Hedgehogs in our garden!

[raynaputi]

We have 3 guinea pigs (and fishes) in our house as pets, but we also feed birds (too many of them now, probably around 30 or more!) and squirrels (2 of them) in our garden. (You now know why Keith hates cats! ) We regularly buy peanuts, bird seeds & suet balls for them. Until last night, we didn't know we have hedgehogs as well! I went out to put the rubbish in the wheelie bin last night when I saw a hedgehog eating some of the peanuts and bird seeds on the ground (the ones that the birds usually drop). I thought it was a wasp nest at first until I look closely. I started reading online how to keep them coming and it said I should put a bowl of water and hedgehog food, so I did it last night. Tonight, I put a bowl of food and water again and I've seen the hedgehog back! After waiting for it to finish eating and get back to its house (I waited so I know where it lives), I got the bowl of food to refill it in case it needs more. When I got out to put back the bowl of food, I've seen there's two of them and was quite noisy! We have more wild animals in our garden now. I wonder if we can get some fox or badger next...

I love living in the countryside!

[Michael Parnham]

We have 3 guinea pigs (and fishes) in our house as pets, but we also feed birds (too many of them now, probably around 30 or more!) and squirrels (2 of them) in our garden. (You now know why Keith hates cats! ) We regularly buy peanuts, bird seeds & suet balls for them. Until last night, we didn't know we have hedgehogs as well! I went out to put the rubbish in the wheelie bin last night when I saw a hedgehog eating some of the peanuts and bird seeds on the ground (the ones that the birds usually drop). I thought it was a wasp nest at first until I look closely. I started reading online how to keep them coming and it said I should put a bowl of water and hedgehog food, so I did it last night. Tonight, I put a bowl of food and water again and I've seen the hedgehog back! After waiting for it to finish eating and get back to its house (I waited so I know where it lives), I got the bowl of food to refill it in case it needs more. When I got out to put back the bowl of food, I've seen there's two of them and was quite noisy! We have more wild animals in our garden now. I wonder if we can get some fox or badger next...

I love living in the countryside!

Thanks for this Thread Rayna, brings back many memories for me, wont be long now before the baby hedgehogs will be along also. What a nice refreshing thread you have produced, I hope other members contribute also!

[Terpe]

Personally I think that's exciting

We used to have hedgehogs in our garden when we lived in our village. We always took care of them with food and water and made sure their housing was up to scratch.

I used to grow pumpkins and those hedgehogs would easily keep those pesky slugs away. Consider yourselves lucky to have them in your garden.

I know just what you mean about the noise. Sometimes it can be much much louder than you'd ever imagine from such small animals.
First time I heard it I wondered what on earth it was and crept out into the garden armed to the teeth

As Michael mentions now is the time to look for any babies. We only ever caught sight of babies in our garden in 2 summers as I remember. You need to be quite lucky to catch them as they don't stay with mum for very long tending to leave home at a very early age which I think is why we didn't manage more than twice to see those little-ones.

[raynaputi]

I'm just worried it will be dependent on me if I keep feeding it.. Like what will happen if we go on a holiday and such..

[Michael Parnham]

I'm just worried it will be dependent on me if I keep feeding it.. Like what will happen if we go on a holiday and such..

No need to feed every day, just two to three times a week, as Peter says, they keep slugs etc away so they will still come to your garden regularly, approx. 9pm onwards is the best time to see them this time of year, enjoy Rayna .

[grahamw48]

They need our help Rayna. They are almost becoming an endangered species now !

Please don't give them bread and milk (the traditional food people put out)...not good for them.

Canned dog food is more appropriate, or any finely chopped meat, eggs etc.

[grahamw48]

Here is one of the baby hedgehogs belonging to the family of them that lived in the garden of my last house:

.

[raynaputi]

I give bread to the birds occasionally during the day, so it will all be gone by the time the hedgehogs get out at night. I would persuade Keith to buy some cheap dog food that I can give out to them from time to time. I'm just worried though when we go to the Philippines in January. I've read that you should put food for them eventhough they're hibernating...

[fred]

I wonder if we can get some fox or badger next...

If you do, kiss goodbye to the hedgehogs!!
They scoop them out and chomp them up..
The Gypsies used to cook em in clay I was told so watch out for them too!! Lol.

[Dedworth]

Careful what, where and when you put food out otherwise you might be satisfying the local rat population

[raynaputi]

Careful what, where and when you put food out otherwise you might be satisfying the local rat population

I haven't seen any rats here ever since I arrived here. There are plenty of cats in the neighbourhood anyway, which Keith hates because they keep chasing the birds away!

[raynaputi]

...
The Gypsies used to cook em in clay I was told so watch out for them too!! Lol.

I'm the only immigrant here in the village.

[Dedworth]

I haven't seen any rats here ever since I arrived here. There are plenty of cats in the neighbourhood anyway, which Keith hates because they keep chasing the birds away!

I abhor cats for the same reason but the rats are sneaky and a bit nocturnal.

A previous neighbour had two disgusting cats that regularly used our flower beds and lawns as a toilet - I used to throw the mess on his lawn. I did try tuna laced with laced with warfarin but it didn't stop them. I remember an old friend had a similar problem and used to set his attack dog after them - problem solved when the cat wasn't quite quick enough getting over the fence the dobermann made light work of it.

[grahamw48]

I dislike cats too...because they destroy or cause stress to so much wildlife, as well as crapping on my lawn.

An odd one or two employed on farms fair enough, but the country is simply overrun with the damned things now.

Australia has it much worse than us though. Defenceless species being predated to extinction by dumb humans' pets.

[raynaputi]

Keith has tried everything to stop the cats jumping on our fences, i.e. nails, plastic spikes, etc. and the flipping cats still climb our fences and poo on the lawn. Our grass is for our guinea pigs and now we have to be careful there's no cat poop before we cut it! He's tried hosing them with water and nothing happened! We even bought those cat repellents (the ones that emit sounds) and it's useless! Keith also spread some chilli powder around the trees and still cats crapping on it! What he's thinking now is to put chicken wires (is that what you call it?) around the fences. He also bought some plants that cats don't like and he's trying to grow it. He has put a lot of branches and tree cuttings in the gaps between the fence and trees last year thinking the cats won't stay there (now it's where the hedgehogs been living) and yet, they still stay there sneaking up on the birds! He wanted to put holly plants but it's quite expensive. We can't complain to these cat owners because it seems like everyone has cats now! I like cats but it's a nuisance to us.

[grahamw48]

Unfortunately the only thing that will deter a cat is a dog running loose (apart from a bullet).

They can usually jump or scrabble their way up 6 feet vertically, so can scale most fences with ease.

I have seen desperate people line their flower beds with tin can lids set vertically into the soil...which they reckoned did the trick.

I would favour one of those super-soaker guns. At least the result is funny, rather than cruel.

[grahamw48]

Well, that has resulted in me finding something that almost made me pee MYself.

.
Watch it right through.

.

[Dedworth]

Keith has tried everything to stop the cats jumping on our fences, i.e. nails, plastic spikes, etc. and the flipping cats still climb our fences and poo on the lawn. Our grass is for our guinea pigs and now we have to be careful there's no cat poop before we cut it! He's tried hosing them with water and nothing happened! We even bought those cat repellents (the ones that emit sounds) and it's useless! Keith also spread some chilli powder around the trees and still cats crapping on it! What he's thinking now is to put chicken wires (is that what you call it?) around the fences. He also bought some plants that cats don't like and he's trying to grow it. He has put a lot of branches and tree cuttings in the gaps between the fence and trees last year thinking the cats won't stay there (now it's where the hedgehogs been living) and yet, they still stay there sneaking up on the birds! He wanted to put holly plants but it's quite expensive. We can't complain to these cat owners because it seems like everyone has cats now! I like cats but it's a nuisance to us.

Cat deterrent also useful against so called "asylum seekers"

[Michael Parnham]

Keith has tried everything to stop the cats jumping on our fences, i.e. nails, plastic spikes, etc. and the flipping cats still climb our fences and poo on the lawn. Our grass is for our guinea pigs and now we have to be careful there's no cat poop before we cut it! He's tried hosing them with water and nothing happened! We even bought those cat repellents (the ones that emit sounds) and it's useless! Keith also spread some chilli powder around the trees and still cats crapping on it! What he's thinking now is to put chicken wires (is that what you call it?) around the fences. He also bought some plants that cats don't like and he's trying to grow it. He has put a lot of branches and tree cuttings in the gaps between the fence and trees last year thinking the cats won't stay there (now it's where the hedgehogs been living) and yet, they still stay there sneaking up on the birds! He wanted to put holly plants but it's quite expensive. We can't complain to these cat owners because it seems like everyone has cats now! I like cats but it's a nuisance to us.

Garlic keeps cats away Rayna

[Arthur Little]

Garlic keeps cats away Rayna

Hmm, ... garlic's pungent odour ... keeps me away too!

[raynaputi]

Update on this..we have 4 hedgehogs!!! They're all out tonight eating slugs and worms (it rained today so plenty of it in our garden) on the lawn.

[raynaputi]

Here's the only photo I can take looking through our bedroom window..the other two hedgehogs were quite far from my view because they were walking towards the trees by our greenhouse.



20150805_225043-1.jpg

[Michael Parnham]

Here's the only photo I can take looking through our bedroom window..the other two hedgehogs were quite far from my view because they were walking towards the trees by our greenhouse.



20150805_225043-1.jpg

Wow, beautiful animals Rayna, thanks so much for the lovely photo

[grahamw48]

Probably a family. They'll split up later in the year.

[Terpe]

Update on this..we have 4 hedgehogs!!! They're all out tonight eating slugs and worms (it rained today so plenty of it in our garden) on the lawn.

How nice is that

They'll definitely keep the slugs at bay

[raynaputi]

Well, we just found out that the poo we were seeing on the lawn since last year was from the hedgehogs and not from the cats as what we thought. So, Keith said 2 of them might have been born here last year.