Hedgehogs, please help

[nappadang]

I wasn't sure which heading to post this under but thought it important to spread the word.
As I'm sure a lot of you are aware, the British Hedgehog is in serious decline. Populations have dropped to alarming levels in a relatively short time scale. For all manner of reasons it is important we do all we can to reverse this trend.
The likelihood is that if you live in a suburban or rural location there will be a dwindling population of hogs near by. If they are able to access your garden then they will and devour a lot of your unwanted slugs and snails. The coming months before hibernation are crucial for this year's juveniles. Any hog that enters hibernation at less than 500 grams will almost certainly perish during the winter months.
Hogs will eat a variety of foods including cat and dog food, dried or moist (not fish based or in gravy), fruit and seeds and mealworm (dried or live). They also need fresh water. They are lactose intolerant so milk and dairy products should be avoided. It really is worth providing for hogs as they truly are the gardeners friend and a welcome addition to any garden. Please note, any fleas on a hog are host specific and rarely, if ever bite humans, dogs or cats etc.
If you see a hog out during daylight hours, it is almost certainly in distress. The British Hedgehog Society will provide contact info for local carers if you do discover a sick or injured hog (strimmers are a bloody nightmare!!) http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/ For those of you in the North East of England, Prickly Pals North East can be found on facebook.
I really appreciate the fact that you've taken the time to read this thread and hope it may inspire one or two of you to help a struggling, native species. If people do want more info or advice, please ask.
I know this has nothing to do with cycling but it's a worthwhile cause and you all seem like decent, caring folk on here.

Thanks again,

Mick

 

[Arch]

Hear hear. NT and I don't have much of a garden, but when we have a veg patch (after we've torn up the concrete out front), we'll try and make it hedgehog friendly. Most of the houses round here do have gardens, and there's a big green out front, so it ought to be a good place for them.

We had a hog expert give a talk at the reserve I work at. She told a story about someone ringing her up and saying they'd found a baby hedgehog in her garden, and they'd picked it up and put it in a box with some food and water, but it showed no sign of moving.

The expert went round and had a look.

It was a teasel.

 

[TheDoctor]

Sorry, but that's hilarious!!
Pretty sure I've got a hedgehog living in the garden.
It wandered past the other night while I was checking my tent still worked.
(OK, I like camping in the back garden now and then. It's a free country...)

 

[vernon]

I have three, possibly four, hedgehogs in our back garden. There are two adults and a juvenile. The adults were attempting to mate but blushed in embarrassment and shuffled into the shrubs when they realised that they were being watched.

 

[TheDoctor]

Hedgehog voyeurism!

 

[MrJamie]

They come round to our back door every evening for food. We have several feral cats we feed and the hedgehogs eat the food with them, they all seem to get along. I was talking to someone earlier about getting one of those hedgehog den things, since we have quite a few hedgehogs. Last year one got caught in the pond netting and it took me hours to free up his little legs without hurtng him

 

[Sara_H]

I want hedgehogs! But I have a very stupid dog, he's not a hunter and wouldn't hurt a hedgehog, but would the hedgehogs be put off by his idiotic presence?

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I want hedgehogs! But I have a very stupid dog, he's not a hunter and wouldn't hurt a hedgehog, but would the hedgehogs be put off by his idiotic presence?

No, our dog used to stand there howling and pacing around whilst the Hedgehogs ate their food that we left out for them (underneath a heavy cover thingy we made for them that the dog could not access or he would've ate it all) - they were unperturbed. Dog was distressed though as he didn't really know what to do with an unfazed animal that didn't run off when he went near it.

 

[slowmotion]

We used to have a sunken area outside the back door, about a foot deep with vertical brick walls. One day when we were away on holiday, a hedgehog fell in and was unable to climb out. The poor creature starved to death. We sought advice and were given a simple solution....build a small "staircase" out of stacked bricks for the wee beasts to escape up.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Best wishes to those who save our hedgehogs!!
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZBMS3suB-I
I haven't seen one around here for a while,apart from squashed ones.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Perhaps the Kiwis would like to repatriate some. I hear they have too many there.

 

[biggs682]

we bought a hog house for my fathers birthday as he gets them in his garden quite often . but dad has positioned it in a way that we cant see inside , so we have no idea if its being used or not .

 

[nappadang]

They come round to our back door every evening for food. We have several feral cats we feed and the hedgehogs eat the food with them, they all seem to get along. I was talking to someone earlier about getting one of those hedgehog den things, since we have quite a few hedgehogs. Last year one got caught in the pond netting and it took me hours to free up his little legs without hurtng him

Brilliant. Hibernation boxes are excellent at they will over winter in them but also use them during the summer.

I want hedgehogs! But I have a very stupid dog, he's not a hunter and wouldn't hurt a hedgehog, but would the hedgehogs be put off by his idiotic presence?

We used to have two dogs and still got hogs
[QUOTE 2641792, member: 9609"]I have been going to make a hedgehog box - the internet is awash with designs and dimensions, some differ wildly in size from others - any suggestions on what design and size is best ?[/quote]
Any of the double, offset door/porch designs that are slightly raised from the ground.

I haven't seen one around here for a while,apart from squashed ones.

All to common a tale, sadly but if there is a dead one there must be a population worth offering help to.

we bought a hog house for my fathers birthday as he gets them in his garden quite often . but dad has positioned it in a way that we cant see inside , so we have no idea if its being used or not .

Like complete saddos we have trip/trail cams set up in our garden.

Sorry my replies are brief but I wasn't expecting such a positive response. I'll try to answer all posts that request info. If I miss your post, don't be offended, just repost and ill try my best
Thanks.

Mick
PS I've replied using my phone before work so please accept my apologies if I've left it long winded

 

[Dirtlover2005]

If you want to help them further the society recommend cutting a small hole in the fence between yours and your neighbour's garden. Part of the reason in their decline is thought to be down to our tidy and fenced gardens.

 

[Globalti]

What tyres for running over hedgehogs?