Hedgehog Mystery?

[Bouncytigger]

Morning Buddy Bears

I havn't been on here for a while but wondered if anyone might be able to answer my Hoggy question?

I have had a rather rotund hedgehog visiting my garden for the best part of May as i have one of those little wildlife infra red camera's that are motion sensitive and managed to capture the visits usually between 2 and 4am.

I made a very successful feeding station with a saucer of water and cat food which was literally wolfed down each night...

but last week he or she has disspeared completly and i am thinking that either the worst has happened somewhere on travels or if it was a female she may have had babies and is weening them somewhere...but if that was the the case wouldn't she now be needing to obtain more food?

Many Thanks in advance

[pattie may]

I can't advice about the pregnant female part of your question. But I had lots of visits from hedgehogs during May as well. I was told that it was due to the dry weather. They came because they knew there was food and water available in my garden. As I had a large amount of poo left in the garden (I did see two at a time sometimes). I decided to pick each visitor up, weigh it and then mark it with water based tippex. Imagine my surprise when in the space of a week I tippexed a total of seven hedgehogs! In May I was putting out three or four bowls of food each evening and two overnight. Since we have had a lot of rain. I have had only one maybe two visitors each evening and have only put out two bowls of food during the evening and two overnight in the feeding station (there is always some left in the bowls in the morning). I also feared the worst but I think the lack of visitors is due to the fact that they are managing to find their own food as they soil is moist and their natural food is easir to find. Well I hope so.

[dampflippers]

If he is a she and she has had babies, she won't come out at all for a few days.
If you don't know where she lives, you can put bowls of water in each corner of the garden as well as at the feeding station.

But of course it might be bad news and an accident- garden related, road related or poisoning etc.

Let's hope its good news!

[Bouncytigger]

Originally Posted by pattie may

I can't advice about the pregnant female part of your question. But I had lots of visits from hedgehogs during May as well. I was told that it was due to the dry weather. They came because they knew there was food and water available in my garden. As I had a large amount of poo left in the garden (I did see two at a time sometimes). I decided to pick each visitor up, weigh it and then mark it with water based tippex. Imagine my surprise when in the space of a week I tippexed a total of seven hedgehogs! In May I was putting out three or four bowls of food each evening and two overnight. Since we have had a lot of rain. I have had only one maybe two visitors each evening and have only put out two bowls of food during the evening and two overnight in the feeding station (there is always some left in the bowls in the morning). I also feared the worst but I think the lack of visitors is due to the fact that they are managing to find their own food as they soil is moist and their natural food is easir to find. Well I hope so.

Hi Pattie and Dampflippers

Thats interesting just how many hoggy visitors you had in the space of a week! They say they can visit unteen gardens a night don't they? I'm really glad i bought the camera now as i know there was only one visitor and the ground has been so dry here in the Midlands, just like dust in many parts of the garden i thought i should do my bit! Can't remember the last time i saw any slugs, but i have doing quite a bit of digging so there would have been a few worms near the surface for any hedgehogs, if our Robin dosn't get to them first. I am continuing to put a bit of dry cat food out at the minute just in case he or she returns hopefully with little ones in tow or if the worst as happened another visitor turns up. fingers crossed and will report back with hopefully some good news.

[pattie may]

Bouncytigger,

What camera do you have? I haven't seen any that are motion sensitive. Do you record as well?

Waiting for the first visitor of the night to turn up. The one that has been the last couple of nights appears to be a lot smaller than the others.

What would the usual weight be now for a hoglet born this year?

[Bouncytigger]

Originally Posted by pattie may

Bouncytigger,

What camera do you have? I haven't seen any that are motion sensitive. Do you record as well?

Waiting for the first visitor of the night to turn up. The one that has been the last couple of nights appears to be a lot smaller than the others.

What would the usual weight be now for a hoglet born this year?

just sent you a PM with the link Pattie