The blog is rather late today - this is for the night before last (Wednesday 4th). Unfortunately, the only news is no news. Not a single hedgehog sighting. We hope they are all safe, and haven't chosen a bonfire to nest in. Fortunately, there aren't usually any bonfires in the gardens round us, so we're quite hopeful.
The cats are still appearing at the front, but we'll let them finish the hedgehog food and not put any more out once it's gone, but we'll keep putting the mealies and water out, just in case one of the hedgehogs wakes up feeling peckish.
Showing posts with label cat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cat. Show all posts
Friday, 6 November 2009
Friday, 30 October 2009
When the hedgehog's away...
... the cats will play. We haven't seen Indy for two days, so it does look as though he's hibernating, so we were quite excited when we saw the other mealworm bowl had been disturbed yesterday. The mealworms hadn't been eaten, just disturbed, so we wondered if Fussy, the hedgehog who doesn't like mealworms, had been around. We put some hedgehog nibbles in the two bowls at the front for last night, just in case.
When we checked this morning, the hedgehog bites had been eaten - but when we checked it was a cat, the one which had met Indy a couple of times earlier in the week. We like the way it peeps under the door when it first arrives, perhaps checking Indy has gone?
We checked through the notes, and Indy moved into 9f on the 4th October.
Meanwhile, back at the back... the visitor is still following his regular routine - mealworms at the ATM, drink on the lawn, out under the decking for half an hour, then back out through the ATM. When he reappears under the decking he's got leaves on his snout, so he's been snuffling around.
When we checked this morning, the hedgehog bites had been eaten - but when we checked it was a cat, the one which had met Indy a couple of times earlier in the week. We like the way it peeps under the door when it first arrives, perhaps checking Indy has gone?
We checked through the notes, and Indy moved into 9f on the 4th October.
Meanwhile, back at the back... the visitor is still following his regular routine - mealworms at the ATM, drink on the lawn, out under the decking for half an hour, then back out through the ATM. When he reappears under the decking he's got leaves on his snout, so he's been snuffling around.
Saturday, 24 October 2009
Indy stands his ground
We had a surprise tonight - a visitor in the back garden. Since he didn't come last night, we assumed he was hibernating, but apparently not just yet. Mind you, he didn't hang around. A quick snack at the ATM, then out under the decking for a couple of minutes, then back in, across to the ATM and out. We really wonder what is so interesting under the decking that they all visit, but for only a few minutes. We have still put food and water out in the usual places, just in case we do get a hungry visitor.
Indy is still in residence at the front, tucking in to his mealworms. We tried him with a little digestive biscuit last night. He had a little, but he still prefers mealworms.
He was a little wary when he first came out, giving the air a good sniff. It soon becomes apparent what he was sniffing - a cat. Last night, he beat a hasty retreat when the cat came, but he stood his ground and carried on munching.
He was still with us today, still changing sides! We are becoming very attached to the little chap.
Indy is still in residence at the front, tucking in to his mealworms. We tried him with a little digestive biscuit last night. He had a little, but he still prefers mealworms.
He was a little wary when he first came out, giving the air a good sniff. It soon becomes apparent what he was sniffing - a cat. Last night, he beat a hasty retreat when the cat came, but he stood his ground and carried on munching.
He was still with us today, still changing sides! We are becoming very attached to the little chap.
Friday, 23 October 2009
Indy gets a fright
Indy is still around - but last night he was the only hedgehog we saw. The visitor in the back didn't appear, so it looks like he, too, has gone into hibernation.
Indy is still up and about, but he's not been eating so much the last couple of nights. He wasn't away for very long, either, compared to the previous night, so maybe he is thinking of hibernating with us.
He is still using both halves of the nest box. If anything we think he prefers the left-hand one, which is on the house side, and so may be a little warmer, but he still uses the right-hand one quite a lot.
He had a bit of a shock tonight, as he was tucking in to his mealworms, when a cat appeared, and he dashed for cover. He was in for quite a while before he reappeared, but at least he'd had quite a good feed. We love the way his nose goes up and he sniffs when the cat arrives.
Indy is still up and about, but he's not been eating so much the last couple of nights. He wasn't away for very long, either, compared to the previous night, so maybe he is thinking of hibernating with us.
He is still using both halves of the nest box. If anything we think he prefers the left-hand one, which is on the house side, and so may be a little warmer, but he still uses the right-hand one quite a lot.
He had a bit of a shock tonight, as he was tucking in to his mealworms, when a cat appeared, and he dashed for cover. He was in for quite a while before he reappeared, but at least he'd had quite a good feed. We love the way his nose goes up and he sniffs when the cat arrives.
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
Empty Nest Syndrome
Yes, we're sad to report that for the first time in ages we had no daytime residents in any of the five nest boxes. We really don't know what's happened to all the hedgehogs. We only had a couple of visits yesterday evening, and one during the night.
Not-so-little Alfie (he seems to be getting quite chubby now) spent yesterday in 9b, but at getting-up time he transferred into 9c. He stayed there (apart from his munching excursions) until the early hours, then left the garden. We think he made a brief appearance at the front, even going into 9f for a short break, but then he left and didn't return. Here he is going into 9c during the early part of the evening:
Here he is settling down for a nap in 9c:
No sign at all of Nightshift. We really are getting rather worried, not only about her but all of the other hedgehogs. Something in the weather must have disturbed them - the number of hedgehogs in the area can't all have met with accidents, so unless they've been hog-napped they must be somewhere, hopefully safe.
A number of the other hedgehog blogs we follow are also reporting reduced activity and missing hedgehogs, so it must be something they all get up to.
Even little Indy at the front has gone AWOL. He had a bit of a shock with a visiting cat. We don't recognise the cat - it's not one of the many in the area.
Here's the last video of him from this morning before he departed for his awayday. This is his first night away since he moved in a fortnight ago. Come back safe, little chap.
Not-so-little Alfie (he seems to be getting quite chubby now) spent yesterday in 9b, but at getting-up time he transferred into 9c. He stayed there (apart from his munching excursions) until the early hours, then left the garden. We think he made a brief appearance at the front, even going into 9f for a short break, but then he left and didn't return. Here he is going into 9c during the early part of the evening:
Here he is settling down for a nap in 9c:
No sign at all of Nightshift. We really are getting rather worried, not only about her but all of the other hedgehogs. Something in the weather must have disturbed them - the number of hedgehogs in the area can't all have met with accidents, so unless they've been hog-napped they must be somewhere, hopefully safe.
A number of the other hedgehog blogs we follow are also reporting reduced activity and missing hedgehogs, so it must be something they all get up to.
Even little Indy at the front has gone AWOL. He had a bit of a shock with a visiting cat. We don't recognise the cat - it's not one of the many in the area.
Here's the last video of him from this morning before he departed for his awayday. This is his first night away since he moved in a fortnight ago. Come back safe, little chap.
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
I used to be indecisive...
...but now I'm not so sure. Meet our newest lodger, Indy, the Indecisive Hedgehog. Perhaps that's unfair - maybe he's just spoilt for choice. On Sunday we put the new hedgehog house into the boiler room about 5:30 pm. About 7:30, we had a visitor. We aren't sure we've even seen this chap before, and he was very early - normally we don't see a hedgehog at the front until after 9 pm, and quite often it's after midnight. We hadn't started the recorder when he arrived, so this clip starts with him in the frame.
What was amazing was that he almost immediately went into the boiler room, and eventually turned right, going into the right-hand of the two semi-detached houses. A little later he came out of 9f right - and went into 9f left. He was doing this all night, just popping out for a bite to eat and a drink (the water is off to the left - we repositioned the camera).
He stayed all night, and all day yesterday, so he seems to like it.
We had another full house in 9a, 9b, 9c and 9d. It seems Alfie had just been visiting his friend Flatmate in 9a, because he was back on his own in 9b.
We did have another "lighthouse" experience on the lawn, but this developed nicely:
Although the cat was after the mouse, it does show the need for the long tunnels in the nest boxes - poor little Flatmate had walked past the cat and gone into 9a only about ten minutes before this happened.
The hedgehogs seemed to be visiting more normally after the previous quiet night. A couple behaving reasonably well in the alley:
And here's the now obligatory shot of little Alfie, this time flaking out in the tunnel of 9b after a tiring mealworm eating session:
and here's Alfie leaving 9a with Flatmate:
What was amazing was that he almost immediately went into the boiler room, and eventually turned right, going into the right-hand of the two semi-detached houses. A little later he came out of 9f right - and went into 9f left. He was doing this all night, just popping out for a bite to eat and a drink (the water is off to the left - we repositioned the camera).
He stayed all night, and all day yesterday, so he seems to like it.
We had another full house in 9a, 9b, 9c and 9d. It seems Alfie had just been visiting his friend Flatmate in 9a, because he was back on his own in 9b.
We did have another "lighthouse" experience on the lawn, but this developed nicely:
Although the cat was after the mouse, it does show the need for the long tunnels in the nest boxes - poor little Flatmate had walked past the cat and gone into 9a only about ten minutes before this happened.
The hedgehogs seemed to be visiting more normally after the previous quiet night. A couple behaving reasonably well in the alley:
And here's the now obligatory shot of little Alfie, this time flaking out in the tunnel of 9b after a tiring mealworm eating session:
and here's Alfie leaving 9a with Flatmate:
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