Hide and Hedgehogs
stephe...@btinternet.com
made two hides for hedgehogs to reside in over winter, these hides
consist of branches, heavy duty liners over the branches to make
them waterproof and heavy sods of earth over top.
Pictures here;
http://stephen.hull.mediacave.co.uk/example/hide1.jpg
http://stephen.hull.mediacave.co.uk/example/hide2.jpg
A month ago I lined the inner sleeping area of one of the hides
with hay, we have not had anything live in them yet.
However!
On Friday night the outside security light came on just as I was
getting into bed so I looked out the window and to my delight I
saw a hedgehog trundling up the garden path, he had indeed set off
the light but my concern is that it may be too cold for him to
find food as the ground is frozen solid and the hedgehog may not
be ready to hibernate as he was obviously looking for food, Anyway
on Monday I decided to inspect one of the hides and as I carefully
pushed my hand into the opening a felt the prickly feel of a
hedgehog so I presume this is the same hedgehog I saw on friday
who has taken up residence in the hide I recently filled with hay.
My question is, shouldn't the hedgehog already be hibernating by
now? I think he has been caught out by the sudden cold spell and
may not be ready for hibernation.
Yesterday I made a special feeding house (mdf) with a double
entrance with offset openings to stop cats getting in and the
centre chamber has a small bowl of fresh cat food, this should be
accessible to hedgehogs should the need to beef themselves up for
the winter but it will also stop cats scoffing the food.
Today I decided to push in some lose hay in the entrance to add a
little more protection and I could still feel the hedgehog very
close to the entrance and not in the centre of the hide.
Any thoughts on the hibernation being perhaps too late for this
particular hedgehog or should I not be concerned?
Stephen.
--
http://www.stephen.hull.btinternet.co.uk
Coach painting tips and techniques + Land Rover colour codes
"Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble". Henry Royce
Gopher
stephe...@btinternet.com writes
>In 2008 at the bottom of our back garden in each corner we have
>made two hides for hedgehogs to reside in over winter, these hides
>consist of branches, heavy duty liners over the branches to make
>them waterproof and heavy sods of earth over top.
>
>Pictures here;
>http://stephen.hull.mediacave.co.uk/example/hide1.jpg
>http://stephen.hull.mediacave.co.uk/example/hide2.jpg
>
>
>Any thoughts on the hibernation being perhaps too late for this
>particular hedgehog or should I not be concerned?
>
>Stephen.
>
>
suspect you will get a few responses from some educated urglers however
may I suggest you post this also on uk.rec.natural-history where you may
be able to rouse someone with more specialised knowledge. I look forward
with interest to developments.
--
Gopher .... I know my place!
Baz
Stephen, you have done well to make a hibernation 'set' and I know you mean
well.
I would suggest that you contact a hedgehog or wildlife charity nearest to
you to save these creatures any further harm.
Baz
aquachimp
>
> Yesterday I made a special feeding house (mdf) with a double
> entrance with offset openings to stop cats getting in and the
> centre chamber has a small bowl of fresh cat food, this should be
> accessible to hedgehogs should the need to beef themselves up for
> the winter but it will also stop cats scoffing the food.
>
Ooh, any chance of a photo,
Well done btw. I didn't know sods were an option
stephe...@btinternet.com
aquachimp <aqua...@aquachimp.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
I'll take a photo tomorrow after work and post a link to it, it is
only a simple temporary design with a felt roof to protect the
food, the mdf case has not been treated for protection as I don't
think it necessary for a short term usage.
Regards,
stephe...@btinternet.com
Gopher <Gop...@work.co.uk> wrote:
Thanks for that, I have just posted to "uk.rec.natural-history",
there may be some interesting developments to follow.
stephe...@btinternet.com
Baz <b...@fawlty.com> wrote:
I think there is one local sanctuary near me, I actually gave them
a sick hedgehog I saw wondering about in broad daylight afew
years ago, obviously something was wrong, I then also made a solid
wooden home for the sick hedgehog on a similar line to the feeding
house and with a hinged lift-up roof for access.
I may yet get in touch but I wanted to find out more on this group
first before bothering them about this hedgehog that might for all
I know not need help anyway.
Regards,
Mike Lyle
They're the law.
--
Mike.
Corporal Jones
I had a small one (this years young) wander down the garden last week to
the back door and ate the food I had left out for the cat, this was
about 2pm.
The following day it returned around 1pm for another feed so boxed it up
and took it to Tiggywinkles near Aylesbury, they confirmed that it would
not have survived so it will be overwintered there then released in the
spring.
Reading their newsletter they overwintered over 500 of them last year.
--
Corporal Jones
"Don't panic don't panic"
Life will go on albeit somewhat reduced
aquachimp
Mike Lyle
> On Nov 30, 11:40 pm, "Mike Lyle" <mike_lyle...@REMOVETHISyahoo.co.uk>
> wrote:
>> aquachimp wrote:
>>> On Nov 30, 6:04 pm, stephen.h...@btinternet.com wrote:
>>
>>>> Yesterday I made a special feeding house (mdf) with a double
>>>> entrance with offset openings to stop cats getting in and the
>>>> centre chamber has a small bowl of fresh cat food, this should be
>>>> accessible to hedgehogs should the need to beef themselves up for
>>>> the winter but it will also stop cats scoffing the food.
>>
>>> Ooh, any chance of a photo,
>>> Well done btw. I didn't know sods were an option
>>
>> They're the law.
>
Not sure: you'd better check with Murphy.
--
Mike.
aquachimp
But but but, he only knows about spuds.
stephe...@btinternet.com
Corporal Jones <Corpor...@atntlworld.com> wrote:
The hedgehog I saw is adult size so it may survive, however I'll
leave the cat food out in the feeding house just incase.
Food house pictured here;
http://stephen.hull.mediacave.co.uk/example/foodhouse1.jpg
http://stephen.hull.mediacave.co.uk/example/foodhouse2.jpg
http://stephen.hull.mediacave.co.uk/example/foodhouse3.jpg
aquachimp
> In message <id5306$r7...@news.eternal-september.org>
> Corporal Jones <Corporaljo...@atntlworld.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> >On 30/11/2010 17:04, stephen.h...@btinternet.com wrote:
>
> >> Any thoughts on the hibernation being perhaps too late for this
> >> particular hedgehog or should I not be concerned?
>
> >> Stephen.
>
> >Hedgehogs should be in hibernation now, if not they probably won't survive.
> >I had a small one (this years young) wander down the garden last week to
> >the back door and ate the food I had left out for the cat, this was
> >about 2pm.
> >The following day it returned around 1pm for another feed so boxed it up
> >and took it to Tiggywinkles near Aylesbury, they confirmed that it would
> >not have survived so it will be overwintered there then released in the
> >spring.
> >Reading their newsletter they overwintered over 500 of them last year.
>
> The hedgehog I saw is adult size so it may survive, however I'll
> leave the cat food out in the feeding house just incase.
>
> Food house pictured here;http://stephen.hull.mediacave.co.uk/example/foodhouse1.jpghttp://stephen.hull.mediacave.co.uk/example/foodhouse2.jpghttp://stephen.hull.mediacave.co.uk/example/foodhouse3.jpg
>
> Stephen.
>
> Coach painting tips and techniques + Land Rover colour codes
> "Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble". Henry Royce
Than you agin; #2 was what I was really interested in.
Rob
> In message <id5306$r7...@news.eternal-september.org>
>
>
>
>
>
> >On 30/11/2010 17:04, stephen.h...@btinternet.com wrote:
>
> >> Any thoughts on the hibernation being perhaps too late for this
> >> particular hedgehog or should I not be concerned?
>
> >> Stephen.
>
> >Hedgehogs should be in hibernation now, if not they probably won't survive.
> >I had a small one (this years young) wander down the garden last week to
> >the back door and ate the food I had left out for the cat, this was
> >about 2pm.
> >The following day it returned around 1pm for another feed so boxed it up
> >and took it to Tiggywinkles near Aylesbury, they confirmed that it would
> >not have survived so it will be overwintered there then released in the
> >spring.
> >Reading their newsletter they overwintered over 500 of them last year.
>
> The hedgehog I saw is adult size so it may survive, however I'll
> leave the cat food out in the feeding house just incase.
>
>
> Stephen.
>
> Coach painting tips and techniques + Land Rover colour codes
>
> - Show quoted text -
Stephen,
Great work with HH. I built an HH home a few years ago but have had
little success.
How large are the cut-outs in your food house/box ?
Was this a guess or is there guidance available for big enough for HH,
too small for cats ?
Rob
stephe...@btinternet.com
Rob <rsimp...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> >Hedgehogs should be in hibernation now, if not they probably
>> >won't survive. I had a small one (this years young) wander
>> >down the garden last week to the back door and ate the food I
>> >had left out for the cat, this was about 2pm. The following
>> >day it returned around 1pm for another feed so boxed it up and
>> >took it to Tiggywinkles near Aylesbury, they confirmed that it
>> >would not have survived so it will be overwintered there then
>> >released in the spring. Reading their newsletter they
>> >overwintered over 500 of them last year.
>>
>> The hedgehog I saw is adult size so it may survive, however I'll
>> leave the cat food out in the feeding house just incase.
>>
>> Food house pictured here;
>> http://stephen.hull.mediacave.co.uk/example/foodhouse1.jpg
>> http://stephen.hull.mediacave.co.uk/example/foodhouse2.jpg
>> http://stephen.hull.mediacave.co.uk/example/foodhouse3.jpg
>>
>> Stephen.
>>
>
>Stephen,
>Great work with HH. I built an HH home a few years ago but have had
>little success.
>How large are the cut-outs in your food house/box ?
>Was this a guess or is there guidance available for big enough for HH,
>too small for cats ?
>Rob
Cheers ;)
The cut-outs are about 3in square, a small cat would probably get
in but certainly not the big moggies we have round here.
The double set doorway should be just big enough to allow the
hedgehog access into the second chamber.
I haven't taken note from any other source when I built the food
house but I did build something similar a few years ago when I
found a sick hedgehog walking up the road in broad daylight, the
sick hedgehog house only had one entrance but again was double set
to provide extra protection from predators, I gave this
substantially built house (which was constructed out of wood not
mdf) to the local hedgehog sanctuary complete with the hedgehog.
The sanctuary were impressed with the construction and said they
would use it as a home for sick hedgehogs to recover in.
We are lucky, we have two hides in the garden but one is difficult
to for us to access as it is almost hidden behind the compost
frame.
I might upload some before and after pictures to my website of our
small garden taken over a three year period since we moved in if
anyone would be interested.
Stephen.
--
stephe...@btinternet.com
Sacha <sa...@nowhere.com> wrote:
>On 2010-12-22 11:31:31 +0000, stephe...@btinternet.com said:
>
>> <snip>
>> I might upload some before and after pictures to my website of our
>> small garden taken over a three year period since we moved in if
>> anyone would be interested.
>>
>> Stephen.
>
>Yes please! It's of interest to all gardeners to see what others have
>done over a period of time, imo.
Hi Sacha,
The link here: http://stephen.hull.mediacave.co.uk/garden/
I have made them into a sort of picture viewer but in no
particular order, just click on one for full sized view.
You'll see the neglected garden as it was when we first moved in
to the property in July 2008, the old lady who lived here before
us bought the bungalow brand new and hasn't really done much to it
in the 50 odd years she lived here, it still had the old 1950's
kitchen when we moved in, rotten floorboards in the bedroom,
bathroom suite was horrid also with rotten floorboards, we are
very pleased that all this work we have done single handed has
been worth it now we can relax and enjoy it.
shazzbat
"Sacha" <sa...@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:8neaot...@mid.individual.net...
>> small garden taken over a three year period since we moved in if
>> anyone would be interested.
>>
>> Stephen.
>
> done over a period of time, imo.
Well since you mention it, you might want to watch the video I just uploaded
to youtube. I'll post the link when I've checked it out.
Steve
stephe...@btinternet.com
Sacha <sa...@nowhere.com> wrote:
>Talk about making a difference - from no life and colour to plenty of
>it. I like the pebble edging to the pond - am I right that's what it
>is? We have an area where nothing grows under the shade of a mature
>redwood tree so we've put a bench there and covered the earth with
>large pebbles - I really like those used in an appropriate area of a
>garden. I call it the 'beach bench'. It's very popular on a hot day!
>It's hard to imagine how hard you've both worked at it, considering the
>house and garden *both* had to be seen to. I'm full of admiration for
>your hard work and the difference you've made to the garden. Do you
>happen to have a list of what you planted? What's the bright pink
>plant just beyond the birdbath and is that a peony 'this' side of it?
>It would be interesting to know what you chose to bring about the
>transformation! In the later photos we can see how they've matured,
>too. Thanks for taking the time to do that.
Glad you appreciate them Sacha,
Unfortunately last year we found a dead hedgehog that had drowned
in the pond, the pond *was* ground level, but you will notice in
the later pictures we have since raised the pond level as the dead
hedgehog was quite upsetting because we blame ourselves for the
death by creating the pond in the first place.
The pond edging is simply bamboo cane about a foot high filled in
with soil with pebbles on the top and a few water loving plants
dotted around the edge, the surrounding area around the pond is
barked.
I must praise the wife for the choice of plants though as I'm just
the labourer in the garden, she has the flair for gardening.
There are five fruit trees in what we call the barked area, one
conference pear, one victoria plum tree and three crab apple
trees, they are all about forty/fifty years old.
Also dotted about the garden and in no particular place we have
successfully managed to grow tomatoes, courgettes, peas,
cucumbers and runner beans.
The pink and white plants around the pond are astillbes and a
couple of hebes, Those pictures were taken last year they have
come on even more this year.
The decking under the plastic table and chairs is the remainder
off the old 1 inch thick shed floor we removed, it will do for the
time being, next year we want to build a pergola over pond and one
over the decking ready for two grapevines we have in pots.
Can't wait until spring ;-)
shazzbat
> On 2010-12-22 15:44:18 +0000, "shazzbat"
OK, have a look at "our growing season"
Enjoy
Steve
stephe...@btinternet.com
Sacha <sa...@nowhere.com> wrote:
>On 2010-12-22 18:34:02 +0000, stephe...@btinternet.com said:
>
>> In message <8nepkq...@mid.individual.net>
>> Sacha <sa...@nowhere.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Talk about making a difference - from no life and colour to plenty of
>>> it. I like the pebble edging to the pond - am I right that's what it
>>> is? We have an area where nothing grows under the shade of a mature
>>> redwood tree so we've put a bench there and covered the earth with
>>> large pebbles - I really like those used in an appropriate area of a
>>> garden. I call it the 'beach bench'. It's very popular on a hot day!
>>> It's hard to imagine how hard you've both worked at it, considering the
>>> house and garden *both* had to be seen to. I'm full of admiration for
>>> your hard work and the difference you've made to the garden. Do you
>>> happen to have a list of what you planted? What's the bright pink
>>> plant just beyond the birdbath and is that a peony 'this' side of it?
>>> It would be interesting to know what you chose to bring about the
>>> transformation! In the later photos we can see how they've matured,
>>> too. Thanks for taking the time to do that.
>>
>> Glad you appreciate them Sacha,
>> Unfortunately last year we found a dead hedgehog that had drowned
>> in the pond, the pond *was* ground level, but you will notice in
>> the later pictures we have since raised the pond level as the dead
>> hedgehog was quite upsetting because we blame ourselves for the
>> death by creating the pond in the first place.
>
>Oh dear - horrible for you to find that. Unhappily, some creatures are
>accident prone and you can only console yourself by thinking that
>you've done what you can to eliminate the problem. However, if
>something is seriously determined there isn't much one can do to avoid
>absolutely all such occurrences and they all give us a nasty jolt.
What made finding the dead hedgehog worse was that I had built a
floating gangway in the pond to aid anything that fell in but the
hedgehog didn't make it. I believe hedgehogs are accident prone.
>> The pond edging is simply bamboo cane about a foot high filled in
>> with soil with pebbles on the top and a few water loving plants
>> dotted around the edge, the surrounding area around the pond is
>> barked.
>>
>> I must praise the wife for the choice of plants though as I'm just
>> the labourer in the garden, she has the flair for gardening.
>
>It's extremely effective and looks inviting - makes you want to go up
>and peer into the water etc. I really like that look. I lack patience
>at the planning stage, wanting to get plants in NOW. This means that
>in the days before I was married to Ray, I was known to buy plants and
>then wander around my garden with pots in my hands, wondering where
>there was a hole to put them in! Your garden seems to have benefited
>from a planned and thoughtful approach that I wouldn't be at all good
>at but at the same time, there's nothing stilted or over contrived
>about it.
We only have six goldfish in the pond and the occasional frog, we
don't want to overstock a very small pond to too many fish.
We planted a weeping willow over the pond but it grew so fast we
had to move it to the bottom of the garden where it has more room,
We didn't know they grew quite that fast but it was ideal for a
while providing shade over the pond until it started to droop too
low in the water.
I'll have to get Helen (the wife) to make a list of plants we've
put in, her idea is to keep part of the garden wild looking
especially the barked area which has some wild flowers and garlic
growing randomly.
>> There are five fruit trees in what we call the barked area, one
>> conference pear, one victoria plum tree and three crab apple
>> trees, they are all about forty/fifty years old.
>> Also dotted about the garden and in no particular place we have
>> successfully managed to grow tomatoes, courgettes, peas,
>> cucumbers and runner beans.
>>
>> The pink and white plants around the pond are astillbes and a
>> couple of hebes, Those pictures were taken last year they have
>> come on even more this year.
>
>Ah, that's what those are. They look very striking and that bright
>pink really zings.
They produce such lovely soft flowers which look like cotton wool.
>> The decking under the plastic table and chairs is the remainder
>> off the old 1 inch thick shed floor we removed, it will do for the
>> time being, next year we want to build a pergola over pond and one
>> over the decking ready for two grapevines we have in pots.
>
>A perfect place for the evening g&t, eh?
Definitely, sitting under the dappled apple tree on a hot summers
day with a cool glass of wine just can't be beaten.
>> Can't wait until spring ;-)
>
>I'll join you in that! Here and there we see leaf buds developed and a
>Chaenomeles on the house wall is clearly getting ready for its next
>flowering. I have never gardened further north than Surrey (and I was
>a total novice then, thinking Hostas seriously boring plants) so can
>only say that my limited experience makes me very grateful for the
>signs of spring we do get. I enjoy all seasons but this year I think
>most gardeners must be looking forward to spring even now. Walking
>around the garden and nursery today, so many Camellias are in bud both
>in the garden and in pots that I felt spring optimism walking with me!
Helen says that the Camellias are one of the first plants to bud,
I wouldn't know I'm ignorant when it comes to plants.
btw Sacha I do enjoy reading your almost daily saga about your
chickens, mainly because we kept chicken in our older town house
nearly twenty years ago, I think they were Bantams and they can be
very amusing at times, I remember when they were young they always
flew upon my shoulder when I entered the pen to feed them, sadly
all gone now though.