February 1st, 2010

Hi all, just a quick update on how the hedgehogs are doing. Tiny has been hibernating all winter with just the occasional night out eating and drinking. But has been in hibernation almost solid. The other two boys. Keep waking up and then going back into hibernation. Harry being the one who wakes the most. I am starting to think that I will need to bring him in soon and start giving him some exercise because the diet doesn't seem to be working and he just keeps gaining weight. I know once he gets back into the wild he will loose most of it, but he has been a bit of a problem with his weight gain. Although he seems happy enough otherwise.
I had a hedgie friend suggest we check our outside boxes on a really cold day that way the ones in the boxes won't wake while I look at them. But when I checked the boxes had been used, but the two I checked both were empty. So I have no idea where the girls have gone. But there is still a few other boxes around the garden and a few other gardens around that they could well be holed up in.
We have put food and water out nonstop all winter, just in case one should wake and need nourishment. But all we seem to be doing is feeding the neighborhood cats. Who have become quite agile in getting into our cat proof hedgehog food boxes. Cats are amazing how they can twist and turn and stretch to reach that little morsel of food. And these are pampered well fed cats.
We have been looking after our garden birds and the two squirrels that come up most mornings for their peanuts. Brian has one almost tamed so much that when he sees Brian he runs to the back door for his nuts. :) Our blackbird Mr. Hoppity has stuck around all winter too and has kept an eye on the food and the garden. We have also been lucky to have a small flock of sparrows who have also stuck around and a lovely robin. The others come and go according to the food level. :)
Brian, Jingles and I have almost gone into hibernation along with the hedgehogs and with that horrible snow that we had hardly ventured out of the house. We both just started noticing the light coming back and staying well past 5pm. So hopefully spring is just around the corner and we can get back outside doing our walks and tending the garden. :)