Have you completed the

[@HelenaMikas]

Well done and you do have plans for the neighbourhood 👍

[@HedgehogsHollow]

Thank you Helena

[@stevieyorkie6520]

Hi Mike. Your comment about providing fresh water was a good one; it's a surprising omission from the checklist. I'm sure, like me, you have wildlife camera footage of hedgehogs drinking away at great length.

[@HedgehogsHollow]

Thanks Stevie, Yes, I was a bit surprised when I noticed that, as quite often it's likely that water is the scarce resource, rather than food. But you are 100% correct - I have many a long video of a hedgehog simply drinking water - they are incredibly thirsty little creatures.

[@EmziesCoolVideos]

Hi Mike I scored 12/15

[@HedgehogsHollow]

Well done - that puts you ahead of me and must mean you're doing an amazing job!

[@EmziesCoolVideos]

@@HedgehogsHollow Its only due to me having a Highway in my fence at the back of my garden apart from that it told me the same as you like doing a log pile ect

[@heatherwycherley2954]

We scored 11 - we seem to be in the middle of a hoggy highway - ours seems to be the cafe stop off point and at present he walks straight past the 3 hog houses. So far also, this year we only seem to have one visitor.

[@HedgehogsHollow]

I've had two individual visitors come in to the garden but not even get as far as the food before leaving once more. And one of my residents seems to have an alternative Spring house that he keeps taking several days away to visit.... Isn't it wonderfully frustrating and fulfilling all at the same time....

[@Malcolm161]

I had pretty much all the same answers. I do have a hedgehog highway hole through my back garden wall which gives access for my spiky friends and allows them to travel up and down a pathway so that they can visit other gardens too. I've been over wintering a hedgehog in my spare bedroom I christened him Piggle. He came to me in early November from my hedgehog mentor and weighed just under 300g. I treated him for roundworm eggs and lungworm laeve with the help of my local vet following poo analysis at Vale Wildlife. I got his weight up to 710g before he started hibernating on, of all days, the 2nd February (Hedgehog Day). He woke up and fed intermittently during his hibernation and I always made sure there was fresh dry food and water for him. He awoke 10 days ago and his weight had gone down to 568g but he's now put on exactly 100g since then as he gets ready for release next month when we have consistently warmer weather. Hopefully he'll stick around and keep visiting over the summer. He'll have three feeding stations and two water bowls to keep him happy and healthy. I only use dry food to avoid the risk of fly strike. It'll be interesting to see if any of my three hedgehog houses were occupied over the Winter. I'll find out in late April or early May. I rescued and rehabilitated 5 hedgehogs last year and they all became regular visitors.

[@HedgehogsHollow]

That's brilliant that your rehabilitated hogs become regulars. It is always an unknown as to what the hedgehogs may decide to do, but when they do decide to take up residency in the garden and use the facilities you've created, it is a great feeling. I hope Piggle will stick around for the summer and enjoy your garden

[@tonyf68]

Hi Mike, I enjoyed the video and it also links in with a current problem that I wanted to ask for advice about. I feed the garden birds as well as having a hedgehog feeding station and over the weekend it has become apparent that rats are coming into my garden. I've seen the rats several times during daylight hours (they're not shy!) and they're also in neighbouring gardens, not just mine. I'm not keen on putting poison down for them, but I think this issue is only going to increase if I don't do something. If I put rat poison in secure bait boxes which are specifically made for this purpose, would this cause any problems for hedgehogs? Do you think it would damage the garden eco-system (and affect other wildlife) or just the rats? I'd be very grateful for any help or advice about this.

[@HedgehogsHollow]

HI Tony, Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and ask questions. I wholeheartedly agree about the sentiment of not introducing any poison at all. Regardless of how "aimed" it might be, or specific to one species, there's always risk of it simply harming your whole garden and wildlife environment. That all said, I appreciate that rats can be a real menace. What I believe deters them is when the food sources they are raiding, are in wide open places. Hedgehogs don't mind the open spaces where food is - I've had two regularly eat directly on my patio without concern. But by comparison, rats will not venture in to the open, and be vulnerable to perceived predators. So you might try, if you can and have facility, to move the food source to a more open area. Something without cover and relatively open space surrounding, and this may deter the rats from raiding.

[@tonyf68]

@@HedgehogsHollow thanks for your thoughts about this Mike, they're very much appreciated. Unfortunately the rats are feeding in the open, in the middle of the lawn, underneath the bird feeder. It seems to be the seeds that are being dropped from the bird feeder that has attracted them. I'll keep looking around online as there seems to be some remedies which don't involve using poison, so I could try some of those.

[@HedgehogsHollow]

I@m sorry to hear that Tony. That's the only remedy I've read about - but it seems your rats invaders are much more bold than the remedy author anticipated!

[@heatherwycherley2954]

@@tonyf68 Hi Tony - you could try a humane rat trap and then take the rat somewhere over 2 miles away (or it will come back) but be warned you may have to let the hedgehog out of the trap!! Also I found that a rat repellent can help. The other solution is stop feeding the birds for a while.

[@tonyf68]

@@heatherwycherley2954 Hi Heather, thanks for the suggestion, I'll give it some thought!

[@louisebriggs5593]

Hey need help please my neighbour has but up a new fence I use to have a family of hogs now I haven't I ask if I can have a hedgehogs high way but won't let me any ideas many thanks

[@HedgehogsHollow]

Hello Louise, Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment, and I am very sorry to hear that your neighbour has effectively removed a hedgehog hole. Sadly, this does happen - I recently saw a hole that had existed for some time, having been closed up by a new owner, and restrict the movement of hedgehogs. The best approach to my mind is always going to be gentle persuasion, though some people may never agree to a hedgehog hole, and in some circumstances it may be better for the hedgehog's welfare to actually not access that garden - if they had a dog or example. There are a variety of informational leaflets and ideas for discussing hedgehogs with your neighbours available both on the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and Hedgehog Street websites. These are useful to provide to neighbours, to give them information. You might also try discussing the topic with you other neighbours to see if you can establish other holes in the area and that may sway the opinion of the less accommodating neighbour. Sadly, as much as we may try, our passion isn't always shared, and some people may, despite being asked and given information, not wish to have a hedgehog hole. But do your best and see if the informational leaflets help you out at all.

[@louisebriggs5593]

@@HedgehogsHollow Thank u so much I shall give it a try thanks again