A hedgehog returns!
madpenguin
Posts: 2,497
After an absence of about 4 years I had a hedgehog return last night.On inspection of the hog house this morning it has decided to sleep there for the day!
The only food to hand last night were dried mealworms which I scattered about to entice it to hang around.
I know they are not good for hogs in quantity but it was all I had.
Now want to make a mix of food which the local cats won't eat.
They get into any 'cat proof' house or whatever and steal the food.
Old posts of mine on the subject show what I mean!!!
Go-Cat was what I used to use.
Now thinking dried fruit, sunflower hearts, whole peanuts,dried insects etc?
Does anyone else have an idea for a hedgehog friendly mix that cats don't like?
The only food to hand last night were dried mealworms which I scattered about to entice it to hang around.
I know they are not good for hogs in quantity but it was all I had.
Now want to make a mix of food which the local cats won't eat.
They get into any 'cat proof' house or whatever and steal the food.
Old posts of mine on the subject show what I mean!!!
Go-Cat was what I used to use.
Now thinking dried fruit, sunflower hearts, whole peanuts,dried insects etc?
Does anyone else have an idea for a hedgehog friendly mix that cats don't like?
“Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings
2
Posts
https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/cat-proof-hedgehog-food/
I have heard that cats don't like Brambles hedgehog food but there's always one l'm sure. A few comments on the hedgehog street forum
https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/forums/topic/cats-eating-hedgehog-food/
Sunflower hearts and peanuts are high in fat and dried fruit high in sugar so are not good for hedgehogs, just like mealworms. That's not to say they wouldn't eat them (that's why you often see them scavenging below bird feeders), but they would eventually make them very ill.
If you Google "Fruit etc for hedgehogs" it can come up with articles saying certain fruits etc are OK, but this is for pygmy hedgehogs that are kept as pets, particularly in the USA.
I would be inclined to try the drier foods for hedgehogs such as Spikes or Brambles and keep trying the covered feeder box if you can.
I have only had one cat manage to get in and out through a twisty tunnel in years of feeding hedgehogs, and realised l hadn't put the bricks on top of the box (whether that would have stopped a very determined cat l don't know, but they're not that bothered here it would seem).
Keep persevering 🙂🦔🦔🦔🦔
I read today that a shallow tray of water at the entrance or across a tunnel can deter cats as they don't like getting their feet or tummy wet but hedgehogs will walk right through! Worth a try.
Cats can't get into this one.
I use Spike's which isn't the cheapest option available. I was running low once so bought some kitten biscuits but the moment my back was turned, our cat was trying all sorts of contortions to get into the feeder to get to them. With the number of cats that visit our garden, kitten biscuits would be long gone before any of the hedgehogs got there. The cats don't seem interested in Spike's but the hedgehogs are so I've stuck with that.