Hedgehogs in the garden. Should I feed them or leave them alone?

Crock Rock

I've noticed about ten of them lately over the past few days. I live rural with a big garden with a fence facing fields (not mine) at the back.

I leave out shallow dishes of waterand it's usually gone by the evening.


I leave dried worms (for birds) from pet shops, some choped green vegetables and fruit.


Am I benefiting them by feeding them or am I causing more harm than good?

magicbastarder

it's not a good time of year to see them - in that they should be hibernating and saving their energy.
if it was me, i'd leave food out; dog or cat food would be fine, though better to avoid any fish based food. no bread or milk.

pawrick

They should be hibernating at the moment. It's possible they have woken early due to being disturbed or due to mild weather (although i don't think it's mild enough). Waking during hibernation runs the risk of starvation as thee is less food available in winter. Continue leaving out the food as you are doing, they also will eat cat food. There is a hedgehog sanctuary on facebook i think which might be able to offer some more advice.

Crock Rock

magicbastarder wrote: »

it's not a good time of year to see them - in that they should be hibernating and saving their energy.
if it was me, i'd leave food out; dog or cat food would be fine, though better to avoid any fish based food. no bread or milk.

Thanks. I heard that milk and bread is bad for their gut.
If it was a mild winter I'd understand but it's very cold lately.
Do they sleep for the entire winter during hibernation? Or do they wake up to piss / poo and drink etc?

New Home

Leave out cat food and water for them. If they're small (e.g less than 600g) they won't survive winter unless they have enough food and proper shelter, and may need to be rescued.

Contacts for hedgehog experts (licenced):

https://www.facebook.com/hedgehogrescuedublin/
https://www.facebook.com/pg/hedgehog...=page_internal
http://thehogsprickle.weebly.com/
https://www.facebook.com/TheHogsprickle

**New Wildlife Helpline**

We are delighted to announce the launch of our new wildlife helpline. Our volunteers will be at the end of the phone whenever wildlife needs us and will offer the best of help and advice available. So please save the number

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https://www.facebook.com/Wildlifeuni...72737599413581

corks finest

Into the pot,,,,,,,,,,joke, enjoy and leave alone

5p9arw38djv2b4

Feeding them is very helpful at keeping their weight up, they should be hibernating but it's been very mild this winter. Tins of cat or dog food are really good but make sure you don't ever feed the fish based ones as hedgehogs can't digest this. They will also eat broken down cat or dog biscuits. Also water is great, but never give milk as they can't digest that either. Provided they are only coming out at night they are likely healthy and happy BUT if you ever see them out in daylight hours or if they don't react normally when approached (curling into a ball to protect themselves) then it's a problem, wrap them up using a coat or similar to pick them up and put them in a box and you can bring them to a local vet - it's often treatment for ticks etc they need. As hedgehogs numbers are way down vets will take them in for free. The hedgehog charities like hedgehog Dublin and hogsprickle are also great for advise.

Nekarsulm

They love a bit of mince meat as well!
Also, if there's an awkward corner or hole to get stuck in, they will find it!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

All good advice but there's no way the OP saw 10 hedgehogs in his garden at any time, let along this time of year.

Crock Rock

River Damp Region wrote: »

All good advice but there's no way the OP saw 10 hedgehogs in his garden at any time, let along this time of year.

Thanks for publicly implying that I am a liar. I've nothing to gain from lying and you're just being a busy body. Bye now.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Crock Rock wrote: »

Thanks for publicly implying that I am a liar. I've nothing to gain from lying and you're just being a busy body. Bye now.

Not at all. But there could not have been 10 hedgehogs in one garden. Simple as that. One hedgehog ten times perhaps but not a herd of 10 hedgehogs.

Seth Brundle

River Damp Region wrote: »

Not at all. But there could not have been 10 hedgehogs in one garden. Simple as that. One hedgehog ten times perhaps but not a herd of 10 hedgehogs.

Actually, an array of hedgehogs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedgehog (under Etymology section)

New Home

I think their collective name should be changed to "pincushion".

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Actually, an array of hedgehogs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedgehog (under Etymology section)

New Home wrote: »

I think their collective name should be changed to "pincushion".

I've seen a Prickle used in the past but I like Array.

Anyway, I still contend that there could not have been an array of this size in a single garden in January.

Deagol

River Damp Region wrote: »

Not at all. But there could not have been 10 hedgehogs in one garden. Simple as that. One hedgehog ten times perhaps but not a herd of 10 hedgehogs.

Not sure you're right about that. We at one stage had 2 adults and their roughly 3 yearlings in our garden spread over one night. You'd see one or two or three of them at a time in different corners. And as one would leave another would appear. And we have a 'normal' town garden about 15m x 10m or so.

doolox

Answers on a post card please..........

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Deagol wrote: »

Not sure you're right about that. We at one stage had 2 adults and their roughly 3 yearlings in our garden spread over one night. You'd see one or two or three of them at a time in different corners. And as one would leave another would appear. And we have a 'normal' town garden about 15m x 10m or so.

Let's get back to the specific context. Of course I have had up to five hedgehogs in the garden. A family group in a hedgehog friendly environment at the time of peak activity is expected. However, 10 in one garden is exceptional but, here's the rub, 10 active in a single garden in January (no matter how mild it may have been) is extremely dubious.

thejaguar

River Damp Region wrote: »

All good advice but there's no way the OP saw 10 hedgehogs in his garden at any time, let along this time of year.

This might be my favourite ever boards post.

Crock Rock wrote: »

Thanks for publicly implying that I am a liar. I've nothing to gain from lying and you're just being a busy body. Bye now.

Oh c'mon - don't take it so seriously!

Aside from that - this is a great thread - I've seen hedgehogs around my place from time to time - I never would have considered that they may need help. I will now.

Living Off The Splash

I would love to have one in my garden to eat the slugs.
I also have frogs but I fear that these may also be eaten as a side dish.

New Home

Frogs are faster than snails, which gives them a better chance.

magicbastarder

slugs don't form nearly as much of the diet of hedgehogs as gardeners like to think, IIRC. i think they prefer things which are a bit crunchier and more palatable.

New Home

Snails are crunchier. :P I think they like earthworms, too.

Sorry about that

Lovely idea to feed the hedgehogs op, but just beware of attracting rats to your garden, they may mistakenly think the food is for them.

Effects

Crock Rock wrote: »

Thanks for publicly implying that I am a liar. I've nothing to gain from lying and you're just being a busy body. Bye now.

Picture or it didn't happen.

Nekarsulm

New Home wrote: »

Frogs are faster than snails, which gives them a better chance.

Have you seen the speed a hedgehog can go?
No frog could out-hop a hedgehog!

New Home

I have (Sonic was slow by comparison), but frogs can suddenly jump any direction, which gives them more of a chance than a slug would have (and even slugs are faster than they're given credit for).

Seth Brundle

New Home wrote: »

I have (Sonic was slow by comparison), but frogs can suddenly jump any direction, which gives them more of a chance than a slug would have (and even slugs are faster than they're given credit for).

Maybe so. But Kermit's chances are massively reduced when you've 10 hedgehogs!

magicbastarder

http://purelyfacts.com/question/12/which-is-faster-a-frog-or-a-hedgehog?DDA=40&DDB=52

i suspect that's only half the story. we need to consider acceleration and ability to change direction too.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Their diet is quite seasonal.

Earthworms all year. Caterpillars & leatherjackets in April and May; Beetles and Earwigs from July to hibernation; Caterpillars, Leatherjackets and Slugs in September and October; Millipedes in September. Frogs seem to be taken mostly in July/August.

New Home

And fruit, mushrooms and eggs (when they can find them).

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

New Home wrote: »

And fruit, mushrooms and eggs (when they can find them).

Carrion is a significant portion of their diet as well.