The Hog Diaries - Who needs WWF when you have Hog Tag Teams ...

Mary on the day of her release

Last night was THE night! My precious wee Mary went free at last. Her back was good enough to go and she needed to be FREE. She had put herself to bed back in her own nest box the night before so I didn't even need to disturb her to release her. I simply carried the whole box out to the back garden and tucked it under a big fern. 

Later that night I heard frantic scrambling out in the garden and went to investigate. There was Mary desperately trying to get out of the garden at the corner of the fence. Silly girl! I scooped her up and carried her around to the side gate to show her where she could get out but she insisted on turning around and going back into the back garden. After 20 mins of picking her up, putting her at the gate, waiting for her to move, watching her turn around and take off back down the path .... I was arguing with a Hedgehog for heaven's sake, and I finally gave up and left her to it, hoping she would figure it out during the night. 

This morning I checked her box and she wasn't there; although there was a resident ... more on that later. There was also no sign of her being stuck anywhere in the garden, so fingers crossed she's off on her way and burning off a few of her extra fat cells! 

I also released Quincy last night. I returned her to the side yard where I'd found her, tucking her up into a cosy nest box underneath her hutch. There was no sign of her this morning but I'm sure she will visit for a snack most nights. 


Yesterday morning once I'd cleaned out the hutches and prepped Mary and Quincy for release I went to clean out the feeder in the side yard. Oh ohhhh. A nest has been built in it over night. On pulling back the paper and hay (which had been robbed from the ready made nest box under the hutches) I found a wee juvenile. This time of year is tricky because any late litters of babies will be in real trouble once winter hits. A Hedgehog needs to be 650gms minimum to survive hibernation and what we call 'Autumn Juveniles' will not reach this weight target before winter sets in so are doomed to die. 

Vallance

I could see that the little one in the box was WAY too small to survive so in he came. He weighed 333gms and I've named him Vallance - after the Auto Electrician that came to fix the car today. I'm sure he'll be thrilled! I've installed the bubba in a Hogspital box inside so he's toasty warm and will hopefully gain weight FAST! There is a chance he may be able to be released in early winter IF he gains fast enough and IF we have a mild onset to winter. 

Vallance - too cute for words!

And that brings us to this morning ... 
As soon as I got up I went to check Mary's sleeping box. Ok, no Mary but .... OH OHHHHHH ..... Yup, there was another little one tucked up in the nest, fast asleep. 
In he came to the clinic and on to the scales he went. Weighing in at 316gms young Gaston is now installed in the Hogspital tower in the cubby above Vallance. They are of course, brothers and are both very cute. Vallance is eating up a storm and Gaston is still freaked out but should settle over the next few days. 

So you see - it really is a Hog Tag Team. Two out / Two in! Is there such a thing as a Hedgehog Conspiracy???