Published on 12, July, 2020
It’s been a few months since I was last here. So I thought I’d post as a ‘newbie’ as I’m sure loads have joined since I last posted.
I guess my hope is to meet people similar to me - I’d like to say friendships but I’m terrible on a social level so I don’t want to set the bar too high! I’ve been told I’m good at listening and advice and if there’s a clear topic I’m usually ok in conversation. I’m really keen to try to chat to new people at least!
I guess to describe myself - I’m a bit weird, but aren’t we all in our own way? I like history, aviation, wildlife, some tv, some books - I can’t say this advert for myself is doing me any favours!
All the same is anyone wants to chat I’m here
Hello. What kind of wildlife do you like? I know you may like wildlife in general, but is there a specific kind you're the keenest on?
Broadly all wildlife, I’ve grown attached to a friendly family of swans - and I have a huge passion for saving hedgehogs! Are you into wildlife too?
yea i am on a laptop
I’m on my phone and no idea how to do that. My phone doesn’t get on with this forum at the best of times :-p
ur image has to be a .GIF file ( dot gif ). If u rename it as a .gif it will work
I quite like rats - I tried to upload a picture of a rat sunbathing from the summer I took at our local pond but it didn’t work.
i dont mind
Could still be rats - they’re quite fond of water. Water voles are smaller and much less common.
I like birds too - mostly those around my local pond as like you I have a communal garden. What you can always do to help hedgehogs is encourage your local town council to do things that are hog-friendly, for example things I’ve done is encouraged them to re-write policies at their local allotments to ban slug pellets, to include hedgehog highways on new developments and to raise local awareness of the need to help hedgehogs. It’s not quite the same as having them in your garden I know... but it all helps :)
i have 2 rats in my garden, I call them Laurel and Hardy they are always up to things. As long as they stay out of my house, which they have, they are allowed to stay in my garden. I'm not 100% sure they are rats, they may be water voles. They love the river.
Yea. Mostly birds. Am very attached to a Jay that I feed every day in the garden.
I'm always on the lookout for any other wildlife too. I wanted to make the garden more accessible to hedgehogs but it's not up to me as it's a communal garden and I'm not allowed to because we've had Rats use a hole in the fence that used to be there.
That’s a big issue for hedgehogs in particular. I love the concept of I-DOT but the Wildlife Aid Foundation in particular are amazing. They have loads of wildlife rescues on YouTube
I’ve checked I-DOT and learnt something new I’ve always thought crushing tin cans just saves space in the bin. But I learnt that it prevents wildlife into getting inside while looking for food. Makes sense but somehow I’ve never thought about that.
There’s a wildlife rescue place called Wildlife aid - they launched a scheme called I-DOT (I do one thing) - essentially a challenge to do one thing a day to help wildlife or the environment. It could be as simple as picking up a piece of litter, or turning the tsp off whilst brushing your teeth - one action a day - multiply that by 365 a year... you can do your but that’s way. There’s more about I-DOT. Online if you search it.
if you want to do more but without others and have a garden - you can turn that into a good wildlife environment.
alternatively after lockdown you may be able to find groups in your local area.
if you want any tips or advice, just drop me a private message and I’ll do what I can
working in conservation and out in nature would help reduce your anxiety so please force yourself to join such organisations.
I don’t mind widlife waffle
I would like to be involved in wildlife conservation but I’m not sure how. I’ve been thinking about volunteering (local wildlife trust, tree planting or something similar) but my anxiety stopped me from contacting those people and taking part.
Most things are on hold now anyway, due to Covid19.
I’m glad :) usually my wildlife waffle drives people mad
yes actually it does thanks
To encourage them:
- Put holes they can pass through in fences, they roam up to 2 miles a night - they’re more likely to come to your garden if there’s a way in.
- Put out food - never milk and bread - they can’t process lactose. You can get specialist hedgehog food though cat or dog food works fine.
- Put out a shallow dish of water - the little hogs can get quite thirsty especially in the summer when it’s warmer.
- Create a hedgehog house/ habitat... you could make a box with bedding in or make it from leaves and twigs.
- Make the garden hedgehog safe - they are prone to entanglement so remove low level (or ideally all) gardeners netting, football nets etc. Ensure there are no holes/ drains they can fall down and if you have a pond create an exit ramp for them. Don’t use slug pellets.
- Hedgehogs love slugs and bugs etc. If you can create areas that attract slugs and bugs you are creating a natural food source for them.
Hope this helps.
still, thanks they are beautiful and do need help. If i can get some in my garden ( wildlife garden ) they can live there under my protection. thats my aim.
I don’t actually do rescues myself but I campaign and raise awareness about what we as humans need to do to reverse their population decline.
do u save them the hedgehogs yourself ? they are pretty endangered so u're doing something great. They are quite a rare animal now where I live and I used to see them more when younger.