Does anyone put out food for the hedgehogs?I've been given a box of dried hedgehog food but a bit concerned it'll attract rats and mice.Has anyone had any problems with them? :)
I have fed hedgehogs in the past, but now i dont even feed the birds as it brings in the field mice so for me its not something i do anymore, unfortunately.
FEED the HOGS!!! ;)
I feed the hedgehogs but usually late summer. I usually put out Cat food which they enjoy?  plus water.  Not Milk. they cannot digest milk.  No sign of mice around.
::) ::)
Quote from: quinny on April 27, 2005, 21:50:03
FEED the HOGS!!! ;)
Definitely Quinny!!
Just ignore the rats and mice and enjoy the hedgies !! ;D
I think I'll put out the food I've got...no sense in wasting it. Do I hide it under a bush or just leave it in the open?
Maybe if you give the hh's food they won't eat your slugs :(
Its only a small box but I wouldn't buy it on a regular basis.
Thats the priniciple that i work on Wardy, there are enough natural resources particularly in the spring/summer months for our wildlife to survive quite naturally.
My Hogs usually just clear up any mess left under the bird feeders. They especially like crushed nuts if you want to add any extra for them.
Chriszog
Nope I don't want to add extra or to feed them at all.I was given it with a pressie..the hog food. just wondering what to do with it...thanks for the suggestions though...Now anyone got any to cure the after effects of a cold..its making me feel worse than the cold did.... :'( :'(
A good malt whiskey usually does the trick for me (or even better, two or three) ;D Keep up your fluids at all costs ;D ;D
Hi Val,
I hope your cold has gone and that all is well with Hedgehog.
:D
Thanks...I'm finding it harder to shake stuff off as the years go by :'(..Sorry everyone I sounded really crabby in my post. I've had a few hot toddies and bought some sinus tabs, I do feel better today, got the hairdressers this afternoon, that might perk me up when the mop is off. I've hidden the hog box under the pampass grass , still haven't put the food out...I saw another mickey in the compost bin....oh yuk, so thats put me off.....
Aawww poor Val. Hope the visit to the hairdresser perked you up a little. It always does me, although I only have my hair chopped off, no perm for me. ::)
I thought I saw something small and black run from underneath my kitchen table under the welsh dresser. We put down a friendly trap and sure next morning, we had caught a tiny little field mouse and it was good to return to its right environment.
Take care Val ;) :D
Hi Marianne, feel better today thanks, I hate the hairdressers...going...but always feel better when I've had it done, just a cut and a colour, to hide the grey round the sides,, I'm not ready for the blue rinse just yet ;Dalthough I'd love to go a lovely silver, I've still got a lot of skin colour so it wouldn't look right now, just faded. It must be all that gardening, gives a healthy glow ;D. I've just noticed a sparrow pulling my hanging basket to bits.I've used a multi liner from B&Q. and its pulling it apart. ;DI had wondered why its gone out of shape....now I know, still I hope its babies are nice and comfy.
Val, do you moisten the food before putting it out, would have thought you would. I would keep it and use it if we have a very dry summer. That's when I put cat food out for the hedges because there aren't so many slugs for them to eat when it's dry.
MM
Yes, same with me. I feed the hedgehogs late summer from August onwards and usually cat food, nice n moist for them.
with a dish of water to go with it!!!
Thanks , I'll do that, it makes more sense and will build them up for the winter
If a hedgehog is 450g+ in weight, by the time winter rolls in, then it will be have sufficient fat/bodyweight to hibernate through.
If you see any little, late-litter, hogs ambling about come that time then they will die unless they are provided with suitable garden accommodation & food, or whisked off to a wildlife sanctuary (not many about, and usually already heaving with hundreds of over-wintering late babies).
You are fine feeding them cat food, although this can be a little rich, and a mix of cat food & something like Chappie (dog food) often is a better alternative.... but only if you already have a mixed pet household, otherwise it is expensive & a lot goes to waste, with having two tins open at the same time.
To drink, water only, particularly in summertime - they can dehydrate quickly & die.
If you see a hedgehog wandering about in daylight it is generally a sign that things are far from well. Usual culprits are poisoning, flystrike (especially the little ones), parasite over-load (usually internal, leading to respiratory/pneumonia type problems), dehydration, entanglement in rubbish (check feet for circulation), and trauma due to encounters with cars, pets and people - lots of re-homed 3-legged-amputees about, happily slug-eating in protected gardens.
They are among the toughest of our native wildlife, and can survive parasite and poison loads that would kill most other animals. Give them half a chance, and they surprise you with recovery from the most horrific damage.
I like them.
:)
I love them :)
MM
Thanks Gadfium, I'm not going to weigh any though, I'm a bit nervous about touching them. Its all the fleas.