Hedgehogs in garden :)

[slinkycat]

Used to get a family in the garden on a regular basis probably 15 years or more ago, but haven't seen any since then until a couple of nights ago.
Realised there was one there because the dog went crazy when he went out for his pre-bed wee, then tonight there were two of them.
So lovely to see, is it around the right time of year for them to be mating?
Would be great to see the parents taking the little ones out for their nightly stroll again.
Think the dog will be confined to the yard last thing at night for the time being!

[Tilly2]

Same thing in my garden eevry year, slinkycat.

My staffie 'caught' a mating pair on Monday night. The male shot off into the shrubs and the female stayed there in a ball. The staffie goes mad, trying to bite the hedgehog and trying to pick it up. We have to make her leave them alone.
Our last dog, a staffie cross, who was much bigger, used to pick them up and bring them into the house and drop them in his basket.
So everynight this week, it's out with the dogs last thing and keeping an eye out for hedgehogs.

[sandyRoe]

You could leave a few peanuts and a tray of water out for them.

[ladybirder]

If you sleep in a bedroom overlooking the garden, keep your window open and you will hear a lot of grunting going on as they do their courtship ritual. You are so lucky to have them as they are getting rarer poor things. As sandy says, water this hot weather would be good and peanuts a good idea.

[Ann]

My friend is a hedgehog carer (she sometimes has over 100) and advises - never give bread and milk, a lot of people do know this now - as their digestions cannot tolerate the latrose in milk. I rang Tiggiewinkles hedgehog hospital myself about peanuts, when I had visiting hedgehogs, and they said although they love them its best that they don't have too many. My carer friend puts out dog or catfood meat based, not fish, preferably puppy or kitten food and a dish of water.

[sandyRoe]

The trouble with cat or dog food is that you have half the cats in the neighbourhood in your garden looking a free meal.

[EcclesCake]

Which is why you make a little shelter, from an up turned mushroom box with a brick on top to weigh it down or a paving resting on bricks.

[johnk]

Ann, does your friend have any hedgehogs that need a home? What area is she in? I would really like one for my garden

[Kiki-frog]

How lovely! They have definitely been on the decline in the last 20 years, but a few people have spotted them recently, so maybe they are making a comeback. I'm wondering if the wet weather has encouraged the slug population so there's more food around for them. Here's a link to the hedgehog hospital near me. It's got some good hints for what to do if you find a poorly-looking hoggie.
http://www.helpahedgehog.org/index.html