Topic: Hedgehog

[Ceri]

I got one, I got one!!!

Or less excitedly put - a hedgehog has just been  rootling around my back garden.  S/he's quite big  and didn't react at all to me being in the garden mopping up post-deluge - just wandered in under the fence, looked at me, and carried on pottering about for a good 5 mins, then went back the way s/he came in.  I live in a row of about a dozen houses, with our back gardens joining other back gardens, if you know what I mean, so hedgehogs would have a fair run of safe gardens to play in.  

I'm so amused - especially as it was still light enough for me to watch him/her.

[Steven]

I'd love to alllow the little hogs back into my garden,but my dog wouldnt leave them alone.
He never actually hurt them-prefering to stare at them as they roll themselves into a ball through fear.I often used to wonder why he stood there motionless in the darkness,until i shone a torch one evening and saw one right at the end of dogs nose! I ended up making the garden hog proof for their safety and to stop my dog getting ticks.

They did keep the slug/snail population right down though and are sorely missed.

[Ceri]

luckily my dog has been well-trained by my tiny "scared-of-everything-except-dogs" cat and now understands that things smaller than dogs are both scary and painful on the nose!

[Steven]

Unfortunately,mine see's anything like rabbits,squirrels,guinea pigs,hedgehogs and cats as fair game!

Outside on the playing field/streets etc he dont take a blind bit of notice of cats,but inside the garden-its a different story.Have had to armour parts of fence with galavanised mesh to stop him going through when a cat decides to investigate my garden.

One good thing comes of it-i dont get any cat poo in borders!

[Carol]

I enjoy visits from Hedgehogs ::) They turn up around midnight and sit on top of my ground feeding bird table and eat the bird seeds which I leave out for the following morning.  They then enjoy the birds water and then toddle off into the rose bushes.  I have had quite a lot but unfortunately I also lose a lot too, to the main road outside.

Last year I had a very big hedgehog which turned up at the same time each night.  As it had been a long dry summer, worms and slugs were not in supply so I provided it with dog or cat meat, plus water.  This the 'hog' seemed to enjoy, but the enevitable happened and one morning there was a corpse just out side our house on the main road.  Since then two young hedgehogs have  taken the same path and been swept up by the road sweeper.  It is sad but what can I do? :'( :'(.   Answers in the chat room please   ::) ::)

[Plocket]

Oh I would so love to have a hedgehog visit my garden. Unfortunatley it is walled and if there are any nearby they just can't get in.  :'(

And there are plenty of slugs.....

[Carol]

Funny you should say that Plocket about having a wall all the way round, because I have too a 5ft one.  This was put up to keep out the Rats, but thats another story.   The Hedgehogs must come in through the main drive, its the only way and off course this leads to the Road, sohence the deaths.Maybe one day you will get a hedgehog, I lke them too. ::)

[Plocket]

There is no access to our garden other than under a wooden door/gate which scrapes the ground when opened! I am resigned to the fact that we won't have any hedgehogs at this house, but maybe one day somewhere else.....

[gardenqueen]

It depends on the size of the wall, but hedgehogs CAN climb walls!  ;D

[Plocket]

Hum - it's 6 foot. I've images of hedgehogs abseiling now!!!

[gardenqueen]

Now that IS asking too much of a hedgehog! lol ::)

[Plocket]

Thanks for your input though!

[TrailRat]

Carol speak to your local council about putting in "subway" tunnel for the little critters. Just as they learn where food is they also learn where this safer crossing is too. I've seen hedgehogs use the main subway tunnel for us peeps.

TrailRat

[Plocket]

Oh how cute!  :)

[Toots]

We always had several hedgies till suddenly they all vanished.

A neighbour has two cairn terriers,who are inveterate hunters and she said they rip the poor wee hedgies up despite her best efforts.She has little control over them unfortunately.She is a widow and they are her darlings so no change likely there sadly.

Not happy ! :-\

[Ceri]

We now see two regularly most evenings - one smaller than the other so presumably the baby.  The smaller one has taken to wondering into next door's garden about 3.00 each afternoon which amazed me as I thought they were only nocturnal.  When we saw it in the middle of the lawn my neighbour put down some cooked chicken, which it seemed to love.  My young son crept up close and ended up lying practically nose to nose with the hog, which didn't bat an eyelid, ate the chicken and waddled off.  Do hogs often wander about in open space in the middle of the afternoon?

[Granny_Smith]

I think that they only do that if they are ill and have been unable to get out for food during the night. Try to keep an eye on it, just incase.