We have worked so hard for 17 years to create a garden to share with wildlife. I feel blessed every morning to hear fledglings squeeking away at our feeders and the awe of a sparrowhawk catching lunch. The only sadness is no hedgehog for 2 years .We have just about everything else visiting us, we are so lucky!
Hi flo Bear I am a bit concerned about what my neighbours may be using to deter slugs. There are hollows under my fences where foxes have dug to make a corridor and we had a badger who visited last year. So the garden is dog proof but not hedgehog proof. We used to have a mum and baby visit and she loved dogfood and peanuts Good luck with your adoptions!
Oh, B with B, that's a shame. I'm a bit worried that I haven't seen two of my hoggies for a while though Blue Boy is out by the water bowl every night waiting for the food. I'm hoping for a balmy night soon so I can stay out in the garden and see what the other two get up to!
Amazing year for wildlife. I do think it's down to the weather. Probably due to the heat and maybe a lack of food ??. So this year we have seen a hedgehog in the middle of the day (several times but not lately)a squirrel in the evening( only once) and amazingly and worrying two snakes. My fish( fantails) have gone to ground and are not feeding properly but I do know there's still 40/50 still in there. Has anybody had the same experience and what does one do with the snakes?????
Better starting a new thread as this one is 5 years old.
Whereabouts in the country are you? I don't think you need to worry too much about the snakes - I assume they are grass snakes. They do eat fish, plus other prey such as frogs and toads, but they don't eat a very large amount - a fairly small number of prey items will keep them going a whole year. Goldfish are capable of breeding at such a rate that the odd one taken by a snake isn't going to make much a dent in their numbers - nothing compared to the amount a heron can eat.
Grass snakes in any case are not doing terribly well, so it's good where they can survive in gardens. Please be very careful with netting (especially the flexible strawberry net type) which can very easily kill snakes (and other wildlife such as birds and hedgehogs).
Individual snakes will have a home range and will have a poor survival rate if relocated elsewhere, so moving them isn't a good idea.
Thanks for your advice. I live in the South Hams South Devon. I have no intention of trying to move the snakes on but it's just a bit unnerving for my wife and grandchildren. Looking on line they look more like adders one quite large 2' x 1" wide and another much smaller. Will they ham us or the children ? That's my worry. Neil
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We have worked so hard for 17 years to create a garden to share with wildlife. I feel blessed every morning to hear fledglings squeeking away at our feeders and the awe of a sparrowhawk catching lunch. The only sadness is no hedgehog for 2 years .We have just about everything else visiting us, we are so lucky!
This thread reminds me of the lovely poem written by D. H. Lawrence "A snake came to my water trough..."
gardengirl, that is one of my all-time favourite poems :- )
Bored with Bindweed - have you thought about Rescue hedgehogs? I'm on a crusade now I've got some. Your garden has to be incredibly secure, though.
Hi flo Bear I am a bit concerned about what my neighbours may be using to deter slugs. There are hollows under my fences where foxes have dug to make a corridor and we had a badger who visited last year. So the garden is dog proof but not hedgehog proof. We used to have a mum and baby visit and she loved dogfood and peanuts Good luck with your adoptions!
Oh, B with B, that's a shame. I'm a bit worried that I haven't seen two of my hoggies for a while though Blue Boy is out by the water bowl every night waiting for the food. I'm hoping for a balmy night soon so I can stay out in the garden and see what the other two get up to!
Amazing year for wildlife. I do think it's down to the weather. Probably due to the heat and maybe a lack of food ??. So this year we have seen a hedgehog in the middle of the day (several times but not lately)a squirrel in the evening( only once) and amazingly and worrying two snakes. My fish( fantails) have gone to ground and are not feeding properly but I do know there's still 40/50 still in there. Has anybody had the same experience and what does one do with the snakes?????
A hedgehog out in the middle of day is in trouble & needs to be taken to a local rescue asap Ne1lmadle. This thread post is from 2012..
Better starting a new thread as this one is 5 years old.
Whereabouts in the country are you? I don't think you need to worry too much about the snakes - I assume they are grass snakes. They do eat fish, plus other prey such as frogs and toads, but they don't eat a very large amount - a fairly small number of prey items will keep them going a whole year. Goldfish are capable of breeding at such a rate that the odd one taken by a snake isn't going to make much a dent in their numbers - nothing compared to the amount a heron can eat.
Grass snakes in any case are not doing terribly well, so it's good where they can survive in gardens. Please be very careful with netting (especially the flexible strawberry net type) which can very easily kill snakes (and other wildlife such as birds and hedgehogs).
Individual snakes will have a home range and will have a poor survival rate if relocated elsewhere, so moving them isn't a good idea.
Thanks for your advice. I live in the South Hams South Devon. I have no intention of trying to move the snakes on but it's just a bit unnerving for my wife and grandchildren. Looking on line they look more like adders one quite large 2' x 1" wide and another much smaller. Will they ham us or the children ? That's my worry. Neil