I had no idea hedgehogs lived in towns until last night. I'd gone to bed and my other half came pelting upstairs telling me to look out of the window, unfortunately I missed it. He went to have a look outside but the little chap/chapette wasn't to be seen. He was really surprised because he'd never seen one before. It was one of my cats that had spotted it through the window.
Our back yard is literally brick and concrete and a few weeds, but I often see snail trails around, so I guess there are a few tasty morsels to be had by a peckish hedgehog. Are they territorial? I really want to see it, what can I do to encourage it back? I'm tempted to leave food out, but I'm not sure what I could leave that foxes wouldn't eat. I read that besides the obvious foodstuffs, they eat things like berries, currants and melon, but I wouldn't put it past the foxes to eat them as well. Even one of my cats eats melon, so a fox could.
I've only ever seen a live wild hedgehog once before and that was when I lived in the country with my parents. I hope this one comes back!
Anyone else seen a townie hedgehog?
Lovely arn't they...I was inbed one night and heard this kinda grunting sound from outside...I was a bit freaked but got brave and looked out the window to see mummy, daddy and baby hedgehog...I got straight into my dressing gown and went out to see them..it was so lovely, a great sight to see xxx
They are lovely and I think it's a great blessing when they set up home in my back garden.
They can be fed with a little cat food mixed with weetabix, this also helps build them up for the winter hibernation.
Myarka
Lovely arn't they...I was inbed one night and heard this kinda grunting sound from outside...I was a bit freaked but got brave and looked out the window to see mummy, daddy and baby hedgehog...I got straight into my dressing gown and went out to see them..it was so lovely, a great sight to see xxx
That's soooooo sweet! They really are in the top five cute animals list in this country aren't they? The one I saw when I was living with my parents was when I was coming home late one night and was aware of 'someone' watching me. I turned round and there it was, just looking at me!
They can be fed with a little cat food mixed with weetabix, this also helps build them up for the winter hibernation.
I'd really like to, but I don't want the foxes to get there first. Perhaps I should wait and watch, poised with the food... I read that they prefer chicken flavours rather than fishy ones.
I love hedgehogs too.
My husband spotted one along the road from our house the night before last. The hedghog seemed to be suffering a bit, although he displayed no outward signs of injury, so my husband picked him up wrapped in a towel, put him in a box and brought him home, as otherwise he may well have ended up as a road casualty as so many do. We offered him water and food, as we feared he may be dehydrated in the heat we've been experiencing recently, but he refused both. We then noticed he seemed to be having difficulty breathing and a tiny bubble of blood came from his nose.
I immediately rang the RSPCA and we were advised to take him to our local vet if they'd accept him. This we did and luckly the vet agreed to take a look at him, we left him there and hoped for the best for the little guy. Sadly, when we rang the vet later that evening we heard that little hedgy had been suffering from pneumonia, which is apparently quite common, and he'd had to be put to sleep :(. At least hopefully we eased his length of suffering. We felt so sad as we believe it was the same one that we'd been seeing in our garden recently.
RIP little hedgy
They are gorgeous aren't they.
We live in urban land and have always had hedgehogs visit us. We have even bought them a hedgehog house which is concealed at the bottom of our back garden. You can buy hedgehog food for them which is a bit like the moist cat foid pellets. they love it.
Foxes attack hedgehogs
That's so sad, smellynelly... at least you tried... A lot of people would've just left him to suffer.
pinkangel, I like the idea of getting a hedgehog house! What worries me is what I found today:
This is my area and we have loads of foxes and I don't want them to get the hedgehogs! The fox is on the rise, the hedgehog on the decline, it's so sad.
That is absolutely heartbreaking Tigerlily. I had no idea of the scale of hedgehogs diminishing in the uk. All credit to the folk who are doing all they can to rescue them.