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Hedgehogs - a good or bad thing?

Printed From: Reptiles and Amphibians of the UK
Category: General
Forum Name: Associated Fauna and Flora
Forum Description: A forum for plants, invertebrates and other animals associated with herpetofauna
URL: http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4924
Printed Date: 29 Mar 2024 at 1:57am
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Topic: Hedgehogs - a good or bad thing?
Posted By: chubsta
Subject: Hedgehogs - a good or bad thing?
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2015 at 6:35pm
Not that i would ever want to discourage them as i think they are sweet, if a little noisy, but this year seems to have brought a bumper number of hedgehogs to my garden - well, either a lot of them or one that has a pretty serious stomach bug as i am judging numbers by the amount of 'poo' left on the grass Embarrassed

The pond is currently swarming with tadpoles, hopefully many will live to maturity, but i was wondering whether the froglets will form a big part of the hedgehogs diet? I certainly don't seem to have had as many frogs spawning this year - i would say numbers were down at least 50% which is worrying as it was a mild winter - could this be a result of hedgehog predation? I always thought hedgehogs lived mainly on slugs, worms, beetles etc, and i can't remember the last time i saw a slug in the garden so they are doing their job well, but would they take froglets and adults?



Replies:
Posted By: will
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2015 at 6:44pm
they are opportunistic and will certainly chew their way through a good number of frogs especially as they are active at the same time and in the same habitat.  Given the rapid decline in hedgehogs I'd be prepared to sacrifice a few frogs though; I haven't seen one in my garden for a decade or so.


Posted By: chubsta
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2015 at 7:12pm
i only occasionally see them in the garden, usually it is the noise that alerts me to their presence, but this year the garden is full of their droppings - i am trying to leave the garden as 'wild' as possible and the previously barren edges are starting to get taken over by weeds. I also put down some plastic tunnels and covered them in compost so i guess they may have encouraged wildlife into the garden for winter.

I guess, like you say, sacrificing a few of my many frogs would be nice if it helps the 'hogs...



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