This juvenile Hedgehog is still visiting our garden where he is obviously on the look out for some tasty morsel or two. He looks extremely small and I don't think that he is big enough to be able to make it through hibernation and the winter. I have been putting mealworms out for him, which he devours with relish, am I prolonging his agony, or should I carry on feeding him up?
The above photos were taken by using my camera at full zoom, so I wouldn't upset the hog, he didn't seem that bothered by being photographed as he carried on munching away.
These are some great shots John, even though they were at full zoom on your camera. Excellent detail.
ReplyDeleteThanks Roy, he stayed nice and still for me, but still carried on eating the mealworms!
DeleteJ
Lovely animals to see in the garden John but I have to admit to not seeing any this year. Come to think of it I've not seen any road casualties either for a while.
ReplyDeleteHi Andrew,
DeleteWe are quite lucky, in that we have had up to 4 in our garden at any one time, this is the only one that we are still seeing though. I have seen a few on the road, but not that many, I have heard that in some areas we have lost up to 90% of the Hedgehogs! In part due to habitat loss, but also due to our use of slug pellets, which in turn poison the hogs, not nice.
J
Cat food is ideal to help fatten him for winter, then an upside down cardboard box. Stuffed with rabbit hay and with a Tom and Jerry mousehole cut out.
ReplyDeletePut it where he is foraging with you and see if he investigates.
I know it is interfering but we have so few hedgehogs left we need to preserve the ones we have got.
http://www.sttiggywinkles.org.uk/images/PDF/PDF%20Fact%20Sheets/Hedgehog_info.pdf
Hi Charlotte,
DeleteThanks for that. I have tried with cat food, but the local moggies get there before any hogs, we have so many where we live. The hogs we have visiting like the mealworms, which I soak first and they are also partial to sultanas and fat pellets (I don't know if these are good for them or not), one thing I NEVER feed them is bread and milk, apparently Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant, although they don't know that!
Is it interfering when the major reasons of their decline are our fault? A difficult one.
J
I just thought, we also have a Hedgehog house under some bushes full of straw and hay, hopefully he will find it sooner, rather than later.
DeleteJ
I would have thought he should be tucked up somewhere for the winter by now. A shame if he doesn't survive. Lovely shots.
ReplyDeleteThanks Keith,
DeleteI would have hoped that he was hibernating too, but I just don't think he is big enough. Hopefully my feeding him will get him through the winter.
J
I haven't seen hedgehogs lately, I guess they're all hibernating already. Today we had second snow here in Finland :)
ReplyDeleteThis little guy is lucky to have you. I hope he survives the winter!
Hi Ekaterina,
DeleteI should think your hogs are well tucked up by now. We haven't had any snow in Peterborough yet, although there was some a bit further north the other day.
I hope he makes it too.
J
Very nice John.
ReplyDeleteWe have a visiting hedgehog under our bird feeders that loves sunflower hearts which are high energy. Are you feeding live mealworms rather than those husk things? Ours loves the cats food as well. Good luck.
Thanks Mike,
DeleteWe have had hogs eating the fallen seed too, they also like the sultanas and fat pellets I put out the Blackbirds. I am feeding the dry mealworms, but I do soak them first and there is always lots of fresh water for them too. The local moggies devour anything that resembles cat food, so that is a bit of a no go.
J
It must be the right thing to do because if you don't feed him he definitely won't survive!
ReplyDeleteClick here for Bazza’s Blog ‘To Discover Ice’
Hi Bazza,
DeleteI hope it's the right thing to do. I hope he makes it through to the spring.
J
Great pictures, that is an interesting visitor you have. I am sure the food is very welcome, it certainly seems to be to his taste. Keep it up.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gillian, he seems to be eating it with relish at the moment, although last night he didn't show, maybe he has hibernated?
DeleteJ
Feeding seems the right thing to do. Gives the little fellow a better chance. Is there a hedgehog rescue organization nearby you could take it to?
ReplyDeleteThanks John,
DeleteAs I said in my reply to Gillian (above), he didn't show last night, but I will keep my eyes open.
J
Lovely captures John but definitely a worrying sight so late in the year. Well done for trying to fatten it up. I think your best bet is a hedgehog rescue centre who would take it and give it expert care. I looked on the Internet and found there is one at Huntingdon called Sawtry Hedgehog Rescue: Tel: 01487 834563 and 07951 482440. If that is too far from you they might be able to put you on to someone else.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that Jan,
DeleteIt's not far at all, although, as I have said above he didn't show yesterday, so maybe he has hibernated (or going elsewhere), but I will keep my eyes open, just in case.
J
I am a member of the BHPS and am involved in hedgehog rescue and caring. If this hog is under 650g it is highly unlikely to survive the Winter - the vast majority of young hedgehogs do not. Can you weigh it and, if it's below that weight, it needs to be referred to a carer for overwintering otherwise it will most certainly die. Rescuers exist in your area as they do all over the country.
ReplyDeleteThe mealworms won't help - although hogs like them they have no nutritional value. The pictures are lovely but without help these are likely to constitute another epitaph for one of Britain's most endangered species.
Thanks for that Alan, I was unaware of the lack of value in mealworms, I was under the impression that they were helping. I am fully aware of the plight of the hedgehog and if the hog reappears I will act (he has not shown for the past few nights, so will have to act if he re-appears).
DeleteJ
With your help John he'll survive the winter, wise words from Alan, hopefully he'll show up soon and he can be given the help he needs.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gary, hopefully he will, although he didn't show last night either, or if he did, I didn't see him!
DeleteJ