Hello from a hedgehog fan in Oxfordshire

Hello everyone

I post here with some trepidation, being a newbie to such a forum, and possibly being a little naive about our favourite creature.

I've been feeding hogs in my garden for about a year now. It started purely be accident - they were coming to the water bowl I had out in the garden for my cat (who always preferred drinking outside for some reason know only to himself).

I also noticed that they liked eating the mealworms that I put out for the birds. This is what I mainly feed them on even now. I've tried feeding them catfood, but given the choice they'll ignore the catfood and have the mealworms every time. I also put down peanuts and sometimes raisins and sultanas. I figure that mealworms are a good form of hedgehog food, because they are basically beetle larvae and as hedgehogs are insectivores, that seems to fit the bill. If I am wrong, someone please let me know!

I also enjoy taking photographs and videos of the hogs, which I have been putting on my Hog Blog at snufflehog.blogspot.com

I have commented on the blog about the violent way in which the hedgehogs sometimes act with one another. I'm talking about the headbutting, and slamming into one another as if they were spiny dodgem cars. I took this to be an act of aggression, perhaps not wanting to share the food, but am now wondering if I am mistaken and that this is some form of courtship or mating ritual. Does anyone here know? As I say, I'm a newbie, and am learning about the hedgehog mainly through my own observations.

I have some videos of this behaviour over at my blog at the address given above.

I also have another problem as it seems that the food I am putting out for the hogs is also attracting rats (I have video evidence of this). How can I discourage the rats? Would a feeding station prevent rats? I can't see that it would be a deterrent having to enter a box to eat.
Gavin

hello and welcome to the forum!

great website and fantastic footage, i hope to set up some cameras in my garden one day
male hogs generally fight when theres females about, but could probably fight for other reasons, i've not actually witnessed it and learning through your own observations is the best way.
i'm not sure what to suggest about the rats, but i know my cat is usless when it comes to them, hes too fat and lazy
stick around, sometimes its quiet here, but the people are lovely and very helpful

Hi
Welcolm to the forum, like your website and hedgehog videos, you can watch some of mine here http://rons-hedgehogs.webs.com/apps/videos/videos/index . I also had a rat problem one lone male came to live in one of the hedgehog boxes and stayed for a couple of months then he dissapeared. Dont think a feeding station would stop rats as the entrance would have to be big enough to let in a hog.

Hello and welcome!

What a fantastic website you have! It's really good.

Feeding stations wont get rid of the Rats, as they are small too.

The aggressive behaviour could be due to many things, but as Jo said, males will normally do this to females, and it can be a sign of courtship.

Well done with your blog, its wonderful.

Bethany.

Hello, and a big welcome to our forum!

Rats are a problem you can do little about while keeping hedgehogs and other wildlife safe I'm afraid.

As Jo said, it may be quiet here sometimes, but we are lovely!!

Thanks for all the welcomes.

I've tried submitting a couple of my hedgehog videos to the BBC's Springwatch website, but so far they haven't appeared. They don't seem to have any hedgehogs on there - it's all a bit bird-centric.

Gavin

Welcome.

Yes I agree Gavin. I watch springwatch every time and it's mainly about birds.
Good luck with that.

Hi and welcome

Love your Hog Blog and made me think of putting a camera in the garden. I'm quite new to the forum and enjoy reading all the posts about hedgehogs.
Will be out in the garden about 10.30am tonight looking out for our resident.