Starting to notice a few more round where me and Dad live in our village, very rewarding given we've released some previously and obviously feed them etc. Had one last night we had to check over, released him a few hours later but it's good to know they're around and most definitely picking up in numbers
How'd you donate to the rescue centre we had two coming into our garden for a few years but disappeared mid summer lot of decking etc in neighbouring gardens/sheds being moved etc.
Superb.
My Brother had a few in his garden last year then they disappeared.
Found out that Badgers had moved in and taken the lot
it's always a worry but that is the "joys of nature"
hope mine return soon, starting to miss them shitting on the drive
www.threads.net
Hedgehogs don't hibernate from November until March.
That's why I said "some" though mine has been in hibernation since mid December. Only healthy strong hogs can attempt hibernation. My dad's hogs in his garden have been active for about a month now and he's got new visitors on top of his usual lot. They are very hungry so they're going through food quite quickly at the moment to build back up their strength especially males ahead of mating sesson. We've got one confirmed hibernating in one of our boxes which hibernated mid December (was a good weight as it was eating very well before hibernating), but as of yet no sign of the other one since November (either means he's still hibernating or he's dead, though was a very good weight so my assumption will be it's hibernated) though last year they didn't appear until April. Hibernation is a variation as some don't bother usually because they aren't strong enough and need food all winger, some do for several months and some drop in and out of hibernation. We've had a mixed bag between what we foster indoors and what we have outside, then what my Dad has had for several years, they seemed to hibernate for a few months in his garden because they are well fed and are at a fine weight to hibernate unlike some who don't hibernate because they aren't strong enough to do so. (We have the cameras out every night and you can tell from the front of the box when there is activity, plus the feeding station isn't touched. I haven't seen any outdoors this winter yet (I take that as a positive locally during the winter). My wife hasn't been up to the local rescue for a while and her view is that it's been a quiet winter for them (WhatsApp group) which is good news. It will of course ramp up soon which is the usual trend for rescues in the Spring with strimmer injuries common. The majority will soon be waking up though and they'll be weak and absolutely desperate for food and water as they have used their reserves to hibernate. They need all the support possible and as a race we don't do enough hence their numbers have declined rapidly. Fascinating animals and always learning everyday about them. I've known some hogs to hibernate in September. Temperature plays only a tiny part in the hibernation trigger. Males tend to come out of hibernation a few weeks earlier so they can get weight gained ahead of mating.
