[PinkFloyd]

I went out to water the plants in the garden an hour ago and when I went to water the basil and coriander I noticed this big brown thing that looked like a rock sitting in the middle of my basil patch....... on closer inspection it turned out to be a hedgehog!

I've had these guys in the garden before and am well aware of their tricks.... this hog was playing dead pretending to be a rock and trying his best to blend in with the landscape so I wouldn't recognise him as a living / breathing hog.... I went right up to him, spoke to him and gently prodded him with my hoe..... he didn't move an inch and I honestly thought "this one isn't acting" and was genuinely "dead"

Raced indoors to get the camera but He'd sprinted off by the time I'd returned to get a pic of him....... I'm really happy I've got a cunning hedgehog resident in my garden and I will get a photo of him one of these days now I know he's part of my garden family.........

Animals are amazing aren't they? I was over the moon seeing that hog and glad that it has chosen my garden to live in........ If only it knew I was its friend and not a predator there would have been no reason for it to play dead and be frightened of me.........

Amazing what's going on in your garden..... far more interesting and educational than anything on TV.......

I'm off out into the garden armed with camera in the hope that he'll surface and take the cat food bait I've put out for him.

 

[perplex]

hehe yep, nature is beautiful. about 2 or 3 months ago when i went to feed by rabbits, in our empty pond next to the hutch i heard a rustling. so i walked over and to my amazement i saw a baby hedgehog struggling to get out. so i quickly fished it out and dumped it into the rabbit run. the next day there was this weird transparent jelly inside, i didnt know what it was. i saw this jelly stuff in my friends garden before and didnt know what it was then either. i found out it's hedgehog poop! i let the hedgehog go after a few days, i gave it bread soaked in a little plate of milk when it was in the run.

 

[Quad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PinkFloyd ... Animals are amazing aren't they? I was over the moon seeing that hog and glad that it has chosen my garden to live in........ If only it knew I was its friend and not a predator there would have been no reason for it to play dead and be frightened of me.........

I once inherited a pet one and no matter how long they know you they will always treat you as a predator. Most unfriendly characters but as with people this is a reaction to their fear of being harmed. I am sure they must make for very poor eating.

Good to have in the garden though. They will eat any roaches (and other bugs) that may be looking for a home at your place.

 

[hciman77]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quad I once inherited a pet one and no matter how long they know you they will always treat you as a predator. Most unfriendly characters but as with people this is a reaction to their fear of being harmed. I am sure they must make for very poor eating. Good to have in the garden though. They will eat any roaches (and other bugs) that may be looking for a home at your place.

Apparently when coated in clay and baked the needles drop out. For a while a UK potato chip (crisp) manufacturer offered hedgehog flavoured crisps. Some Romany (traveller) types eat hedgehog and so do badgers.

Never tried it myself - dont eat meat.

Had all sorts of weird animals in our various gardens, bunnies, chipmunks, deer, squirrels and down in Dallas a pair or Possum, our local park has a resident groundhog , and raccoons, and in upstate new york there was a family of beaver near us.

 

[mr.karmalicious]

Quote:

I went right up to him, spoke to him and gently prodded him with my hoe

/resists

 

[BrokenEnglish]

don't try to domesticate that hedgehog, mike. his "fear" warrants survival once he's faced with real predators... there are enough cruel humans out there. watch animals from distance, enjoy them and allow them to keep (and train!) their protection instincts.

 

[archosman]

 

[gsferrari]

Quote:

Originally Posted by archosman

Hey!

I know that guy from um...disney videos!!

 

[Edwood]

I believe hedgehogs are good for eating pests in the garden.

-Ed

 

[zachary80]

Yes they are Ed. I had a pet hedgehog (two actually) for several years. Since I got them when they were young, they never huffed and puffed and turned into a ball when I was around. Come to think of it, Sonic 1+2 were probably the best pets ever

 

[shiggins]

Another hedgehog story - Last summer a hedgehog appeared in our local pub. Caused quite a commotion (nothing much happens round here). It didn't curl up into a ball or play dead, walked around the pub quite happily (looking for a seat maybe?). After a few minutes the novelty wore off so somebody took it across the road to the green. I can't believe I just bothered to post this most mundane story.

 

[dj_mocok]

Glad to know that one of our members was outsmarted by a hedgehog.

It probably went back home and bragged all the way to all its hedgehog friends...

 

[Nisbeth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiggins Another hedgehog story - Last summer a hedgehog appeared in our local pub. Caused quite a commotion (nothing much happens round here). It didn't curl up into a ball or play dead, walked around the pub quite happily (looking for a seat maybe?). After a few minutes the novelty wore off so somebody took it across the road to the green. I can't believe I just bothered to post this most mundane story.

Well, if nothing else you managed to give me my laugh of the day

/U.