Hedgehog in garden, what to do?

muppet_man

Hi all,

Just discovered a hedgehog in my garden and wondering what to do.
My garden is well encloseded so not sure how he got in. Suspect he may spent winter under oil tank or decking where it's well shelterd and warm. Plently of leaves with tree adjestant and has a decomposter beside it so plently of food.
He looks fairly healty and heard him crunching on some snails, so what do I do now.
Living in Kildare if it helps.

Justin

The Sweeper

Don't do anything at all. He'll keep the slugs and snails down. Enjoy watching him, and leave him be, unless he's bothering you? Do you have other pets that live outside?

muppet_man

Have one cat but didn't seem too bothered by it. He had a quick look but took little notice. Think I'm more concerned then the cat was.
Kinda of the fact that hedgehog won't be able to get out of garden on his own.
Look cute though

The Sweeper

You'd be surprised what they can squeeze through. You might think he can't get out, but he may not have been hibernating in your garden, he could be just passing through!

morganafay

You're lucky! I wish I had a hedgehog in my garden

I'm sure the cat will leave him alone anyway, and he might be able to get out of the garden himself. Maybe he can dig under the fence, they can probably get through tiny spaces like rabbits do.

muppet_man

Seriously can't work out how he would get in. 6 foot wall at back and fench all way around. Mind boggles

morganafay

Have you checked all around the fence to see if he dug in? It is kinda weird, maybe your cat brought him in! Though then he'd probably have spikes in his mouth :eek: That happened my friend's dog after he picked up a hedgehog!

lorebringer

Hedgehogs are a great addition to a garden, except for one that has other animals in it! We had one under our shed for a few days, the dogs went crazy trying to get at it (actually how we discovered we had it!) and nearly got it a few times - destroying the grass around the shed in the process.

Cats generally don't bother too much with hedgehogs - they might have a look at it but once they realise they aren't going to get an easy meal they leave them to it. Dogs will pick them up, slice up their mouths and end up with spikes in their gums. A cats mouth is a bit small to pick them up with and they just get poked in the face when they attempt to do anything with them.

We also have a fully enclosed garden - 6.5 foot fence with concrete at the end (flush against the ground) but the little fecker I had got in no problem. He left after a few days, during the night, probably because he was terrorised by the dogs trying to get him. If you leave him to it he won't be any problem and will just potter around and do his own thing. If you want to get rid of him, the KSPCA will be able to help. Even if you want some advice, give them a ring - very helpful and friendly.

goat2

lorebringer wrote: »

Hedgehogs are a great addition to a garden, except for one that has other animals in it! We had one under our shed for a few days, the dogs went crazy trying to get at it (actually how we discovered we had it!) and nearly got it a few times - destroying the grass around the shed in the process.

Cats generally don't bother too much with hedgehogs - they might have a look at it but once they realise they aren't going to get an easy meal they leave them to it. Dogs will pick them up, slice up their mouths and end up with spikes in their gums. A cats mouth is a bit small to pick them up with and they just get poked in the face when they attempt to do anything with them.

We also have a fully enclosed garden - 6.5 foot fence with concrete at the end (flush against the ground) but the little fecker I had got in no problem. He left after a few days, during the night, probably because he was terrorised by the dogs trying to get him. If you leave him to it he won't be any problem and will just potter around and do his own thing. If you want to get rid of him, the KSPCA will be able to help. Even if you want some advice, give them a ring - very helpful and friendly.

welcome any hedgehog and give him a place to live, such as a heap of logs and leaves at quiet end of garden to live the winter and breed a family, i have a family residing in mine, i have left a wild spot with logs piled up and some cuttings put over that as they need a cosy place to sleep the winter as well as a safe place

suziwalsh

try www.irishwildlifematters.ie

Graces7

Someone told me about someone on the radio agitating for a hedgehog cull; I think it was in the UK.

mcbobbyb

Happened me before found him again few weeks ago

Amalgam

Graces7 wrote: »

Someone told me about someone on the radio agitating for a hedgehog cull; I think it was in the UK.

You'd wonder why.. The modern barren garden is having enough of a 'cull effect' on the hedgehog as it is.

We stopped using slug pellets when hedgehogs moved into our garden. That's about the only active thing we had to do.

Our hedgehogs would come into the house if you left the door open, a quick raid on the cat's bowl, then back out again.

Demonique

I heard hedgehogs can climb walls, he could have gotten over the wall

Feargal as Luimneach

Graces7 wrote: »

Someone told me about someone on the radio agitating for a hedgehog cull; I think it was in the UK.

There is an eradication programme in the western isles in Scotland. Hedgehogs are an introduced species there (non native to that region). They have a negative impact on groung nesting birds.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

Do NOT feed him milk, like many people do... for some reason...

goat2

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

There is an eradication programme in the western isles in Scotland. Hedgehogs are an introduced species there (non native to that region). They have a negative impact on groung nesting birds.

rather than do that
there are loads of us here on this island who would like to have some, there would be no need to cull, just give them here to us, i would not mind getting a gang of them, would love to have them

lubie76

My parents share a hedgehog with the neighbours. We thought he was ours until my Dad started to see him crossing the road from neighbours one night (quiet cul de sac road). He seems to do the same route all the time going around to the herbs, leaving a few empty snail shells and then moves on to the next house. We had a barbeque one night and he still came to the garden bold as brass. Offered him some chicken but he was having none of it. He is quite partial to cat food though.:)

KillerKity

A hedgehog visits us every so often to eat the left overs of the dogs food. He lets me pet him! He's super cute

wayne0308

We have two hedgehogs that turn up in our yard every now and again. We usually leave out some cat food (the nut type) for a local cat that hangs around at our place. One or both of them turn up every few nights for a feed. I think they're lovely creatures and wouldn't consider them to be a pest.

Their eyesight doesn't seem to be the best, I was standing there watching them exploring the yard and one of them walked right up to my shoe probably not realising what I was, had a sniff and ran for his life

See below for a pic of the two fellah's having a sup of water.

Feargal as Luimneach

wayne0308 wrote: »

We have two hedgehogs that turn up in our yard every now and again. We usually leave out some cat food (the nut type) for a local cat that hangs around at our place. One or both of them turn up every few nights for a feed. I think they're lovely creatures and wouldn't consider them to be a pest.

Their eyesight doesn't seem to be the best, I was standing there watching them exploring the yard and one of them walked right up to my shoe probably not realising what I was, had a sniff and ran for his life

See below for a pic of the two fellah's having a sup of water.

Cool photo, they look nice and fat:)

Cabaal

Leave them in the garden and they'll be fine, don't attempt to move them as this is actually illegal

Interceptor

Cabaal wrote: »

don't attempt to move them...

...unless the hedgehog is in danger, or is injured or distressed, in which case seek the advice of your nearest vet. Otherwise leave it to its own devices or set up some shelter for it - you could leave some dried cat food (the LIDL stuff in the silver bag is perfect) if you want to encourage it to stick around.

Don't feed it bread and/or milk as it is not suitable for them and could do damage. Post pics if you can get them.

'cptr

goat2

i found a hedgehog very young a few yrs ago, it was the month of november, it was stick thin and disorientated, i put him in a rabbit hutch with some straw and fed him every night with cat food and nuts, he would eat the lot every night through that winter, let him or her out in may and it has a family in a wild patch in my garden, i do love these creatures, he does come to door sometimes or it may be offsprings.

doctor evil

Feeding them bread and milk leads to an upset stomach and diareha (sp?) which results in dehydration/death.

Demonique

I heard catfood was a good food to leave out for them

wayne0308

Demonique wrote: »

I heard catfood was a good food to leave out for them

That's true, a vet that lives near us told us they love anything thats crispy or crunchy. If we leave any of it out for the cats near us, it's usually not long until the hedgehogs show up and scoff the lot

Slightly off topic but I wonder if they know when they're actually full. I was worried about this and don't tend to leave out as much as I used too, being worried that they might eat too much. It seems they just eat it until it's gone and scurry off.

Esroh

I have a 2 in the garden and my parents do also. Not seen any young ones
I first discovered them when 1 actually started to come into the dogs pen to finish their food last october. Then I found the other 1 when gathering up leaves. Built them a hutch and left it nearby and it took them about 4 days to move in. Now I can say 2 out 2 HHs prefer Whiskas dry cat food:D
Have had no probs with them re the cats or dogs.