Hedgehogs!

[BreadmanAndCake]

evening, wasn't sure where to post this so figured gardening was the most appropriate place.

We are lucky enough to have had a hedgehog make a nest in our back garden. She was back and forth a couple of evenings ago taking grass and leaves into a little area under some small decking slats, and we've seen her again this evening eating some food that I left out for her.

If anyone's had hedgehogs nest in their gardens before, how can I 'help' her/make the area as safe and comfortable as possible? I've left some food out for her (hedgehog biscuits) and a little tub of water.

We have cats which frequently spend time in the garden so at the moment I'm hoping they don't try and disturb the nest area but I can't really confine them to the house so I'm trying to keep a close eye on them.

Obligatory photo! She ventured out a few days ago early morning before she began to make the nest.

Sounds like you're doing the right thing. If you follow HedgehogCabin on Twitter they have loads of advice.

Don't feed them mealworms or nuts and the bowl of water should be quite shallow as their mouths are set far back.

Congratulations. How lovely, I occasionally see hog poo on my lawn and do feed them in winter but have only ever seen one running over the lawn, twice, and nothing hibernated in the hog house I built last year.

I can’t see your picture?

That’s lovely! We had two, one much bigger than the other so maybe parent and child, in the garden the other night for ages snuffling about.
Is there a way you can block access to the nest for the cats but leave enough for mum to get in and out? :)

Trying the photo again.

I will definitely try and restrict access to the nest for the cats tomorrow, I don't think they could actually reach the area she has nested in (garden on a slope and the nest appears to be right in the corner of the decking).

Thanks for the info regarding the food - will grab a bag of kitten food instead when I next go shopping

Interesting @VanishingAct that it says discard the food as it may be contaminated by slugs.
Every time I put food out, if I went out later I saw dishes were crawling with slugs! I don’t actually know if the hedgehogs got a look in tbh.

I’m not on Twitter, do they have any tips on keeping slugs off the food?

Lovely pic @BreadmanAndCake I hope they have a happy winter in your garden. You could maybe get a cheap motion sensor camera & see them whenever they are out & about.

@Backtobacktheyfacedeachother

Interesting *@VanishingAct* that it says discard the food as it may be contaminated by slugs. Every time I put food out, if I went out later I saw dishes were crawling with slugs! I don’t actually know if the hedgehogs got a look in tbh. I’m not on Twitter, do they have any tips on keeping slugs off the food?

Lovely pic @BreadmanAndCake I hope they have a happy winter in your garden. You could maybe get a cheap motion sensor camera & see them whenever they are out & about.

I've had a look to see what they day re. keeping slugs away from the food and saw this

'Moving the feeder on to hard standing or gravel will help, rather than on grass. Or more in the open, so they have no daytime hiding places nearby. Lining the feeder with newspaper helps, as well as leaving your veg trimmings out nearby, for the slugs to eat instead.'

In a previous garden, I had a hedgehog give birth under a shed and stay for a few weeks with her babies several years running. I don’t know if moving on regularly is a thing with hedgehogs but maybe be prepared for that?

Now we have several (5 at least but there could be many more) visiting to eat but have no idea where they live. They’re certainly not staying in the expensive hedgehog house that was bought for them!

Thank you @VanishingAct
I have tried the middle of the lawn, concrete path, bark border all sorts of surfaces-except gravel. I will try that next. Thanks.

Sadly we're moving next month or I'd definitely be investing in a little camera!
She's been out again this evening and ate all the biscuits I put down, and also had a little drink from the dish which is good. There's been a lot of grunting and huffing coming from the nest area so I'm wondering what's happening there?

Any update, OP?

I have 2 in my garden at the moment - not together, one is very much the boss and the other runs away from it.
We have a stray cat too because I’ve been putting out cat nuts for the hedgehogs. The cat & the hedgehogs take no notice of the other at all. They literally sit next to one another at the dishes. I’m not sure what a nesting female would think of a cat though

We didn't see them last night (I had an early night so wasn't watching out for them) but the biscuits had been eaten so perhaps they were just out later.

The night before we had two in the garden - looked like the original hog and another. I think it may have been a male as it looked like he was trying to court her (circling round her and huffing), so now not sure if she had nested in anticipation of babies or not! But will be on the lookout again this evening to see if they return.

Bump!

Here are mine tonight

It's a good idea to leave gaps under your fences so they can get through. If the fences have wooden gravel boards this is fairly easy. If concrete you might need to leave gaps between posts at the corners or, where a panel does not fit, use a sawn gravel board with a gap in the middle.

You can mark the gaps with a "Hedgehog Highway" sign.

This is not for the Hogs to read, but to discourage your neighbour or assistant gardener from blocking them.

I think you need a gap in each corner, and some along the sides if the garden is long.