Hedgehogs

Late broods of baby hedgehogs are a big mistake on the part of mother hedgehogs. If a hedgehog is not a particular weight at hibernation there is no way they can survive the process. Autumn babies just ain't big enough. Mothers who give birth late in the year may also be depleted and fail to survive. You would think that natural selection would have bred out this silly habit. But arguably we should not intervene as we are just encouraging them (in an evolutionary sense).
I guess these mothers are successful breeders earlier in the year and pass on their genes, even if there is a cost in terms of their own survival, and that of their late broods.
Touch a wild rat - no way, they carry a disease that can kill humans.

We once found a headless hedgehog in the garden - and all laughed when my husband sayd "well, it obviously didn't walk there!" We were later told that foxes will often hunt out a hedgehog until it uncurls and then bite off the head, as it is the only piece they can negotiate, not sure if that is true or not, but no doubt someone here will know for certain. We had quite a family of hedgehogs at that time, and again once found a young one out during the daytime when it was quite hot. We took it to the local hedgehog hospital, and were told that usually if a hedgehog is out during the day it is quite poorly. We just hoped they managed to keep our little one alive. We did have a family here in our new home, but I have a horrible feeling that the flooding earlier in the year must have washed away were nest, haven't seen any at all since then.

Never heard of foxes doing that, Printmiss, but urban foxes, who knows? When you find just the hedgehog spines and skin, thats a badger!
It's very sad for the baby hedgehogs isn't it?There are a few charities about that take them, you have to know how to keep them.
Tiggypiro, leave all rats well alone....... they carry Weils disease.
When my son was about 8 , we used to give annually to The Hedgehog Sanctuary as he was a big fan of them. When he was around 22 we realised that we were still paying a small sum through direct debit that we had never cancelled. Funny really, they did well out of us.

Son was researching hedgehogs last year. Badgers eat them apparently and they all seem to have moved near villages or towns rather than out in the fields.
Possibly to get away from the badgers.

I haven't seen a hedgehog for several years. Mum had two dead ones in her pond, which was very upsetting.

I have no hedgehogs here I would love to have a family or two.. But we do have too many badgers which may explain it

Last Autumn, when I was raking leaves I found a round ball among some very deep leaves, I picked up thinking it was a root ball, but it was a hibernating hedgehog. It lay in my hand, curled up and asleep breathing lightly. I put it down in a corner and piled leaves on top of it. A month or two later, when snow was forecast I piled more leaves on it.

In about April, I went to check whether it had survived the winter. The heap of leaves was no longer there, and neither was the hedgehog, so I assume it did survive and I hope that it has snuffled among the leaves in my garden again this year and is curled up in a heap of leaves somewhere.

A few weeks ago my neighbour and I were going to build a new log store but just as we were about to start we found a hibernating hedgehog. The new log store is put on hold !

We have a hedgehog rescue near us. Each year we find late litter babies in distress and take them along. The woman in charge explained to us that below a certain weight they have no chance plus often by the time they are found the have chest and other infections. It's so sad, but ar least they end their days warm and safe. But happily a couple were just viable and went on to survive the winter in her tender care and were released back into the wild.

My friend and I were driving along a country road on our way to Suffolk when I saw a small creature struggling in a large puddle on the road. I jumped out of the car and found a long branch (the puddle was at least 8 ft wide) and tried to sweep the creature to the edge, The thing wrapped itself around the branch (I thought well at least it's alive) I pulled it towards me and ......It was a large leaf!!!!!

We saw a large hedgehog walking across out lawn this summer, it was being followed by blue bottles and I noticed it had a wound on it's head. I phoned the Hedgehog Rescue Line who said that to try to catch it!! get some cotton buds and, if there were any maggots or eggs in the wound, to wipe them out.Bathe it and it should be OK. If it was a boy I could keep it overnight, if it was a girl then to let it go as it may have babies. OK! Boy, girl I managed to 'catch' it although it didn't put up much resistance except for rolling into the inevitable ball. The lady had said that if it rolled into a ball!!!!! (don't they always?) then to wait until it started to unfurl and was standing ready to make a quick escape then push down (with gardening glove on) on it's back, this will allow you to treat the wound and to lift it with both hands (gloved) and check out if it had a willy or not. - the willy is in the middle of the male's tummy where a belly button should be (this is not my description by the way)
I sat with my medical tools beside me, on a garden chair and waited, and waited, and waited - I waited for 35 minutes for the thing to unfurl, I took my chance and pounced, too late (or rather too early) it quickly curled up again trapping my glove. I extricated myself and sat down to wait. This time, I kid you not, I waited for over and hour swatting interested blue bottles away and waving goodbye to my DDH who had had enough by now and was going to sit by a local muck heap to wait for unsuspecting birds.

I had, meanwhile, put a plastic bowl over the thing and phoned the lady back. Told her my problem, she said that I had pounced too early, I had to wait until it's legs were down ???? and it look like it was going to make a quick getaway then to pounce but slowly. I sat and sat and sat then it started to make a move. I waited for the legs to come down and straighten and it looked as though it was going to make a run for it. (All this time I was busy swatting blue bottles) I gently leaned on its back and checked the would, there appeared to be no eggs or maggots (Hate Maggots yuk) So I dabbed it with a very weak solution of (suggested) disinfectant and water. Checked its bits - it was a boy and thankfully let it go.

IT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN IN OUR GARDEN AGAIN - SUPRISED? I'm not

Flower
I must be the only woman in the world to go to the vet's with a sick dog and come home with a hedgehog.(plus the dog). I met a couple in the waiting room who were bringing an underweight hedgehog to him because they didn't know what to do with it as they were going on holiday. The vet and I were both in the same OU natural history class at the time and I knew he would vouch for me if I volunteered to look after it.
The hedgehog was established in a hutch in the garage, fed on cat food and regularly weighed till it reached 2 kilos. On fine days it had a snuffle round the garden with me and dog making sure it didn't escape.
I have some hilarious photos of it being weighed with the dog ,a daft and benign golden retriever looking on. Looks as if he's waiting for his dinner.

Flower

Flower the was for your leaf post. I laughed aloud at the second.

I used to run a Wildlife Watch Group locally, my DDH and I had had a falling out, we were not married at the time, he was being obnoxious, can't remember why.
He was carrying out a squashed hedgehog survey as part of his work as Countryside Officer. He had asked me if I would ask the Watch group to send any records of squashed hedgehogs to his office. (This would give the average number of hedgehogs in the area) I asked them to carefully place the hedgehog in a padded envelope and send it to his office. I did regret it when we had made up the argument but it was too late and he did received 3 of the creatures. I was forgiven but didn't tell him the whole story until a good few years later.

I've been trying to entice them into my garden for ages! Lovely succulent giant slugs and snails to die for!
Completely organic! Log piles in strategic places. No humans except on Monday morning when Gary (Gardner) is supposed to garden.
How many have I got?
None!

Galen I once enticed them into my garden by leaving a trail of "monkey nuts" and slowly they did come in

Tried that! Got badgers and squirrels(grey) who dug up the lawn! No hedgehogs!

Oh dear

I am now going to do what hedgehogs do!
Hibernate ( unfortunately, for tonight only)
Goodnight all !

Unfortunately Galen if you have badgers you are unlikely to also have hedgehogs as the badgers eat them.

I would love a badger!+

Flower I like your style at conflict management!

Why thank you Nellie, my forte