a hedgehog hibernating in my waterproof golfing jacket on a 2ft high shelf within a cupboard. Moved a bit when I was rooting around but I left it alone and closed the door. From where do I get best advice? Questions include:
Should any food be provided?
Should it be placed in some alternative nest and moved to floor level?

Advice please.

Update on my new lodger -
Made up a nesting box, several newspapers and lots of dry woodturning shavings, cleared the shelf of all other stuff and gently transferred HH into new nest. Put dishes of dry cat food and clean water out adjacent. He/she came out first night and ate and drank, re-arranged nest. Came out second night, ate and drank. Cleared up after him/her and refreshed dishes but no appearance 3rd night (last night) so hope he/she has returned to hibernation. It's lived with washing machine & dryer and woodworking machinery being used for the last 6-8 weeks (however long it's been there) so guess it can re-adjust.
I will make a permanent outdoor nesting box now (have taken copies of useful fact sheets from sttiggywinkles.org.uk) and be ready to re-house outdoors when HH advises that the time is right.

[Owl-Light]

Originally Posted by David6ww

Update on my new lodger -
Made up a nesting box, several newspapers and lots of dry woodturning shavings, cleared the shelf of all other stuff and gently transferred HH into new nest. Put dishes of dry cat food and clean water out adjacent. He/she came out first night and ate and drank, re-arranged nest. Came out second night, ate and drank. Cleared up after him/her and refreshed dishes but no appearance 3rd night (last night) so hope he/she has returned to hibernation. It's lived with washing machine & dryer and woodworking machinery being used for the last 6-8 weeks (however long it's been there) so guess it can re-adjust.
I will make a permanent outdoor nesting box now (have taken copies of useful fact sheets from sttiggywinkles.org.uk) and be ready to re-house outdoors when HH advises that the time is right.

How lovely. Keep an eye on him - I'm sure you will. Make sure it can find its way outside if it needs to and all should be well.

[nicola]

How fantastic! They are very tolerant animals, I would just keep some dried food and water out, he will appreciate that if he wakes up. Great you are going to build an outdoor nest too, ive built two boxes for the garden, they can house a few hogs at once, I also have cams on them to watch their antics through the night. They need all the help we can give, so I applaud you for the help you are giving.

[ron1863]

A couple of years ago I was clearing leaves from the garden and came across a couple of plastic Asda bags lying in a corner covered with leaves, crisp bages etc. When I picked up the bags there was a Hedgehog with two young ones under it. I left the bags alone and kept an eye on them, leaving out some dog food, which they enjoyed. They provided a lot of entertainment for my family.

[nicola]

Yeah not the first time ive heard of them nesting in carreir bags, they are great animals