When to build a hogitat

[JaneJ]

Hello all,

My father and I have decided that we'd like to try and bring hedgehogs back to our garden after a long absence. It's been about 10 years or so since we last had hoggies in our garden (but since then 5 people moved out so there have been less eyes for spotting) and I'm wondering if their absence is due to our garden not being suitable enough or a decline in the species?

I've seen hoggies on the road (not dead!) out the front of the house (we live on quite a busy road, unfortunately) and I'm curious as to whether or not we can bring them back, or at least provide them with enough to keep them going.

My dad is going to hospital and will be out of action for a week but has said we can start construction the week after next, but is this too late? I've read that hedgehogs hibernate from October, so although we'll have about a week is that enough time for a hog to find the house?

Further, would it be worth me putting out food for them now and then hoping they will move in to the hogitat once it's built?

This is our first time doing something like this so I'd appreciate any input!

Thanks in anticipation,
Jane

[vole-woman]

There are loads of hog experts on this board, so I'm only offering my advice hesitantly. However, I do know that they drink a lot, so if you've a water feature in your garden that's a help, though having said that it must be one where the hog can't fall in and drown. We have a ladder, like a rabbit hutch ramp, laid on one bank of our pond to save small mammals.

I know accessibility's a problem, so hedges are better than walls as a border.

It's obviously imperative you don't put down slug pellets. And strimmers are a potential hazard too.

You could install a hedgehog house, though we've had one for years and only frogs use it.

We've had a hog stick around for the first time ever this summer (we've been in the house 16 years) and the way it happened was, the minute I spotted hog poo on the lawn, I started putting out dried cat biscuits in a saucer every night. I've been doing this for months now and it's kept him interested. I know it's not a cat eating the food because every week I put out a trail camera and video him.

[vole-woman]

So you could start by looking for hedgehog droppings in your garden and if you have any, put food down. (I was advised purple Iams.)

[triops]

Start feeding the hogs as soon as possible. If they are in the area they will almost certainly visit your garden every night in their nocturnal wandering.

As for a hogitat, yes,build one as soon as you can.
I built a hogitat last winter, though it was not used until recently even though the hogs came for food each night.
About four weeks ago I realised the hogitat was at least being visited-the straw inside had been rearranged, so I set up a wireless security camera so I could see what was going on (in the area, not in the hogitat), and at last managed to record from the camera. During regular checking of the hogitat I realised that leaves were appearing inside amongst the straw. Checking recordings I found that the hog was taking in leaves every night, but not using the hogitat for sleeping, obviously using another retreat. At last, two nights ago, I found the hog is actually spending the night in the hogitat.
I found it interesting that hog was preparing her(?) winter quarters some weeks before using it...........obviously planning ahead!

[CharlieCreek]

It certainly won't be too late to put a hog home in. Hedgehogs can start to hibernate from October, some won't bother until much later. In fact there is no real set time for them to hibernate, if the weather is mild and there is food about (obviously natural food starts to diminish with winter) then they can be around at any time.

Putting food out now would be great. Hedgehogs are starting to try to gain fat reserves for the winter and the autumn juveniles will very soon be struggling to gain weight as natural food sources diminish. Many 200 gram juveniles are found in October and November. These would not make it through the winter at this weight, so extra food availability now is a life saver.

Water is important at all times, hogs can survive for a while without a great deal of food but not long at all without water.

Hogs are declining sadly, a countryside creature that moved into gardens as hedgerows were removed with intensified farming practices finding a suitable refuge in our hedge lined and shrub filled gardens. Then came neat gardening with decking, a low maintenance fence that doesn't need pruning, nothing wild and of course pesticides. So for a hedgehog a semi wild garden is what it needs. Shrubs, areas of longer grass etc, no use of pesticides. A few log piles are good as these become food larders as the wood rots down and insects move in. Of course a way in and out as well, but these routes in and out can be as small as a 4" square gap in a fence. All the better if they can move between yours and your neighbours gardens without having to venture near the road.

[Billabong Karen]

I'd love to encourage hedgehogs in my garden - but I have a visiting fox, who I think will eat anything I put out for the hog, be it cat food, peanuts or sultinas... Is there anything in particular a hog would like that a fox would not eat? Or perhaps it really doesnt matter, and the fox could do with a bit of extra food as well (and then perhaps he would stop digging up the edge of my pond and trying to eat the frogs).

[paulinemiller10]

Its a good idea to start with a feeding station which can be made out of anything, a large upside down tray, wooden box, or anything you think might be suitable and with a hedgehog size hole.

You will find it a bit of a challenge as cats,dogs and foxes are very good at finding a way in these home made stations, these animals are bigger than hoggy, so it can be done.

I too have lost my hoggies, but I still leave water and chopped peanuts in a feeding station hoping they will return one day, I change the food and water every week, if a hoggy turns up, I will then add meat, sultanas,cheese,banana and any scraps I have in the kitchen.

Posting a pic of my feeding station in my drive, its made with paving stones and bricks, I had to use two paving stones and put the food at the far end to stop the cats getting in, but they will still have a go.
Pauline.

[Billabong Karen]

Ah brilliant, thanks for the advice. I have an old concrete window flower box at home, which is broken at one end - this might be perfect if I put it upside down! I'll give it a go. Though I suspect the wood mice and voles will have a right laugh at me while they are stuffing their faces, cosily protected from any marauding cats or foxes...