Hedgehogs in my garden

[Woofster]

Over the last year I have had hedgehogs in my garden. I know this because my dog finds them and barks hysterically. I love them and would willingly have a hedgehog sanctuary if it were not for the aforementioned dog.
I think the hedgehogs were disturbed last year when the council cleared a whole lot of overgrown ground on the allotments behind my house. There is a gate onto the allotments from my garden and there is a gap of about two inches at the bottom of the gate. Can hedgehogs squeeze through such a narrow gap ? I seem to be the only person visited by the hedgehogs and I am the only person with such a space under my gate. I guess I am probably answering my own question but it does seem an incredibly small space for a fully grown hedgehog to get through.
I take the hedgehogs and put them in an unused allotment some distance from my house. (I put them in an old washing up bowl using gardening gloves). Should I do somthing else ?

[weekendwellies]

They obviously like your garden seeing as they keep coming. I think putting them in the unused allotment could be ok, so long as it stays unused... I hate to think of them being disturbed during their hibernation by someone clearing their lovely new allotment with a strimmer and/or bonfire. Is there anywhere in your garden where they could have a little space? They probably don't mind the dog as they keep coming in. And you probably have slugs, etc that they can help you with.

[Two_Sheds]

my dog finds them and barks hysterically.

I have been puppy-sitting for a week. When he got here, he barked hysterically at the guinea pigs and parrots. "No!" didn't work, and neither did a smack (from his mum, not me).

I gave him a couple of squirts of water from my plant sprayer and he very quickly got the message

Now he sits alongside them without any bother

[weekendwellies]

Nice going TS, I have favoured the water squirter approach with my pets too in the past and they are reasonably well behaved.

[Nicos]

If I recall- a fully grown hedgehog ( 1.3kg)can squeeze under 3" gap . Obviously a smaller one could manage 2"

They will roam 3 miles in a night- so I suspect your garden is part of their route.
I'd just leave then in your garden- and perhaps make a slightly bigger gap ( if you can) under part of your gate for when they're fully grown.
Also stop yr dog from worrying them- perhaps as 2sheds suggests .

You're really lucky having them....try and encourage them to stay for the winter by providing a fox proof B&B! ( a few pieces of dried dog food as Autumn approaches might encourage them -plus fresh water-...once your dog has gone to bed!!!)

If you are happy handling them- then the kindest thing you can do is to check for ticks- and remove them...they are a real problem for hedgehogs and weaken their resistance to parasites (which are carried by slugs)

Black slimy droppings around the feed bowl will indicate it's a hedgehog and not anything else munching the food you leave out.

[Two_Sheds]

Black slimy droppings around the feed bowl will indicate it's a hedgehog

often with half-digested woodlice in it

[Brewer-again]

encourage them in as they are a natural predator on slugs which just love your veg. A very cost effective treatment. Started to see spraint/droppings in my garden recently but am happy they pass through, pass through the garden that is !!!

[Nicos]

In actual fact...slugs are causing hedgehogs major problems...infecting them with 'nasties'..if you have hedgehogs visiting your garden, then make a huge effort to irradicate- naturally- slugs

The national decline in hedgehog numbers appears to be related to slug consumption!

[Nicos]

Hi there B-again!!!!

[Woofster]

Thanks, everyone for the advice and info. I shall try Two Sheds technique of spraying dog although I am not too optimistic. I really would like to have them passing through the garden. I might set up a hedgehog hostel/cafe just outside my gate.
I didn't realise that slugs could harm hedgehogs. I have just found out they can pass on a disease to dogs and am using a preventative treatment for that (like Frontline but called Advocate).
I am happy to pick them up (wearing stout gardening gloves). I must say they look very fit with no signs of ticks or even fleas. They make funny huffy/grunty noises - warning dog and me off, I suppose.

[kevnsue]

Hi,i built this for on my patch,waiting a few weeks before we install it.

[Two_Sheds]

In actual fact...slugs are causing hedgehogs major problems...

apparently slugs only form a tiny part of a hodgepig's diet, and slugs do carry lungworm which is very bad for them. Epping Forest Hedgehog Rescue - Feeding Hedgehogs

[General Woundwort]

Hedgehogs, why can they not share the hedge?

As others have said, slugs and snails (but not puppy dog tails) harbour parasites in their guts which poison hedgehogs and foolhardy young men alike. Wet, and a bit of dry (for their teeth) pet food is preferred... *not* fish flavoured.

Although they show a predilection for dairy, this gives them diarrhea so should be avoided.

As autumn approaches, gather leaves and twigs to make a warm winter nest. They may well awake during their slumber, so provide some food all the same.

They really are cute. Stinky, but cute.

More Baby Photos Thurso and the Hyperborean North

Squeeeeeeeeeeeee! Cute! Hedgehogs in Caithness! Thurso and the Hyperborean North