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Post by blueeyedchick on Jun 3, 2020 7:13:02 GMT
Unbelievable, after 20 years of not seeing any Hedgehogs I find this on my night camera I'm gobsmacked he must have been there all the time. My season continues.... all I need now is a fox to complete the set!!
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Post by greatbluehopeful on Jun 3, 2020 7:34:59 GMT
Ah brilliant!!
They are so lovely... isn't a real treat to wake up and see what you got!!! Like Christmas, only every day!
(Sometimes we get nothing - I hope thats not a reflection on how naughty or nice we were of course! ha,ha!)
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Post by blueeyedchick on Jun 3, 2020 8:22:11 GMT
Ah GBH so true, here was me being wrong all the time! This hog visited before the Badger so I am now seeking out Hedgehog food. I can see it is going to be a costly business!!
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Post by suep on Jun 3, 2020 10:00:02 GMT
Wow, that is so lovely Kathy. These cameras are really proving worthwhile, even if they do mean you have to spend out on foods Make life really interesting. Amazing. Looking out of my window this morning and I saw a pair of blue tits land on my box. They didn’t go in but came back four or five times that I saw - wonder if it was the pair that started to build just checking out what could have been ? ! Not much good now but gave me a little smile seeing them . Sue
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Post by WildlifePaul on Jun 3, 2020 10:48:48 GMT
Hedgehog food ares like the best is Spikes Semi Moist Kathy, You can also get spikes dry biscuits. Ours seem to before the Purina one turkey cat biscuits though over most hog food, So cat biscuits with high meat content will be fine and cost you less. Love the badger video aswell! Bring on a fox!
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Post by blueeyedchick on Jun 3, 2020 11:31:16 GMT
Sue, it could be you never can tell what is in the minds of our Bluey's, maybe their chosen nest wasn't as secure as they thought so I suppose it's possible they are sizing it up for next year? be great wouldn't it? On similar lines I've noticed too that according to my recordings Nell came back to her box three mornings on the trot around 6.00am with food after the chicks had gone. Like yours she didn't go in but poked her head in and flew off. Wonder if she was searching for a missing chick, but that would be saying they can count which is dubious? I hope it's just natural behaviour and they all do it as part of the course. Paul - Yes thanks for that tip I have purchased some proper food from Spikes brand but until that turns up I'm giving puppy food as suggested on internet wildlife sites. My hubby is also looking at a proper feeder that only Hedges can get in to! And yes bring on a Fox!!! Only concern is am I setting myself up, I don't want them to be reliant on me in case we go away on hols again.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Jun 3, 2020 12:29:56 GMT
Did you buy the Spikes dry biscuits Kathy? If so the cats LOVE them I feed my neighbours cat, Poor thing comes every night for food because the owner leaves it out all night, That is how I started getting hedgehogs believe it or not! Leaving food out for that cat it won't touch the spike semi moist food never goes near it but the dry biscuits is basically like cat biscuits so he clears the bowl of them. I normally put wet tinned cat food out for the cat because the hogs will take or leave that here, Some love wet food and eat it all but most prefer the dry food. So once cat eats the wet food it doesn't tend to come back all night then so leaves room for the hogs to enjoy it. Just a few weeks ago the hedgehog was eating out of same dish as the cat, I didn't have my trail camera out that night and when I seen it out the window i was kicking myself because I thought missed a good video Paul you idiot!
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Post by blueeyedchick on Jun 3, 2020 13:10:59 GMT
Paul, I think I have bought Spikes dry food but thanks for that tip I shall keep it in mind. As we speak Hubby is making a hog feeding station out of a plastic upturned container he kept some old files in. He saw it on youtube and thought it a good idea as it's cheap & with any luck should stop the cats getting in as you build a chacane out of a couple of bricks at the front entrance just wide enough for the hog to squeeze through which hopefully will keep out the local cats. It won't look anything much but don't suppose they will care that it is not designer It will be trial and error to see whether it works or not & which food it prefers should it come back tonight. I also have been leaving a shallow dish of water for Badger so they can share it if needs be. I am hoping it eventually will take up a bedroom in my hog house which has been empty for soooo long! Will keep you updated!
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Post by WildlifePaul on Jun 3, 2020 13:20:00 GMT
You'll soon have them all in your garden Kathy, Last august we had one hog visiting by the time we got to November we was up to 8 throughout the night! Most I ever seen at one time was 5 between two of my feeding areas. Word gets around believe me you'll see a little army of them by autumn
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Post by blueeyedchick on Jun 3, 2020 14:23:40 GMT
Paul, wouldn't that be lovely if it turned out like you say it might! We would have to be called Mr & Mrs Doolittle - hope Cheryl won't mind. I feel that I am blessed at the moment as I have loved wild creatures all my life since I first was shown a Blue tit nest in a tree cavity by my Dad when I was about 8 years old. It has never waned and I hope it never will. P.S I had posted a little tale here about my childhood but on reflection I saw it not really relevant to the site so have deleted it.Apologies to those who read it & wondered where it had gone!
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Post by WildlifePaul on Jun 3, 2020 19:06:58 GMT
Sounds perfect naming! You're little story of your dad is very like mine, I got into wildlife very early, I can't remember a time I didn't love it to be honest! And it was all because of my dad so I can relate to that Kathy. Looking forward to seeing if your trail camera picks up anything tonight!
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Post by blueeyedchick on Jun 4, 2020 8:43:47 GMT
This is what transpired last night after hubby's gallant efforts to make a food shelter -Plan B required I think!
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Post by YorksherLass on Jun 4, 2020 8:53:12 GMT
Yes Kathy. you're right - plan B next, but I found plan A very entertaining, his determination to get at the food has to be admired!
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Post by blueeyedchick on Jun 4, 2020 9:47:19 GMT
Hi Diane Yes, it is entertaining but I am not surprised Badger could over turn it they are very strong. I am pretty sure that this is a sow as you can see her sagging teats and that she has cubbed recently. She also has a poorly right front paw. Hubby is screwing the container down on to a heavy piece of worktop we have in the garage so hopefully Plan B may be successful? If not don't know what else we can do. Badger had already eaten her supper so she's a greedy so and so! I think Hedges did get a few biscuits as he seemed to be in the shelter for a few minutes. Anyway we press on next episode coming up!!
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Post by greatbluehopeful on Jun 4, 2020 12:40:38 GMT
Ha,ha,ha!! That is hilarious - and the speed of it when the brick fell!! Didn't realise they had the potential to run that fast!.
Also, love the way Hedges just appears like a ghost into the scene....very spooky!
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Post by WildlifePaul on Jun 4, 2020 13:56:41 GMT
Took care of that box fast didn't it
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Post by blueeyedchick on Jun 4, 2020 16:39:23 GMT
Took care of that box fast didn't it It sure did Paul intelligent aren't they, anyway Plan B is now in place so we shall see if Hedges gets his food tonight. I have made a little raised platform for Badger to eat off which is too tall for Hedges so fingers crossed. By the way I loved the way Hedges just walked into the shelter without any apprehension at all so we are nearly there.
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Post by suep on Jun 4, 2020 18:48:09 GMT
Oh Kathy, that was a wonderful watch - so determined to get the food. Hopefully they both get their own share with plan B . Badgers limp is pretty bad poor thing. Also loved watching the credits etc Sue
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Post by blueeyedchick on Jun 5, 2020 7:41:25 GMT
Hi Sue, yes totally agree. Last nights footage shows Badger can squeeze partly into the shelter and eat Hedges food despite the fact I put the dish right to the back! However, it didn't over turn the contraption which hubby was pleased about. Didn't see Hedges turn up only the local felines. Badger has a really bad foot looks like she has broken her toe in some way. Plan C on its way!
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Post by blueeyedchick on Jun 5, 2020 12:45:37 GMT
GBH
I have been reading this morning about the do's and don'ts of feeding Badgers and Hedgehogs together in the same area (Hedgehog Street website) & I was surprised to find from forum members the following. 1) Apparently Badger's have been known to kill Hogs if they are hungry therefore it is better not to encourage one into your garden if you have Hoggies. 2) Also hogs can stay away from your garden if Badger is on the warpath so to speak. 3) One member says Badgers don't like human urine so he collected his own and sprayed it around the perimeter of his garden, (Can't see hubby doing that!) 4) Other members have had no problem with both species eating together in the same garden.
So what to do? I don't want to lose Hoggie as their numbers are low so I have taken a reluctant path and will cease to feed Badger every night.Foxes too are a threat to Hogs if food is scarce.
Any thoughts?
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Post by greatbluehopeful on Jun 5, 2020 13:47:09 GMT
Wow...what to do indeed!!! Yes, I'm doing a bit of reading myself and becoming so confuddled by what the right thing to do is... Leave out food in different corners of the garden?? Put up a turnstyle? Hire a bouncer? I'm coming from the fox / hedgehog scenario, as I read a similar thing, that foxes can kill hedgehogs, and I have both frequenting my garden. (I thought there was a badger visiting our garden, but as yet, I have not captured him on video, so now we're are thinking our study of 'scatology' was incorrect. Might have been a fox dropping. ) Then you have photos online of them all eating out of the same bowl??? Living in complete harmony.... So, if the enjoyment of watching wildlife is what we are after, then maybe the best thing to do is just place a camera in a really REALLY good spot where they pass by, forget about feeding them, and just leave out water? No fighting over that???
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Post by WildlifePaul on Jun 5, 2020 15:26:08 GMT
I think aslong as you put the hedgehog food somewhere the badger can't get it you'll be fine Kathy. If the badger is well fed it probably won't care about the hedgehog, I think the a ball of spikes is abit less appealing than some tasty badger food
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Post by blueeyedchick on Jun 5, 2020 17:40:11 GMT
GBH & Paul Thanks both for making suggestions. I have pondered your comments and have made the decision to just put some apple quarters out for the Badger at the opposite end of the garden and have placed the entrance to the Hoggie feeder up against the garden wall so that there is only enough room for hog to squeeze through to get into the feeder. This will prevent (hopefully) the Badger getting in through the entrance as he did last night!! She shoved herself through a 4 inch gap to get to the dish I had placed inside towards the far back. Gosh they are strong and very clever. It should work if Badger doesn't try to pick the whole contraption up! If it all goes pear shaped tonight I shall stop feeding Badger. as I feel I have to put hoggie first. Badger is not thin so must be getting food elsewhere. Wish me luck
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Post by Taz on Jun 6, 2020 9:57:29 GMT
Love that video of the badger Kathy, so funny. I don't get badgers in. I use spikes semi moist food, the cats don't seem to like it so the hogs get to eat.
At the moment though I'm only putting water out because we have started getting rats, first time since we've been here. Probably due to local food outlets being shut. Keep the videos coming 😃
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Post by blueeyedchick on Jun 6, 2020 15:21:29 GMT
Thanks Taz for that yes, quite hilarious. Everyone on here who has visits of the animal kind seem to be having different experiences, I understand your reluctance to encourage Rats and I agree it's probably due to lack of food waste around,this goes for Foxes especially in the towns. No hog visits last night just curious moggies & Badger but neither managed to squeeze in the feeder now it's up against the wall. Shall try again tonight as I understand hogs have a wide foraging area therefore they do not always visit the same gardens every night.
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