Jim Sarakun Posted January 21, 2020 Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 I love all life. But I want to talk about hedgehogs. Four Hedgehogs feed from my hedgehog feeder, dog food, cat food, dog biscuits, cat buiscuits, they are not fussy. They come every night, I video them, just to make sure it is not Rats or other vermin, like Cats... OOoops. Sorry to the cat lovers. Nope, definitely Hedgehogs. They should, according to Google, be hibernating right now. They are not. Anyone with a bit of savvy, will have noticed, that the last 30 years or so, winters are milder, so why should they hibernate? My query is, why has the local Hedgehog rescue centre, had 300 Hedgehogs donated in the last month? Why can people not leave them alone, to evolve to our warmer climate? I am probably dumb, and missing something. Your help would be graciously appreciated. Hedgehogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRINITY Posted January 21, 2020 Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 Well all I can comment on is this, if your local centre got 300 hogs in the last month your local hog population numbers must be quite strong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benthejockey Posted January 21, 2020 Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 And your badger population low! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Sarakun Posted January 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 OOOeer. I am so dumb. How does the Hedgehog Population, relate to/affect, the Badger population? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Best Posted January 21, 2020 Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 Badgers are the major predator of hedgehogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Sarakun Posted January 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 Are they strong? They could be the last 300 hedgehogs in the whole country. 1 minute ago, London Best said: Badgers are the major predator of hedgehogs. You know, I didn't know that. I always thought it was Eastern Europeans , driving BMW's or Audis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benthejockey Posted January 21, 2020 Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 1 hour ago, Jim Sarakun said: OOOeer. I am so dumb. How does the Hedgehog Population, relate to/affect, the Badger population? They pull them apart like candy floss and eat the juicy insides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Sarakun Posted January 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 (edited) Hedgehogs do that? To Badgers? I don't believe it. Edited January 21, 2020 by Jim Sarakun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonker Posted January 21, 2020 Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 P*** take I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted January 21, 2020 Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 Squirels are still very active. Warmer weather no need to hibernate. Be glad people are bothered to help them, the hedgehog place will check them all and release them. Not a bad thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Sarakun Posted January 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 Are they helping them though? Do they need to take them to a sanctuary? Will they not adapt if left alone? I don't see anyone taking Squirrels to the sanctuary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8 90 Posted January 21, 2020 Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 (edited) We have a 5-6 that normally visit or feeding boxes each night, a couple are still feeding but the others are either hibernating or have moved on. Ours love Tesco’s kitten biscuits - they get through 4 bags a weeks from spring through to November Edited January 22, 2020 by V8 90 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerCat Posted January 22, 2020 Report Share Posted January 22, 2020 Are they helping them though? Do they need to take them to a sanctuary? Will they not adapt if left alone? I don't see anyone taking Squirrels to the sanctuary. Have you ever tried to catch a squirrel? My dog tries most days and hasn't a hope in hell of getting that bushy tail in his jaws. A hedgehog rolls up in A ball and can just be picked up. I'd love to see a few hedgehogs in my garden but the fields surrounding it are coated in slug pellets by the farmer and badgers roam all over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sciurus Posted January 22, 2020 Report Share Posted January 22, 2020 10 hours ago, figgy said: Squirels are still very active. Warmer weather no need to hibernate. 10 hours ago, Jim Sarakun said: I don't see anyone taking Squirrels to the sanctuary. That’s because squirrels don’t hibernate!😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted January 22, 2020 Report Share Posted January 22, 2020 Wonder why I thought they did. 😵 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old farrier Posted January 22, 2020 Report Share Posted January 22, 2020 (edited) 17 minutes ago, figgy said: Wonder why I thought they did. 😵 Could probably be to do with them storing up the nuts and stuff for hibernation or maybe that’s just a fairy tale 🤭Although only got red ones here so maybe the grey is different Edited January 22, 2020 by Old farrier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkeye Posted January 22, 2020 Report Share Posted January 22, 2020 Im with you figgy 😮 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old farrier Posted January 22, 2020 Report Share Posted January 22, 2020 11 hours ago, Jim Sarakun said: Are they helping them though? Do they need to take them to a sanctuary? Will they not adapt if left alone? I don't see anyone taking Squirrels to the sanctuary. Happens all the time here very nice lady helps loads of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benthejockey Posted January 22, 2020 Report Share Posted January 22, 2020 I put 2 squirrels into permanent hibernation out of my bedroom window this week 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davewh100 Posted January 22, 2020 Report Share Posted January 22, 2020 yeah badgers definitely like spiky hogs we dont see a lot of hedgehogs due to the large number of badgers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted January 22, 2020 Report Share Posted January 22, 2020 1 hour ago, Old farrier said: Could probably be to do with them storing up the nuts and stuff for hibernation 🤭 They store nuts and stuff and hibernate.... Think that through for a few minutes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old farrier Posted January 22, 2020 Report Share Posted January 22, 2020 (edited) 11 minutes ago, henry d said: They store nuts and stuff and hibernate.... Think that through for a few minutes! Yea done that what’s the problem they need them for when they come out of hibernation in the spring when there’s a shortage of food Edited January 22, 2020 by Old farrier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted January 22, 2020 Report Share Posted January 22, 2020 Certainly greys will stay in bed in realy bad weather but a warm ray of sunshine will have them out looking for a meal. We don't have reds so do not know if they act the same. They certainly do not hibernate. Hibernation is when an animal goes into a deep sleep, think dormouse. I have had a peep into a few dormouse boxes over the years and believe me they are deep asleep, facinating little creatures and would love to have them in my own wood. Hedgehogs do a very similar thing but will wake up and look for food occasionally. Having now very closely monitored grey squirrels for over three years I can tell you they are active year round and some of my best bags have been in January and February. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted January 22, 2020 Report Share Posted January 22, 2020 22 minutes ago, Old farrier said: Yea done that what’s the problem they need them for when they come out of hibernation in the spring when there’s a shortage of food No idea whee you got the facts fom but UK greys don`t hibernate (caveat; see walker570`s first sentence) but collect and store broad leaf tree seeds so they have a store of food to fall back on when the ground is frozen or coveed in snow. 10 minutes ago, Walker570 said: Certainly greys will stay in bed in realy bad weather but a warm ray of sunshine will have them out looking for a meal. We don't have reds so do not know if they act the same. They certainly do not hibernate. Hibernation is when an animal goes into a deep sleep, think dormouse. I have had a peep into a few dormouse boxes over the years and believe me they are deep asleep, facinating little creatures and would love to have them in my own wood. Hedgehogs do a very similar thing but will wake up and look for food occasionally. Having now very closely monitored grey squirrels for over three years I can tell you they are active year round and some of my best bags have been in January and February. Reds do the same as we have quite a few here as well as greys particularly whee mixed and conifer blocks meet. Agree as well with jan Feb as good times for thining greys, even had a few nests with half grown kits in them during Feb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanksbids Posted January 22, 2020 Report Share Posted January 22, 2020 14 hours ago, Jim Sarakun said: Hedgehogs do that? To Badgers? I don't believe it. They do. We have badgers in the area and all I find is hedgehog slippers (skin & spines left behind). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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