"The Hedgehog Herald"

[Sean Regan]

A thread with some reports of hedgehog activity. Likely to be a short thread as we're close to hibernation time.
It's difficult to know exactly what's happening as the cameras only record for a maximum of fifteen seconds with a gap of five seconds between each activation. Both cameras are set to start recording at 7.00pm. and stop at 8.00am.

It's almost impossible to tell the hedgehogs apart. They do brush against the top and sides of the doorway on the fence panel as they pass through. This I covered with sand and cement render, as it had the jagged edges of the many drill holes after I'd knocked out the centre to make the hole. So sometimes they have white marks on their prickles but usually in the same places!

Anyway, this is a photo from the camera covering the house under the azaleas next to the main patio. This part of the border has a fence around it that only, birds blackbird size and smaller, squirrels and the hedgehogs can get through. This excludes wood pigeons, cats and foxes.

The camera was set to start operating from 7.00pm. This is the first "activation" of many, last night, which would suggest that this is its occupant. Unless it had gone in before seven for a half hour kip, which seems unlikely.

It went back in again at 7.49 pm

and didn't come out again until 8.16 pm

This is from the camera covering the other house at the bottom of the garden. The first activation at 7.57.

So it has to be a different hedgehog, as the other can't be in two places at once.

 

[Sean Regan]

I've had an update on the delivery of the new house. It could be as early as Monday.
So I'm "prepared."
I went to Travis-Perkins this morning for a couple of paving slabs.
I think it necessary not to have hedgehog houses sitting on the bare earth.

These are now in position in the side bed. Not too close to the doorway in the fence.
A case of getting them level with just a bit of a fall towards the lawn.

I've made another roof to go over the house which will give added protection from rain for the entrance.
Ideally, I would have liked to have covered it with roofing felt. But I had none and wasn't going to shell out for a whole roll.
So I covered it top and bottom with wide tape.

Los of activity again last night. Still three hedgehogs... I think. Ownership of the house near the back fence in constant dispute.

That's it for today, I'm now watching the football on TV.
I'm waiting for our new washing machine to be delivered in the next couple of hours by John Lewis. It's an easy enough job to connect them up, I've done a few in my time. It's a five-minute job. I didn't take "advantage" of John Lewis's offer to have the delivery men connect it up for £30.
They delivered one on Tuesday, but it was the wrong one. The old one packed up on Thursday last week, so there's quite a bit of laundry to be done.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Does the house have a floor? I agree not the bare earth, damp, but stone is cold. I would put a couple of strips of two by one under it to lift it for ventilation.

 

[Sean Regan]

Does the house have a floor? I agree not the bare earth, damp, but stone is cold. I would put a couple of strips of two by one under it to lift it for ventilation.

Thanks for the interest.
Yes it has a floor. I'll adapt it like I did the other two houses.
We buy some food-on-line, it arrives in thick-walled polystyrene boxes. I shaped the lid of one of these, to fit under the floors.

It does come with feet,

But I'll also put rubber doorstops under each corner to raise it off the pavers on which they sit.

I've been rummaging around in my garage and I found a spray can of matt black paint, of which I used a bit on another job.
So I'm going to spray the exterior and underside of it. This will give the bare plywood some protection from the weather and also make it look less obtrusive. The paint dries quickly, in less than an hour. The house is now scheduled for delivery on Wednesday, which is one of my golf days, but I'll have several hours to get it ready for occupation that night,

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Best treated hedgehogs in Britain

 

[Sean Regan]

There was another, "attempted home invasion" last night.

Fortunately, "Hog Hall" arrived this afternoon.

I don't mind "flat-pack," less chance of damage.
The contents were well protected.

Screw were provided, but I used glue with them as there is less chance of water penetration.

There was a thin coat of paint on it, but I used the matt black spray paint I had. I left it to dry whilst I went to the dentist for a check-up and then did some shopping.

I fitted a block of polystyrene to the base for insulation.

The centre divider can be removed so the "lino" can be taken out for cleaning.

I put in plenty of fresh hay.

Tried out the larger roof I made with the overhang at the front, on top the green felt one.

Job done and on the pavers. I've positioned the camera to cover any activity. I've left a few hedgehog pellets by the doorway to encourage prospective occupants.

It's not too noticeable behind the rhodos.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Bet they go 'No, don't want this one, want the occupied one'. But maybe hedgehogs are not like people.

PS, Where do the houses come from? I am not aware of a hog in our garden, but maybe if there is somewhere to stay ...

 

[Sean Regan]

Bet they go 'No, don't want this one, want the occupied one'. But maybe hedgehogs are not like people.

PS, Where do the houses come from? I am not aware of a hog in our garden, but maybe if there is somewhere to stay ...

I bought them all on eBay, there's dozens, available.

 

[Sean Regan]

First photo from the camera in its new position.

Mr Fox's nose! At 7.28pm (yesterday).
I think he was just being "nosey" he doesn't appear on any camera again last night.

First hedgehog photo at 7.50 pm coming in from the garden next door.

Now it might be a visitor or one of the "tenants" who'd been out before 7.00pm when the camera was set to start recording.

Another visitor at 8.55pm.

I'm going to set the camera to start recording earlier and put this one back covering the house at the bottom of the garden.

All three bowls of food were eaten.

 

[Sean Regan]

No sign of hibernation yet. Still a lot of activity.

The occupant of the house at the bottom of the garden came out for breakfast around 7.00pm, then went back inside for a couple of hours.

A different hedgehog arrived at a quarter to eleven and helped itself to some food.
It was watched from the doorway by the first hedgehog, but there was no interaction.

The hedgehog in the house by the patio was doing a lot of "housekeeping."

It was scraping out dead leaves that get blown into the entrance when I'm vaccing the patio.

The new house is still empty, though has had several viewings and at least one has been inside to form a nest. Of course, the one looking for a home a week ago has probably found somewhere in a different garden.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Your garden is a hub of activity isn't it? No hibernation, but temperatures down here have remained consistently warm, I guess you are the same. I keep seeing bees desperately exploring the last verbena benariensis, just about all the other flowers are gone, when they really shouldn't be out this time of year.

 

[MoreRootsMoreFruits]

Great job! Nice to see someone looking after the hedgehogs.

 

[Sean Regan]

We've only one hedgehog in residence. It's in the house under the azaleas to the side of the patio. It's of regular habits, still.

First appearance last night around 9.30 pm.

Then it was in and out for most of the night, sometimes with an hour between appearances, until it went to bed at 5.30 am.

The other two houses are still unoccupied.

But we're getting at least one visitor.


In through the doorway in the fence around 2.00am.

Then out again at 5.00am,

(you can just see its back leg going through the doorway)

The three lots of food I leave out, all got eaten.

 

[MoreRootsMoreFruits]

Great pictures. Interesting that it goes in for a bit then goes back out. Maybe it's regaining energy and waiting for more food to appear?
Keep up the good work

 

[Sean Regan]

The hedgehog made its first appearance 14 minutes later than the previous evening.

In and out several times again during the night and early morning.

Passed by the doorway in the fence once, but didn't go out of the garden, nor did any others come in.

Maybe others have already started to hibernate. Not all the food left out was eaten.