Our hibernating hedgehog

[Gemini]

Yesterday OH found a hedgehog in the shed which is built onto the back of the garage. She picked up some blue Ikea bags, and they felt really heavy. Inside them, inside a black plastic bag was the hedgehog. First we thought it was dead but on closer inspection it was breathing.
We felt so sorry for it wrapped in the black plastic, luckily it hadn't smothered.

We found a cardboard box, and put it in there with some brown paper packaging (thank you Amazon!) around it and laid an old towel lightly across the top. We put it back on the shed floor, but in top of some foam rubber to protect it from the cold floor.
We fondly imagined it would remain there until spring.
I then Googled it last night, to discover that they often wake up, have walk around and a feed, sometimes even moving home. So our closed shed and tricky to get out of cardboard box were not right. It needed a different type of box, easy to get out of, and straw or dried leaves inside. It also needed to be either outside or we have to leave the shed door open all winter! We looked up some hedgehog box ideas and OH planned to make one. We were going to buy straw too.
The information said that if weighing below 300 grams you need to take it immediately to a hedgehog centre.

Fortunately for us (and the hedgehog) the friend who turned up this afternoon to bring us something loves hedgehogs!! OH told her about it and she said they have a hedgehog box and if no hedgehog had hibernated in it she would bring it over! She went home to check. No hedgehog, so she bought it over, straw too. Puppy pads are good to line the bottom apparently and we happen to have some which we used to put under the litter tray last winter to catch spills. The hedgehog looked big and actually weighed over 700m grams, very good for several weeks into hibernation

They sited the box outside, but with the back of the shed wall on one side, hedge on another and beneath a table. Cat biscuits and water in case it wakes. I haven't had chance to look yet as my visitors were here and now it is dark. I will investigate tomorrow.
I hope the hedgehog stays with us over winter. I have named her Hermione

[Oma]

That's lovely Gem , last year next door had a big pile of leaves in the corner they were going to bag them up but as we were chatting over the fence about them we saw movement and a quite big Hedgehog was buried in there ,
so they made sure the leaves were left till after the winter , They have done the same this year with the leaves that came down but do Hedgehogs come back to the same spot each year ?

[Nanto2girls]

In the summer month when we are in the conservatory we have had hedgehogs coming onto the patio.
We always leave something for them to eat. They are noisy eaters as well.
Hope yours stays for the winter.

[Daisy]

Gem - how lovely, it sounds as though Hermoine has landed on her little paws with a first class winter home. At 700g she's a porky hoggy!

[Plantaholic]

We live backing onto woods and I haven't seen a hedgehog for years. Your hedgehog Gemini has certainly landed on her/his feet.

[Gemini]

I am so excited as I have always wanted a hedgehog! I am aware that she may not stay with us, and as our garden is hedged at the sides not walled, she is free to leave the way she came in

As the hedgehog is so big it is probably a He really, but I have named it Hermione so to me it is she!

[Gemini]

Hermione has gone.
We have no idea when she went, as we were advised not to lift the lid to look in until now.
Just the straw, no hedgehog!

[Daisy]

Gem - I wonder if she woke up during that very mild spell and thought it was spring! Plus you're still having quite good weather for the time of year, so I bet she's gobbling up all your slugs for you. I suppose they mate in Spring as well so perhaps she'll come back with a little family.

You gave her a good winter home.

[Plantaholic]

I hope he/she will come back again.

[Sunshine]

I do hope Hermione returns. Maybe with a new family of hoglets.

[Gemini]

A bit of an update.

A few weeks ago we met a hedgehog near our back door, late at night. We have no idea if it is 'our' hedgehog, or how often she visits.
Then a week or so later OH realised we had bees living in our hedgehog house! As it's not far from our bins we had to be a bit careful going to the bins, but apart from that we didn't bother them, they didn't bother us. OH read up about it and saw that eventually they would go
A few days ago they did go. OH waited a day or 2, then risked lifting the lid to check they had gone. As she was checking, under the straw which we had put in plus a few leaves we hadn't, was a hedgehog!!
Sleeping as it was daytime.
We both had a minor panic that the bees had hurt it. It was alive and breathing.
We came to our senses and realised that it probably wasn't there when the bees were, and had returned for a nap now it was vacant again. Our hedgehog knowledgeable friend says the hog may move on now we have disturbed it (It made some noises when OH moved the straw)
So, we shall see.
We are going to put some food out tonight, and OH will set up her camera.

[Sum1Ls]

So envious of those who’ve had close encounters with hedgehogs, they are enchanting creatures.

[Daisy]

Gem - it sounds as though you have a little piece of hedgehog paradise in your garden.

[Plantaholic]

Wish we had hedgehogs, haven't seen one for years.

[Gemini]

All summer Hermione Hedgehog has been camping out in a nest she made herself under the hedge. Today OH has checked the hedgehog box and its empty, so she is preparing it for winter, ready for the hibernation season coming up in a few weeks time.
Then Hermione can move from her summer home to that if she wishes, or some other hedgehog may make its winter home there.
If she chooses not to go back to the box, at least now we know were she is sleeping, we can protect that more should she go into hibernation there.