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Hide and Hedgehogs
In 2008 at the bottom of our back garden in each corner we have
made two hides for hedgehogs to reside in over winter, these hides consist of branches, heavy duty liners over the branches to make them waterproof and heavy sods of earth over top. Pictures here; http://stephen.hull.mediacave.co.uk/example/hide1.jpg http://stephen.hull.mediacave.co.uk/example/hide2.jpg A month ago I lined the inner sleeping area of one of the hides with hay, we have not had anything live in them yet. However! On Friday night the outside security light came on just as I was getting into bed so I looked out the window and to my delight I saw a hedgehog trundling up the garden path, he had indeed set off the light but my concern is that it may be too cold for him to find food as the ground is frozen solid and the hedgehog may not be ready to hibernate as he was obviously looking for food, Anyway on Monday I decided to inspect one of the hides and as I carefully pushed my hand into the opening a felt the prickly feel of a hedgehog so I presume this is the same hedgehog I saw on friday who has taken up residence in the hide I recently filled with hay. My question is, shouldn't the hedgehog already be hibernating by now? I think he has been caught out by the sudden cold spell and may not be ready for hibernation. Yesterday I made a special feeding house (mdf) with a double entrance with offset openings to stop cats getting in and the centre chamber has a small bowl of fresh cat food, this should be accessible to hedgehogs should the need to beef themselves up for the winter but it will also stop cats scoffing the food. Today I decided to push in some lose hay in the entrance to add a little more protection and I could still feel the hedgehog very close to the entrance and not in the centre of the hide. Any thoughts on the hibernation being perhaps too late for this particular hedgehog or should I not be concerned? Stephen. -- http://www.stephen.hull.btinternet.co.uk Coach painting tips and techniques + Land Rover colour codes "Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble". Henry Royce |
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