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  • #1

    Hedgehog Feeding Station

    Towards the end of last year I built a Hedgehog Feeding station as cats and other animals were eating the food I put out for the hedgehogs. I made it out of a large transparent plastic storage box with a 10cm x 10cm hole (just large enough for hedgehogs but too small for other animals) and to help see if any one was inside I added a small solar light to the lid.

    It was largely unused as I made it around the time hedgehogs were going into hibernation but since we've had a bit of spring I've noticed the food does get eaten and I was beginning to notice more and more hedgehog poo around.

    Last night I finally heard and saw the hedgehogs. One large and one smaller. I say heard because from all the snuffling they were either checking each other out or engaging in some coitus as Sheldon Cooper would say.

    I've checked the feeding station today and just to confirm that they are indeed using it one of them decided to use the water bowl as a lavatory. I just wish they'd learn how to flush.
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  • #2
    Hedgehogs are the noisiest things! The HPs sound lovely, wish we had some!

    Did you see the rare blonde hedgehog on Countdown today (it was raining, honest!!) - it had been rescued when its mum and all its siblings got run over, and the rescue place had named it Rachel!!

    Countdown - 4oD - Channel 4
    If the river hasn't reached the top of your step, DON'T PANIC!

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    • #3
      [QUOTE=Buleste;987317]Towards the end of last year I built a Hedgehog Feeding station as cats and other animals were eating the food I put out for the hedgehogs. I made it out of a large transparent plastic storage box with a 10cm x 10cm hole (just large enough for hedgehogs but too small for other animals) and to help see if any one was inside I added a small solar light to the lid. [QUOTE]

      Brilliant! Do you have any pics please? I would like to make one too but I'm not very good with even simple DIY - a photo might help. I just love hedgehogs. I had two in my garden for a few years but haven't seen them this year so far.
      Forbidden Fruits make many Jams.

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      • #4
        I got the idea from this website.

        Epping Forest Hedgehog Rescue - Stop Cats or Foxes stealing the hedgehog’s food

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        • #5
          Thanks Buleste, brilliant! But they say cut a hole 4 inches diameter in the side of the box - surely a cat will get in through a hole that size won't it?
          Forbidden Fruits make many Jams.

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          • #6
            I have 3 cats varying from small, to agile, to porker and even the small one can't get in and if you put the food at the back they can't get at it.

            The most agile of my cats can get under my furniture. Just so to double check I measured the height and it's just over 4". However to do so the cat has to flatten himself as though he's been run over and he certainly becomes wider than 4" and of course because he's a bit mentally deficient after a while you here mews as he's forgotten how he got under there so the hedgehog food is pretty safe.

            I managed to catch one of the hedgehogs using the feeding station last night just before I went to bed which made my day.
            Last edited by Buleste; 08-05-2012, 08:22 AM.

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            • #7
              Don't you just hate it when you post something that gives a definite answer and some bugger comes along to disprove it.

              Just noticed a new cat in the area which very small and it did manage to get in the feeding station but I think it was an adolescent so when it is fully grown it will have great difficulty.

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              • #8
                Brilliant, thanks for the info. I'm going to get a plastic box tomorrow and will give this a try. It would be great if my hedgehogs came back.
                Forbidden Fruits make many Jams.

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                • #9
                  Pain in the bum cat stole all of tonights food for the hedgehog so I've hastily erected some cardboard partitions to thwart it. It's fairly easy to do as I cut the hole to the right hand edge of one side so about halfway down the box I put a piece of cardboard up so that to get to the food the hedgehog has to go in turn left, then turn right. This in theory should stop the cat.


                  NEWS FLASH: Just been sat watching one of the hedgehogs successfully navigating the new partition and is now happily pigging out.
                  Last edited by Buleste; 08-05-2012, 09:50 PM.

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                  • #10
                    This is great, Buleste. I'm glad you were able to prevent the cat from getting the hedgehog food again! Those are some lucky hogs visiting you.

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                    • #11
                      What do you feed them?

                      Years ago I was told to put cat food out. I have one huge monster cat (not fat just huge) and one very small agile cat with 3 legs that can climb up and down ladders. I'll play some games with her and see what's the smallest space she can get through before I try and make the feeding station.

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                      • #12
                        Wilko's do a dried Hedgehog food for £1.99 and I mix that in with dog food and some dried dog food. I use dog food in the vain hopes that it contains some magical ingredient that cat's don't like. It doesn't.

                        I did some research on the net and found that hedgehogs prefer Chicken flavour dog/cat food and that you shouldn't feed them any fishy cat food as this is bad for them. If you do you the dried food you should also leave out some fresh water as well (although you should always leave water out for them anyway).

                        For more information go to the Epping forest website. Epping Forest Hedgehog Rescue - Feeding Hedgehogs
                        Last edited by Buleste; 09-05-2012, 09:03 AM.

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                        • #13
                          Thanks for the info. I've bought the plastic box and a small dual plastic feeding bowl set from Wilcos. Also some chicken cat food (didn't see any hedgehog food there).
                          So I'll see whether I need to rig up a cardboard maze or not once I've tried it out.

                          Another thought - probably silly - we have loads of grey squirrels here. I'm only going to put the food out at night but will the squirrels feed during the night? (Never noticed any around at night before but then haven't been looking.
                          Forbidden Fruits make many Jams.

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                          • #14
                            AFAIK Squirrels sleep at night and are mostly vegetarian but as they are originally American they may still be running on EST or PST and if you've ever watched MvF you will know that Americans are carnivores so anything is possible.

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                            • #15


                              Do you think this child's garage would make a hedgehog feeding station?
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