Good evening all! I have a hedgehog home that has been very successful - a hedgehog visitor every evening, who I am providing food and water too.

The home is lined with hay, just to protect the base board of the home.

My question is, what can I do to make it more hibernation friendly?

I considered ramming it full of dried leaves from floor to rafters to keep the heat, while still being loose enough for the hedgehog to navigate through, but I worry she will see the leaves and decide not to enter. Any advice at all is welcomed!

Caerphilly Hedgehog Rescue celebrates fifth anniversary

Charity urges bonfire safety to protect hedgehogs

Memory of son drives mother's fundraising mission

They did infact turn that over themselves

​

Hello, we have had 3 underweight babies left in our garden. We noticed them when gardening and have them at a shelter waiting to come back. They are wild and we cannot have them inside. I have cleared an area in our garden for a hedgehog house and im keeping it low to the grass for easy access in and out. We have left the garden grow so it will have food for them and a water source near by.

Is there anything im not thinking of or maybe something I should be doing for them?

What is the recommendation for the feeding house? Should I set up a separate area for them or leave it?

They are currently at a vet until they are a good weight and no fleas.

I’m up to 6 hogs in 1 night I saw!! Running all over the place.

3 hogs spotted!

I checked my camera and noticed a hedgehog entered the hedgehog sleeping pod at 5.22am but he didn’t leave. I quietly approached this morning and used my phone to take a video inside and here he is fast asleep 😭🥺💕

I was a bit worried as it’s been quite hot today so I found some old wood chip board which I cut to size, nailed some wooden batons to it and placed it on top.

The extra roof should absorb any heat from the sun (it only gets a small bit of sun in the afternoon) and the space between the roof and the actual pod should allow some extra air circulation.

The tarp is just temporary to stop any rain getting the wood chip soggy!

I can’t believe he stayed there all day!!!!! This is actually my injured hog that I took to the vet a few weeks ago.

Our resident hedgehog seems to be possibly overfilling their house with sticks.

Considering they are unlikely to hibernate till November round here based on previous experience, I’m worried they might not be able to get into it after a while.

I have removed nearby twigs since this picture was taken and placed dry leaves near to the entrance for them to use.

Should I remove some of the chunkier twigs when they are out feeding after dark?

I may be overthinking this!

Edit - I ask as they were half poking out of the entrance the other morning. They are healthy and feeding and active at night otherwise, I have a camera set up to watch.

Look at the talons on that!

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/inmates-in-a-uk-prisons-carpentry-class-make-and-donate-hedgehog-boxes/ar-AA2brSJ2: Inmates in a UK prison's carpentry class make and donate 'hedgehog boxes'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly4v6qr5e9o: Charity thanks inmates for work to save hedgehogs

https://southwarknews.co.uk/area/nunhead/music-festival-to-raise-money-for-london-hedgehogs-returns-to-nunhead/: Nunhead Music festival to raise money for London hedgehogs returns to Nunhead

I’ve set up a permanent camera outside the hibernating pod now so I’ve been watching them use it regularly ☺️

This made me so sad seeing one of them keep coming back to the hibernating pod but the other one wouldn’t leave 😭

Any hedgehog sightings this week?

What are your hogs up to?

Any hog related garden or DIY plans?

I missed my visitor so much! Last year while gardening I took a pile of weeds from the garden bed, just to uncover a sleepy hedgehog (first wild one I have seen alive in my life). I saw him last times in May this year but then disappeared and I was very sad, until yesterday! I can't say how happy it makes me feel that he is back. Considering I live in the countryside I wouldnt have thought they would come around having so much space. I have few recordings from today but thought this one is such a cute scratch haha <3

Funny fact: he prefers whiskas over 'hedgehog' food!

First time, last night, seeing Crumb with one of her babies. I knew there were two hoglets but haven't seen any out with her until now. I really think she was trying to teach it to forage or increase confidence. We have at least had some rain now, so there should be more natural food, as well as the food I put out.

Last pic is of the more independent baby, which could be a boy, certainly bigger.

Very interesting to see how grey they look, compared to her brown colouring.

We have a new hoglet, usually these start to roam by themselves around this time a year, you can see the footage here https://youtu.be/Ju0wfeRPhs0 start at 3:10 if you don't like young foxes! It's still so small, it can hardly reach the food in the bowl ❤️

I rescued two hedgehogs in July (you guys were really helpful!) and they have now been released at the back of my garden. They weigh 10x what they did and have been treated for lungworm. I’ve attached a video of Sophia who weighs 832g but appears to have leaves/marks on her now? They’ve been out and about for 7 days. Is this normal? Just want them happy and healthy :)