Giant hedgehog living in my garden

[SinkGirl]

A few times I’ve heard rustling in the hops plant by my kitchen and now I’ve seen it - a whopping great hedgehog.

I’m worried for the little guy - there’s so many cats in this area, will he get attacked? How’s he getting enough to eat?

Can’t put cat food out, the cats will eat it. What should I do? He’s so cute.

I had the shrubs on 2 sides of the garden taken out, and a native British hedge planted instead (with buddleia and lavender bushes in front) hopefully to support more insects long term; but atm it’s about 2’ high and wouldn’t provide any shelter to hedgehogs!

Went out the same time tonight as we saw him yesterday but no hog. I put some cat biscuits down which the car promptly ate! I can hear this weird low creaking noise could that be him hiding? Do they 'grunt'?

they`re noisy buggers!

I took the tick off with my remover...horribe things ...I have actually made a house ...paving slab..there rows of bricks around inside and another slab on top...and a tunnel for entrance....although they live in things for a bit then move out...like gypsys😊I'll post a pic later .

Aw! Good. Paving slabs sound good too!

I am on the watch again tonight, will report back with photos if lucky. 🦔

Second the noise, previously it was the noise that piqued my interest.

No sign of my guy tonight. He must have made other plans

Fingers crossed for everyone else on hog watch

Thanks! Sorry to hear that. I've done a late check, but all quiet, no sign of mine either. Might be able to squeeze one more in as now was nearer the time of previous sightings.

Loving this thread.

My first one turned up 10 years, the snow was thick and i could see strange little footprints each morning, I kept putting food outside and watched from the top window and realised it was a really small hedgehog :-( I eventually caught her the next night and drove her to a rescue at 10pm at night - not sure the hedgehog lady was too impressed!! I've had them more or less every year since.

My first feeding station was made out of a plastic storage box, I cut a circle in the box big enough for a hog but too small for a cat, lined with newpaper. Cheap and easy to keep clean.

Last night I got home around 11pm - went round the back and listened out for hogs but no luck this time.

Loving this :)
" Here is where I got it from! DH laughed at me when I ordered it, saying it was a waste of money! Now we have 2 hedgehogs, he told me to get another one!"

don't put the thread in classics, it's always a threadkiller when it gets moved and I need fellow hogwatchers to keep motivated. They could duplicated it if they wanted maybe...

I love hedgehogs, we often see them in the garden at night.

@HedgehogRescueHERBY if you are in Yorkshire then you tried to save a hedgehog I took to the vets a couple of years ago. Sadly she was too ill. I often think of her and appreciate all you did for her.

Inspired by this thread, I've started putting out cat biscuits, because I knew a hog was visiting. Cue two very excited children shouting, "Mummy, there are TWO hedgehogs!"

love that picture of the hedgehog on the step Hogging.

@Noconsent They're surprisingly agile little beasties.

@HoggingTheHedge Were your pictures taken during daylight?

@alwaysonabloodydiet no. Taken on phone, with outdoor light on, and a little editing of light levels after pictures taken.

Weird thing happened last night. I set the wildlife camera up as usual and put down food and water. When I looked at the footage this morning there was one clip where the plate was full of food and in the next it was gone! The camera picks up all movement - so what ate the food? A hedgehog ghost?

He didn't stand you up! Really pleased for you, so glad he's still doing the rounds by you.

Yeah the mealworms kill hogs, from metabolic bone disease.

Worth repeating lots on this thread because it seems almost the go to? Like milk also...

just looked this mealworm thing up. It's very confusing because if you go to Amazon and type in hedgehog food the mealworm comes up but it says "for wild birds only".
in the Q andA for one mealworm product it says "isn't it great, the hedgehogs love it" and the manufacturer replies "amazon make us say it's for wild birds only...."

Am I ok with anything actually marketed as hedgehog food or should I just buy catfood? big decisions!

I use this (from Amazon) - it’s the one the hedgehog climbed the step to get to when I didn’t put it out fast enough! Hedgehogs seem to like it & it’s dry so convenient to leave out without going manky. I always leave water out as well so it doesn’t make them thirsty.

Pic!