hedgy is back!

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Mo
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Re: hedgy is back!

Post by Mo »

How can it be cat proof but not hedgehog proof? I'm intrigued.
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wildlifemad
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Re: hedgy is back!

Post by wildlifemad »

Hi Mo. I did some research over the winter to try & find a cat proof solution as last year the cats kept getting in to the plastic storage box one we made so i tasked hubby with building a feeding station out of wood which has an internal corridor (have a look at www.wildlifeworld.co.uk to get the idea), the idea being that cats don't like crawling around corners!!!!! We thought this had worked but put some sticky tape at the entrance to check & found cat hair on it! So to cat proof it we put a half round ridge tile (never throw anything away!!!) in front of the entrance & it has worked! As its half moon shaped the cats obviously cannot get in but the hogs can!!!
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Richard
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Re: hedgy is back!

Post by Richard »

The going around corners relates to foxes as well. I had a zig zag entrance to my Coop, as in too tighter bends for their bodies.

Richard
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wildlifemad
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Re: hedgy is back!

Post by wildlifemad »

Well we are now seeing hogs nearly every morning & the food is being eaten & no cats getting into the feeding station!! I have named one hog 4.30, yes you guessed it, I see him every morning at 4.30!!!! Saw him/her go into one of the hog houses we have in the garden for a nice long sleep for the day!!
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kitla
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Re: hedgy is back!

Post by kitla »

Do you see more than one at a time? I've filmed ours at the feed station about 6 times in the night, but I presume its the same one going back & forth, I only see one at a time.
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wildlifemad
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Re: hedgy is back!

Post by wildlifemad »

Hi Kitla
I know there are definitely 2 coming by the difference in size, one of them is a whopper!! I have in the past seen 2 at the same time. I have a wildlife camera trap but am hopeless at putting it out to capture anything!! I know on a hedgehog forum there is someone who just studies them for different markings etc to see how many they have. Apparently there are people who are "marking" hogs in their gardens to see how many they have but are using big marks on them & using things like nail varnish which really smell & could affect the hogs as they are sensitive to smells.It also stresses the hog catching it for no sensible reason. The way I see it is just be happy they are visiting your garden, its amazing how many people haven't seen a hog for years.
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kitla
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Re: hedgy is back!

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Now i have a delemma. The hedgehog food has been taken more often lately, so I set the camera to see if it's a hedgehog or a rat that's taking it. If its a rat I'll stop putting it out - simple! however, it's both! Tonight I only put out a small amount hoping the hedgehog would eat it all first, but I'm not sure what to do - do I keep on & feed the rat too?
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
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wildlifemad
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Re: hedgy is back!

Post by wildlifemad »

Well that's a tough call Kitla!! We are lucky not to have rats visiting, only wood mice but I think I would still put food out for the hog as it obviously still needs to feed up, could you move the food in the hope the rat won't find it? It might be worth keeping an eye on the hog if its small because the weather is turning colder this week & it may then struggle to get through the winter. We still have up to 2 hogs visiting a night which look a good size but I did see one run over just up the road from us last week that was really small, it wouldn't have made it through the winter but I would have rather have rescued it then it end like that. Can't be more helpful than that I'm afraid.
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kitla
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Re: hedgy is back!

Post by kitla »

Hedgy is awake! As it was a milder night I put some food in the box & left my camera out & there it was, probably very hungry & I suppose will need to go back to hibernation if we get the cold spell talked about.
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
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wildlifemad
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Re: hedgy is back!

Post by wildlifemad »

Gosh that's an early one!!!! Now you've made me think should I put some food out & the camera. Perhaps I will as I'm middle of country like you are. Thanks for keeping us up to date Kitla!
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Richard
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Re: hedgy is back!

Post by Richard »

Lovely, but may, as they do through Winter, just be popping out for a top up.

Bit like me, wake up at 7am then go back to sleep until 9.00 !!

Someone said they had a Butterfly and Bee in their garden yesterday.
Thing is it's getting really cold again this week, so that worried me a bit.

Whatever, I'm sure Hedgey knows best and will do what he or she has to.

After hearing a Fox barking every evening for a few days I put some cat food out, set the camera only to film about 4 Rats having a feast !!!

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kitla
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Re: hedgy is back!

Post by kitla »

caught hedgy on camera again last night. It looks ok, not too skinny, but I'll put extra food out this week to help him get ready to hibernate again. I'm guessing he's sleeping in my hedgehog box nearby, I wonder if I should put some fresh,dry bedding outside it? I'm feeling concerned for all my wildlife with this intense cold heading this way (could be alot of snow too). I've stocked up with extra birdfood & I think I'll give Mojo dog a good grooming so there'll be some big balls of fluffy dog hair out there for them!
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant
wildlifemad
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Re: hedgy is back!

Post by wildlifemad »

Hi Kitla. I'd be tempted to put some dry bedding around in case he/she needs to freshen up their home! Fingers crossed he/she goes back to sleep in the next couple of nights judging by what is supposed to be coming next week. Just like you I am topped up with all the bird food, just need some more wonky apples now as the Blackbirds, Starlings & Blackcap get through them. I put some food out for Hogs the other night but the only thing that looked at it was the slugs!
It's a good job there people like us out there looking after the wildlife!
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kitla
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Re: hedgy is back!

Post by kitla »

I checked again last night & amazingly hedgy visited the feeder twice last night! Surely it should be back in bed by now? If I wasnt putting out food I wonder what it would eat? I suppose it has been a long winter this year.
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant
wildlifemad
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Re: hedgy is back!

Post by wildlifemad »

Fingers crossed your hog has gone back to a warm snug bed & stays there this week with this weather.
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