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and please use their services
How do hedgehogs mate?
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OP
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No one showed last night 
Tonight, I had grumpy git turn up, and another small nervy one.
So that is definitely 4 that drop by for a meal.
Having not seen one in the area for many years, It seems there must be quite a group locally now.
Tonight, I had grumpy git turn up, and another small nervy one.
So that is definitely 4 that drop by for a meal.
Having not seen one in the area for many years, It seems there must be quite a group locally now.
OP
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They eat better than I doThat's a good Buffet you lay on for them
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A little update, one of the crowd was in for an early sitting at the all-you-can-eat Buffett.
Actually, I didn't recognise this one, but it knew what it was doing, it was sat in the as yet empty trough, in broad daylight.
(Early evening)
It was rather skinny around the hips, but a bit bloated around the mid-section.
I can only surmise that it's either pregnant or has recently dropped, as
if it's the female I saw mating, the timing is about right…
I guess I'll find out in a few more weeks, if hoglets appear at the trough...
Actually, I didn't recognise this one, but it knew what it was doing, it was sat in the as yet empty trough, in broad daylight.
(Early evening)
It was rather skinny around the hips, but a bit bloated around the mid-section.
I can only surmise that it's either pregnant or has recently dropped, as
if it's the female I saw mating, the timing is about right…
I guess I'll find out in a few more weeks, if hoglets appear at the trough...
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OP
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Especially if she has had a litter, this is the one I suspected may have been pregnant, she is no longer bulging..You are going to be heavily out numbered soon
Gav.
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Could be why she's day light feeding?
OP
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That was my thought too.
But it'll be a few weeks before they venture out.
I'll just have to be patient, not trait I'm used to
Dale.
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sphexx
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The commentary is a load of rubbish though. They claim hedgehogs only predate birds because slugs are scarce (not verbatim). But its pretty obvious that a nest of chicks is a bit more tasty and filling than a slug so I would guess they are at it whenever they can find some, though eggs mostly.
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We have a number of "residents" to the garden, at least 4 I can think of, and a few weeks ago we had a family group of a mother & two hoglets eating together. One of our regulars has a blonde patch on their back, another has a very dark head, so it is possible to identify some of them. (We also have a Blackbird with a white collar, and a female similar that visit the garden daily).
From a couple of nights ago...
DSCF0020 by Steve Jelly, on Flickr
From a couple of nights ago...
DSCF0020 by Steve Jelly, on Flickr
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Nod
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So would you be if you got a hedgehog prickle in your pri... erm... baby making equipment!
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I had 4 and possibly 5, again, pretty easy to identify by size and behaviour.
I'm down to 2 (seen together) and a stroll in stroll out again.
I don't mind it was costing me a fortune
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Great to see a thread about the hogs and that people are looking out for them.
We have been monitoring them in our garden for the last 4 years and we seen 7/8 a night with the most we think was 14 in one night.
This year has been down on numbers and at the moment we only have 2 females that come every night as well as another female and 1 male unfortunately we have found 2 dead hogs in the garden and have now seen a badger on the trail cameras a few times which is not good for the hogs.
We have 2 feeding stations in the garden 1 with a camera fitted in it as well as 4 sleeping hutches, this year we have put a camera in one of the sleeping hutches but so far, we do not have a resident, I always seem to put the camera in the wrong box the same as for the birds.
So far, our best score in the feeding station was 7 last year.
As for the mating we did catch it on camera last year right outside the back door.
Feeding Hutch
Sleeping Hutch
And a bit of the other
We have been monitoring them in our garden for the last 4 years and we seen 7/8 a night with the most we think was 14 in one night.
This year has been down on numbers and at the moment we only have 2 females that come every night as well as another female and 1 male unfortunately we have found 2 dead hogs in the garden and have now seen a badger on the trail cameras a few times which is not good for the hogs.
We have 2 feeding stations in the garden 1 with a camera fitted in it as well as 4 sleeping hutches, this year we have put a camera in one of the sleeping hutches but so far, we do not have a resident, I always seem to put the camera in the wrong box the same as for the birds.
So far, our best score in the feeding station was 7 last year.
As for the mating we did catch it on camera last year right outside the back door.
Feeding Hutch
Sleeping Hutch
And a bit of the other
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Great to see so many since they're in sharp decline. You're doing a grand job. And a from me, too.
A few summers ago I'd sit on the patio bench at 11.00pm and watch the visiting hedgehog come and eat the cat food..I Googled what to feed a hedgehog and that was one of the options...and left a shallow bowl of water. Sadly, a badger got it in next door's garden. Never seen badgers since., It woke us up one night. Hell of a banging. I investigated and saw that at the end of the side passage by the high gate was a badger eating it's way through the wooden gate to get to the front. I moved the wheelie bin away from the passageway so it could come back into the garden, took myself out of the way and from the kitchen window watched it go back into the back garden and away down the bottom end and off wherever.
from me, too.A few summers ago I'd sit on the patio bench at 11.00pm and watch the visiting hedgehog come and eat the cat food..I Googled what to feed a hedgehog and that was one of the options...and left a shallow bowl of water. Sadly, a badger got it in next door's garden. Never seen badgers since., It woke us up one night. Hell of a banging. I investigated and saw that at the end of the side passage by the high gate was a badger eating it's way through the wooden gate to get to the front. I moved the wheelie bin away from the passageway so it could come back into the garden, took myself out of the way and from the kitchen window watched it go back into the back garden and away down the bottom end and off wherever.
OP
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I'm happy to say that after a few days of seeing "no one"
Hoggy was back last night.
I have been leaving a little something out, and a bowl of water every night just in case.
When I went outside last night hoggy was sat next to the food bowl, staring at it,
When he heard me open the door, he cocked his head to one side as if to say, Well?
I had to rush round and get his 3 course meal served,
(Meat, peanuts and meal worms) while he sat there tapping his feet and sighing...
Hoggy was back last night.
I have been leaving a little something out, and a bowl of water every night just in case.
When I went outside last night hoggy was sat next to the food bowl, staring at it,
When he heard me open the door, he cocked his head to one side as if to say, Well?
I had to rush round and get his 3 course meal served,
(Meat, peanuts and meal worms) while he sat there tapping his feet and sighing...
Gremlin
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Met one of my neighbours early this morning, he had just cleared the remains of a half eaten hedgehog
A couple of years ago I actually caught a fox carrying one off a neighbour's patio by the back leg on a trailcam. At the time I also had footage of hedehogs unable to use one back leg and another disembowelled one was found
Until then I never realised that foxes did predate on hedgehogs, though that was badgers
A couple of years ago I actually caught a fox carrying one off a neighbour's patio by the back leg on a trailcam. At the time I also had footage of hedehogs unable to use one back leg and another disembowelled one was found
Until then I never realised that foxes did predate on hedgehogs, though that was badgers
OP
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I always thought they both did it?
Gremlin
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It used to be said that badgers were there only/main predator, foxes may attack the hoglets but only badgers had the ability to prize them open.
Hedgehog predators - Hedgehog Street % %
This page has a summary of the main predators wild hedgehogs face in Britain: badgers, foxes and pet dogs, and advice for protecting hedgehogs.
www.hedgehogstreet.org
I suppose the advent of wheelie bins isn't helping as their natural food supply has been cut off, someone left some bin bags out last week, they had been ripped apart and you could see where something had been eating a stale loaf, other then that it's only discarded fast food, all you see are the empty trays etc.
This all started during lockdown when all the takeaway outlets were shut so no scraps for them and I suppose they got a taste for i
We used to have a lot of hedgehogs here but I've not seen many this year
sphexx
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I am sorry to say that web site has no idea. Hedgehog spines are no protection against dogs for example to my certain knowledge so I doubt they are much good against foxes.It used to be said that badgers were there only/main predator, foxes may attack the hoglets but only badgers had the ability to prize them open.
We don't have badgers in the village only urban foxes which surprises me more that they are attacking hedgehogsHedgehog predators - Hedgehog Street % %
This page has a summary of the main predators wild hedgehogs face in Britain: badgers, foxes and pet dogs, and advice for protecting hedgehogs.
I suppose the advent of wheelie bins isn't helping as their natural food supply has been cut off, someone left some bin bags out last week, they had been ripped apart and you could see where something had been eating a stale loaf, other then that it's only discarded fast food, all you see are the empty trays etc.
This all started during lockdown when all the takeaway outlets were shut so no scraps for them and I suppose they got a taste for i
We used to have a lot of hedgehogs here but I've not seen many this year
I’ve come to the tentative conclusion that those sorts of spines may have developed as a protection against snakes, not that we have any in UK that could swallow a hedgehog.
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I'm happy to report, after almost a years break 1 hoggy is back.
Its not a regular one from last year, its quite nervous, and not keen on dog food either.
Preferring Mealworms ( as they all do), peanuts & small kibble, its for small dogs but it really likes them.
The last couple of nights I've been mixing all that together, and its been clearing its plate.
Its not a regular one from last year, its quite nervous, and not keen on dog food either.
Preferring Mealworms ( as they all do), peanuts & small kibble, its for small dogs but it really likes them.
The last couple of nights I've been mixing all that together, and its been clearing its plate.
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Where did the time go?!! What a lucky hoggy having his dinner made for him.
Gav.
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Wonder if the prickly little sod still gets dinner if he fails to clear the slugs for Chris
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No idea Bee, it's scary nonetheless ...
He was lucky, I spotted him late the other night.
I put food out now, at around dusk, and it's gone by the time it's dark.
I guess I must be on his feeding route
Wonder if the prickly little sod still gets dinner if he fails to clear the slugs for Chris
he's not doing a great job, I'm still collecting them at night
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Gav.
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You're feeding him too well
They are funny sods, last year we had few, they ate the cat food and a few seeds plus the odd pest. The one this year doesn't return as often but when it does refuses the cat food but eats every pest going then has a few sunflowers seed before leaving, haven't seen him for a while now though.
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I know, I'm far too kindYou're feeding him too well
Even this time last year when I had 5 at times, there was still plenty of slugs left, to demolish the tender plants.
Ungrateful SOBS
Gav.
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City Hogs for youI know, I'm far too kind
Even this time last year when I had 5 at times, there was still plenty of slugs left, to demolish the tender plants.
Ungrateful SOBS
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I’d take any hog around here. We get none.City Hogs for you