Feeding foxes and hedgehogs

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Discussion

BoRED S2upid

Original Poster:

20,176 posts

246 months

Monday 27th December 2021
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What can I feed this guy and or hedgehogs that the cats won’t eat?

I’ve tried everything cat, dog food, scraps of meat. This one is eating a fat ball that’s fallen out of a bird feeder but is that a good diet for him?

I’m thinking maybe a dog he’s? Cats aren’t going to eat that. Not sure he will.

wiggy001

6,561 posts

277 months

Monday 27th December 2021
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There is no need to feed foxes. In fact, it’s better if you don’t.

Mr Pointy

11,684 posts

165 months

Monday 27th December 2021
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On the other other hand feeding hedgehogs is a good thing to do.

Nightmare

5,222 posts

290 months

Monday 27th December 2021
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Without a specific feeding thing cats can’t get into you’ll probably struggle to feed hedgies alone - though peanuts are a really popular and fat and protein rich food which I don’t think cats will eat? Don’t think foxes will either tho.

Fatballs won’t hurt a fox but they prob shouldn’t have too many

What’s ‘dog he’s’ meant to be? Dog food? Our cat will certainly have a go at it!

BoRED S2upid

Original Poster:

20,176 posts

246 months

Monday 27th December 2021
quotequote all
Nightmare said:
Without a specific feeding thing cats can’t get into you’ll probably struggle to feed hedgies alone - though peanuts are a really popular and fat and protein rich food which I don’t think cats will eat? Don’t think foxes will either tho.

Fatballs won’t hurt a fox but they prob shouldn’t have too many

What’s ‘dog he’s’ meant to be? Dog food? Our cat will certainly have a go at it!
Typo. Dog chew which is mostly cereals. Cats won’t eat those.

Might tyre peanuts. Do hedgehogs eat nuts?

Vasco

17,155 posts

111 months

Monday 27th December 2021
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Just put out the special Hedgehog food you can buy?
The fox won't need anything.

Stella Tortoise

2,794 posts

149 months

Monday 27th December 2021
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Don’t feed foxes, they truly are the wker of the animal kingdom

Ziplobb

1,400 posts

290 months

Monday 27th December 2021
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surely hedgehogs will be hibernating now ?

mrsshpub

911 posts

190 months

Monday 27th December 2021
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Ziplobb said:
surely hedgehogs will be hibernating now ?
It's very mild at the moment so some will have woken up and be out looking for food.

Vasco

17,155 posts

111 months

Monday 27th December 2021
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Ziplobb said:
surely hedgehogs will be hibernating now ?
Certainly should be but we've had full size adults survive a mild winter and still turn up in the garden.

mickyh7

2,347 posts

92 months

Monday 27th December 2021
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Just cut small holes in all of your fences.
The Hedgehogs will then have access everywhere and feed themselves, with natural food.
Don't bother with Foxes. Vile things.

vixen1700

23,873 posts

276 months

Monday 27th December 2021
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I love our local foxes and have had many in the garden over the years.

We had a litter of six cubs in the garden earlier in the year and they were fascinating and amusing creatures. There are still four regulars and 'Dad' as we call him who visit the garden.

I feed them daily and they like cheap dog biscuits and those Webbox chubb roll things from the pound shop. Plus any meat leftovers.

Really don't get the dislike of these beautiful and intelligent creatures.

Living in London, we don't see many hedgehogs.

Vasco

17,155 posts

111 months

Monday 27th December 2021
quotequote all
vixen1700 said:
I love our local foxes and have had many in the garden over the years.

We had a litter of six cubs in the garden earlier in the year and they were fascinating and amusing creatures. There are still four regulars and 'Dad' as we call him who visit the garden.

I feed them daily and they like cheap dog biscuits and those Webbox chubb roll things from the pound shop. Plus any meat leftovers.

Really don't get the dislike of these beautiful and intelligent creatures.

Living in London, we don't see many hedgehogs.
Appropriate User name......

biggrin

TheInternet

4,877 posts

169 months

Monday 27th December 2021
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There is a weirdo old lady on my street that likes to feed the foxes. Tends to be known by the rest of the locals as 'that fking prick'.

Vasco

17,155 posts

111 months

Monday 27th December 2021
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There's not many poor, sick, bedraggled, foxes nowadays. Rural ones can always find food and city foxes have loads of surplus food left lying around or overflowing bins.

2 GKC

2,033 posts

111 months

Monday 27th December 2021
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TheInternet said:
There is a weirdo old lady on my street that likes to feed the foxes. Tends to be known by the rest of the locals as 'that fking prick'.
You call an old lady a prick?

wiggy001

6,561 posts

277 months

Monday 27th December 2021
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vixen1700 said:
I love our local foxes and have had many in the garden over the years.

We had a litter of six cubs in the garden earlier in the year and they were fascinating and amusing creatures. There are still four regulars and 'Dad' as we call him who visit the garden.

I feed them daily and they like cheap dog biscuits and those Webbox chubb roll things from the pound shop. Plus any meat leftovers.

Really don't get the dislike of these beautiful and intelligent creatures.

Living in London, we don't see many hedgehogs.
I absolutely love foxes. But the more they are fed by well meaning but misguided people, the less they will hunt for natural food. Such as nice and rats that many of those same people would be annoyed to have coming near their houses due to the lack of predators.

By all means feed creatures that need help due to us screwing with their habitat etc, but foxes should be left to fend for themselves.

Evanivitch

21,598 posts

128 months

Monday 27th December 2021
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Use a box or crate, flip it upside down, cut a CD sized hole for hedgehog to access, place food at far end to opening and weigh down with a brick or two.

mickyh7 said:
Just cut small holes in all of your fences.
The Hedgehogs will then have access everywhere and feed themselves, with natural food.
Don't bother with Foxes. Vile things.
If my experience is much to go by, many of those suburban homes have fake grass and slate chippings everywhere...

vixen1700

23,873 posts

276 months

Monday 27th December 2021
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wiggy001 said:
I absolutely love foxes. But the more they are fed by well meaning but misguided people, the less they will hunt for natural food. Such as nice and rats that many of those same people would be annoyed to have coming near their houses due to the lack of predators.

By all means feed creatures that need help due to us screwing with their habitat etc, but foxes should be left to fend for themselves.
I can see exactly where you're coming from and really wouldn't want to mess up any equilibriums, but the small amounts we put out for them has stopped them leaving our bin areas looking like a nuclear war zone each day. They were real sods for that. hehe

anonymous-user

60 months

Monday 27th December 2021
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All hedgehogs will be hibernating this time of year. If you see one one pop it in a box (lots of details online) and call a local specialist. No need to feed foxes unless you are specifically trying to observe them as they are very good at finding enough food, fantastic things to watch though.