Hedgehogs

[Stellanne]

For a number of years we have been encouraging hedgehogs into our garden our interest spurred on when I found a 'coughing' hog and took it to the vets for treatment.....
We have known the joy of hogs visiting, watching babes on their first outing and hedgehogs coming in ever increasing numbers to a variety of feeding stations. They have a number of hibernation boxes to choose from.
That is the joy. This week we have encountered the sadness of an injured hedgehog. We cannot say for sure but he seems to have been hit by a car.....his front leg was broken in two places and an abcess formed. He had to be put to sleep.
X x x hugs x x x

[emma_mcraf]

Aww, I'm so sorry to hear about the one with a broken leg. The poor little mite must have been in so much pain with two breaks and an abscess. You did the kindest thing but still so sad. We often have hedgehogs visiting our garden and I love hearing them rustling about.
How lovely that you have feeding stations and hibernation boxes and have been able to watch them so much.
How did the coughing hedgehog get on? I hope it did well and has revisited your garden many times since.

[Charlottealotoftorts]

I recently heard that hedgehog numbers are declining rapidly, so it's great that you make the time and effort to do so much for them. For those of us that don't know much about hogs please can you advise on the best things to feed them, and how to provide feeding and hibernation sites? I'd like to incorporate a hedgehog friendly area into my garden.
Thank you

[Catwoman63]

I'd love hedgehogs in my garden, unfortunately I don't, shame x

[Stellanne]

Our coughing hog was ok. Tom we called him. We took him to the vets when he was first found....43£ it cost us for a check and injection!! We found a carer who looked after him for a few weeks and returned him to us. David made a box for him and he lived there the first winter. I don't know if we still have him, they all look the same to me......especially at night.
Bev, you may have hogs in your garden, we obviously did but never knew. We feed them kitten biscuits, the Mother and Baby ones. And make sure there is plenty of water around for them. Not milk and bread. Hogs are lactose intolerant and it gives them dreadful diahoria which can kill smaller ones.
Just a tip, if you ever see a hedgehog in daylight pick it up and take to a vets. A hog in daylight is generally a poorly hog. Vets shouldn't charge and I have learnt that the hard way, they should treat all wild animals free of charge.
Hugs x x x x

[Pussygalore]

one thing I'll say is that if you have badgers nearby then you'll not have hogs, badgers eat them and also if you're near a busy road then its wrong to encourage them. I beleive cat food is a good food but yes they are in decline I think its because less of us have hog friendly gardens with neibouring gardens that the hogs can move to, I doubt one garden is enough and most new houses don't have gardens at all. I haven't seen a hog for many years and although we live as part of a private estate (my hubby is the live in gardener) we don't have them around here and probably because there are badgers, the same as where we used to live. My mum has one that visits but they live in an old fashioned council house and they all have good gardens plus the fencing allows the hogs freedom to go from garden to garden. Mums garden looks like an overgrown mess but must be ideal for the wild life, they have lots of trees and no neat lawn, much the same as her neibour hogs can't do much in a concrete jungle.

[Evie]

I am lucky enough to have seen many in my garden this year and have a lady who rescues them around the corner

I took 3 underweight hedgehogs round to her but only one ready to release Last month

It is sad when you find a poorly/injured one but at least it you saved it from further suffering

I was under the impression that vets should treat hedgehogs free of charge to !!

[Stellanne]

Yes you would expect vets to treat all wild animals free, especially hogs as they are in the decline. My hog carer asked her vet recently about charges and apparently there is a 'scheme' they can be part of which allows the free treatment to £60. From what she understood it isn't a compulsory scheme so I guess it has to be 'choose your vet carefully'
Hogs do need more than one garden to snuffle about in, and I guess I am lucky in that our 1980's built estate has lots of 'green' areas that are classed as 'of interest to nature' so there are plenty of space other than gardens for hogs to explore.
X x x x. Hugs x x x