Hedgehogs at last!!

DD had hedgehogs until last week, when a badger killed and ate most of both animals.

Nature red in tooth and claw.

Thanks, Elegran. Interesting articles.

I think they looked a bit on the small side but hopefully, if we see them again, I'll be able to get a closer look. We'll put some cat food and water out tonight and make sure our dogs and cat are indoors.

I was about to ask how much you thought the baby hedghogs weighed, but that is very difficult to estimate from a brief sighting! They are born early to late summer,and need to weigh at least a pound (450grams) to be able to survive hibernation for the winter, so late babies could be at risk. There is a very good article on this at www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/pdf/Hibernation-Weight.pdf

There are also a lot of facts and advice at www.sttiggywinkles.org.uk/top-navigation/wildlife-advice/hedgehog-fact-sheet.html

Badgers are killing far too many hedgehogs. Fortunately, they also hate fen soil because their setts would collapse so we don't have to worry about them invading.

A neighbour feeds her hedgehogs with 'Spike'. a dried food.

I sometimes see them feeding on the peanuts that I put out for badgers, but worry that the two species will come at the same time because a badger can unroll and eat a hedgehog.

Cat food is good. Dried mealworms seem to be a firm favourite as well.

I like to think of the adults making the two mile journey from the village across farmland to find us! Now they have young we hope they will stay as there is nowhere for them to go other than fields that will soon be ploughed.

They shuffled into the yard just after 10pm last night so we will have torch and camera at the ready tonight. I'm wondering if a dish of cat food might tempt them.

we've always had hedgehogs here ,our kittens only discovered them this week though as its the first time they've been out when the hedgehogs were.
They were very confused when the little one rolled into a ball an d didn't move ,chased after the big one and finally gave up when it disappeared into a wood pile .I put cat food out for them and have done for years ..waiting now to find out if I shouldn't be feeding them .

I can understand your excitement.
We hadn't seen hedgehogs for ages in our garden but in early spring DH went to clear the shed and found a large one curled up in some leaves he'd kept for some reason. Fortunately the shed was old and had a gap so we realised it had found it's own entrance and exit. It stayed there for quite a long time and then it went - or did it? We have heard snuffling around the garden on several occasions and wonder if it's the same hedgehog. Our fences allow a hedgehog 'run' between gardens so who knows? I just love them.

Hi merlotgran. What excellent news!

We spotted what we thought was either a mega massive cat or, as I said, a fox in the garden so we invested in a camera that stays on all night and picks up movement.

Great investment as we have all sorts pottering about the garden at night and it's great to see and hear hedgehogs snuffling under the bird table.

And it was a fox. In fact one night we saw 3.