Where did all the hedgehogs go?

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Fri 05 Sep, 2014 11:27 pm

j.c.d. wrote: [quotenick="sparky diet. Once saw a pair of hedgehogs mating and the noise was mental! When you think about it it is hardly surprising !!!.That made me .

Uno Hoo · Post by **Uno Hoo** » Sat 06 Sep, 2014 5:42 pm

Saw one in a snicket at Burley-in-Wharfedale while Mrs H & I were out walking last Thurs (04/09/14) at about 15.00. I recall reading somewhere that a hedgehog seen in daytime is likely to be diseased or disabled. This one was moving slowly.

BarFly · Post by **BarFly** » Sat 06 Sep, 2014 8:57 pm

I think it is probably, to some extent at least, slug pellets also. There was a hedgehog around here a few years ago which disappeared and a neighbor confessed to using slug pellets around the time of the disappearance (he didn't know of the hedgehog at the time and felt bad about it).We could certainly do with some around here to eat all the slugs that seem to be plaguing the place.

j.c.d. · Post by **j.c.d.** » Sat 06 Sep, 2014 9:26 pm

We have a large hedgehog in our front garden and though I only see him at night he seems to be healthy enough. we too seem to have had more slugs than in recent years over the last few weeks. In the last couple of days I am finding quite a few dead slugs and wonder if it is the remnants of the Ant powder I put down a couple of months ago. Do Slugs eat ants I wonder ??

BarFly · Post by **BarFly** » Sat 06 Sep, 2014 9:59 pm

As far as i know I know slugs will likely eat anything dead -- from mice to excrement and wallpaper paste. I had the displeasure today of seeing two slugs feasting upon another which had been trodden on on the path.I do wish there was a way to "adopt" hedgehogs as i think they're great to have around, eat slugs and the like and are largely safe from domestic pets (though they can result in some sulking and slightly injured cats and dogs if said animals are not so bright).

jonleeds · Post by **jonleeds** » Wed 10 Sep, 2014 9:45 pm

Well I'm pleased to hear there are still hedgehogs in other parts of Leeds. Maybe my area of Leeds is a hedgehog free zone?

Post by **dsco** » Thu 11 Sep, 2014 11:22 am

No Jon, Hawkie Woods is full of them at night, as my dog can attest. He doesn't like hedgehogs, and is very vocal about it when he finds one! They do a brilliant job of pretending to be rocks though, they're hard to spot.

jonleeds · Post by **jonleeds** » Fri 12 Sep, 2014 2:13 am

Oh, glad to hear it DSCO! Although I dont tend to venture into Hawki woods at night... I meant I've not seen any hedgehogs like scurrying along the bottom of hedges, along the footpath at the side of (or dead in the middle of) the ring road for a long time, years infact. Although I've got a theory that maybe the foxes lie in wait for hedgehogs to cross the busy road in the hope they'll get squished while crossing and then they can snaffle a tasy squashed hedgehog without worrying about a snout full of spines - kinda like a hedgehog taco to a fox once after the hedgehogs been run over and had the good bits splattered out - thats why I;ve not seen dead ones. Plus the amount of red kites flying around and they are expert carrion spotters (apologies for the graphic description but I hope you'll get my meaning).

Post by **dsco** » Fri 12 Sep, 2014 12:17 pm

You may well be right about the kites, you've got to assume that having so many large carrion eaters around must keep the place more spic and span than it used to be!

BarFly · Post by **BarFly** » Fri 12 Sep, 2014 8:10 pm

I never thought of that, Jon, you could be right about both the foxes and kites.I live not all that far from you and I can attest that I haven't seen any but the one I mentioned previously in years either.