How do hedgehogs mate?

Cobra said:
Fussy hogs.

I ran out of the usual dog food ( it's nothing special) yesterday,
so got a small tin of something else, from the local shop, just to tide me over until I could get the usual one.
They never ate any of it, just the mealworms, kibble, nuts & seeds.

I stocked up today, and they got their usual one, it was gone in minutes,
so a second helping was supplied.

I'm beginning to think 3 have left home, I'm only seeing mum + 2 recently, and one of those is a bit of a runt,
but feeding well.
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I was reading up on black soldier fly breeding the other day. I don’t have any use for them now (except personal consumption of course) but I think I’d give it a go if I still had poultry. Maybe not the very neat Farm 432
newatlas.com

Farm 432: The handy kitchen appliance that breeds fly larva for protein

Flies are usually considered unwelcome guests in the kitchen, but one industrial designer is aiming to turn them into a renewable food source. Katharina Unger's Farm 432 concept is a fly-breeding device for home use that continually collects fly larva as a protein source for less squeamish diners.…
newatlas.com newatlas.com
which I guess would be pricey if it ever gets produced - I think it’s only a prototype at present. One gram of black soldier fly eggs can yield 2.4 kg of protein over a 432-hour period, which is where the device gets its name. Of these are intended for human consumption but I expect hoggies would gobble them up.
 
sphexx said:
I expect hoggies would gobble them up.
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Mine are fussy, if I introduce anything new in to their diet, they ignore it.
 
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Despite the cold overnight temperatures ( -4 last night)
The HH are still awake, but they aren't hanging about, out for food around 6pm and gone again shortly after.
I had a "stray" last night, normally there is 2 feeding, the other 4 ( Mum + 3 babies seem to have wandered off some time ago)
this time a 3rd turned up, but its half the size of mine, quite small in fact.
Maybe a late brood from somewhere, I hope it does, but I'm not sure It'll survive TBH.
 
Dale. said:
Crikey, he's late.
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I'm still seeing 3 most nights, while there is plenty of food provided, and they are in a reasonably sheltered spot,
they have no reason to hibernate.(y)

Dale. said:
Crikey, he's late.

Not seen one here for a while, although there was some grunting going on under my workshop about 3 weeks ago.
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Getting a head start on the next generation?
:D
 
I guess that's it for now.

Having not seen a single hog for a few weeks, and the food offerings remaining untouched, even in the mild weather,
I guess they have left the Cobra commune.
I also guess they are sleeping (somewhere) by now, due to the low day and night temperatures.

Curiosity, got the better of me, so armed with a replacement hog bag filled with all sorts of dry bedding,
I opened the hog bag.
Actually it was empty, and wetter ( damp) than I had expected it to be, so I wasn't surprised it was empty.

The last of the hogs were seen heading behind the shed, which is about a foot away from the dividing wooden fence.
This area does get a lot of wind blown leaves, so I wouldn't be surprised if one or two, weren't down there.
Last time I saw them they had grown well, and looked quite porkie, there was a runt, and it was the last one I saw feeding.
Hopefully most of the 5 hoglets will survive the winter.

The original hog bag ( a half empty bag of potting compost) was disposed of, and now I have a few weeks
to provide a more substantial hog house, should she decided to return next spring.
 
Cobra said:
provide a more substantial hog house, should she decided to return next spring.
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I'd love to see how that progresses, how it's built, situated etc.

We regularly have hedgehogs, apart from these cold months. I'd like to make something of them and for them. (y)
 
Dale. said:
I'd love to see how that progresses, how it's built, situated etc.
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Take a half empty bag of ericaceous potting compost and leave it laying around on the patio, under the over hanging eaves job done. :D


Gav. said:
Cobras 'Cosy Hog Lodge' build thread. :D
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:LOL:

Dale. said:
Lol, yeah, I thought there might be a new build on the way. ;)(y)
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I'll need to give it some thought, the easiest way would be to buy a storage box, cut an entrance in it. add a little bedding, straw etc, leave them to collect the rest of the preferred bedding material. there are plans on the internet, but some are rather convoluted.
 
It looks like they are awake, HH droppings on my patio this morning,
Talk about a subtle hint to go to the pet shop, and get meat and mealworms :D
 
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