He's still there

You know the first thing I did this morning was rush outside to the garden and sneak a peek inside the hedgehog house. It was quite early as I didn't sleep all that well - I was worried about the hedghog. Guess what? he was curled up fast alseep in his little house. He had obviously had a party as the living area was a bit of a mess but that means he's made it home!
I was very good and didn't wake him but left him undisturbed with fresh food and water for when he wakes later.
This evening I will sit quietly inside the house and look for when he starts to forage across the lawn.

Moving on

The hedgehog is big enough to be released. Every day he has spent time in the garden as well as his new home, but that doesn't mean he has orienteering skills!
This morning I have put his house outside in a corner of the garden.
I chose the morning as he sleeps most of the day and he should be inside his little house. I am so afraid he will not be there in the morning!
he had a bit of a scratch about and found a snail which he munched.
I put his food and water near his box, I did succumb to putting his comfort flannel inside the box as well as Im sure he will want it!
He has now been outside for about 4 hours - I had to peek and guess what so far he is fast alseep inside his house.
Let's see what happens tomorrow!!
This is worse than having children leave for university.

I went shopping

So this feels a bit like a confession!
I have been waiting for my husband to start making a hedgehog house and so far there is no sign of anything.
Then yesterday I was shopping and on the top shelf of the pet store was this lovely little 2 room, pine version (see the pictures). It shouted to me 'buy me, buy me, buy me' I am sure you know what I mean. Anyway out came the little square of plastic and home we came. The lid comes off so I can clean it out every now and then and the bedroom is separate from the main bit (the lounge). Its made of pine wood and smells lovely, just like walking in the forest.
I am just hoping no one asks me what it cost because that is higly confidential but needless to say its a good job the credit card bill is not due for a whole month now!
I am going to see if I can make it fit inside his present residence so he can make it smell like home. trust me he will make it smell. Its the one thing I wish I could share with everyone else.
I am just amazed at how much poo a small hedgehog can make at night. he is still partying!! Everyday we start again with a clean house and newspaper.

The next step

Okay so we have mastered foraging, well, sort of but time will tell!
The next thing is learning to build a nest. Now it may have escaped your notice but I am human and a hedgehog is well a hedgehog. So how do I teach him to build his nest. This along with the foraging is a vital part to surviving in the wild. although I think the wild will be our back garden for a start.
The hedgehog presevration society suggest ripping up strips of newspaper or putting straw into the living spcae and encouraging the hedgehog to make it into a nest.
Over the weekend I have given him some newspaper everyday. The most amazing thing is he instinctively gathers the strips in his mouth and pulls it into his pouch. I have had to make him a new pouch out of some fleece as he was really getting a bit big for the store bought one. It is similar to how he has been pulling the comfort flannel into his space, so maybe he doesnt have issues after all, he was just doing what hedgehogs do.
He has made a circle of the strips and is curling up in the middle of them plus the flannel of course.

Monday 2nd August

I can't believe its a whole month since the hoglet appeared in our lives.
he has grown so much. I eighed him yesterday and hes now about 9 oz (250 gms) so he is half way to being big enough to be freed into the wild.
I took some new pictures of the foraging expedition on the lawn. he digs into the ground and then sniffs for food. So far he has found a snail and a beetle. Both were eaten with relish. he will be a great bug catcher if he stays in the garden.
I tried him on some banana and he just loved that. Think I might try some seeds or nuts next.