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2017... and so it begins |
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Liz Heard
Senior Member Joined: 27 Apr 2010 Location: South West Status: Offline Points: 1429 |
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Thanks for the confirmation Chubsta. The WLT thought it was duck muck. I knew it wasn't that! Wrong consistency, and i don't get ducks anyway (and glad about it too - they foul garden ponds).
Another hedgehog log has appeared since so maybe i'll get some cat food. Watched 2 of your vids so far and laughed at 'Mildred's Mega Strop'! All that petulant huffing and puffing to zero effect, hahaha! I take it from your other comment that she's regularly a bit of a diva then... In summer i used to leave the back door open to let some air in while sat on the sofa watching TV. One night, getting increasingly annoyed by the scratching noises coming from underneath, i bent over expecting to find the cat playing with a dead mouse or something and got a surprise. The hedgehog was equally surprised to find my ugly mug suddenly appear a few inches from his snout and darted across the room, disappearing under a big pile of assorted belongings stored under the stairs. I put a bowl of cat food nearby and about half an hour later the hog came out, noisily ate it's fill and slowly wandered off outside again. |
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chubsta
Senior Member Joined: 26 Apr 2013 Location: Folkestone,Kent Status: Offline Points: 430 |
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i would say definitely a hedgehog - when i mowed my lawn the other day it was more hog poo than grass so have plenty of experience of it! Might be worth trying to encourage them, meaty dog or cat food (no gravy based ones), sunflower hearts and their favourite, mealworms, under an overturned plastic box (15cm hole to keep foxes and cats out) might keep them around. The fact you have a pond will be a big draw as they drink LOADS.
i used to see the odd one or two in my garden but it was only when i put cameras and a feeder out i found that i had up to 15 individuals travelling through each night. i know i tend to anthropomorphise my animals but cant help recording what they get up to, if you are very bored i have a youtube page here: |
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Liz Heard
Senior Member Joined: 27 Apr 2010 Location: South West Status: Offline Points: 1429 |
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Quite a lot of 'my' frog spawn wasn't viable this year and went bad unfortunately.
Hey Chubsta, found this single dropping on a stone beside my pond on 5/3/17. Too small for cat or fox, too large for rodents, and mustelids not present. Looks a lot like 'typical' wormy badger poop, only smaller. Which might suggest an animal with a similar dietary preferences to brock. What do you think....hedgehog? |
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Suzi
Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1025 |
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Well done Chubsta!
Mine hatched out of the spawn last Saturday and I will get them outdoors on Monday or Tuesday next week. They are still in a cold greenhouse, which I ventilate when it gets warm, which hasn't been a problem much recently. I too have got thousands of taddies. I can't put them in the ponds yet as they are too small.
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Suz
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chubsta
Senior Member Joined: 26 Apr 2013 Location: Folkestone,Kent Status: Offline Points: 430 |
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Well, the advice on decanting the frog-spawn to large trays was a great success, today i put a good few thousand wrigglers into the pond, the fact there are now no predators such as fish in there will hopefully mean that this year will be a bumper crop of froglets.
The weed in the pond is starting to grow in the good weather, the duckweed is being kept well under control and there is lots of fresh water going in from the rain - very positive start to the year. I have had to remove the fountain for a while until the tadpoles are strong enough to not get sucked in but don't anticipate any issues around water quality as it should only be for a couple of weeks i think until it goes back in.
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Liz Heard
Senior Member Joined: 27 Apr 2010 Location: South West Status: Offline Points: 1429 |
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Suzi
Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1025 |
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Was looking at my frog spawn today...at the stage Gemma mentions above. Saw a newt larva scudding about in one container. I must have scooped it up with the spawn! At least it has something to eat.
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Suz
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GemmaJF
Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Location: Essex Status: Offline Points: 4359 |
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It is very variable depending on the weather. Look for signs of the black embryos losing their round shape and becoming elongated. It is all happens much faster indoors for sure, sometimes at least two week ahead in my experience.
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chubsta
Senior Member Joined: 26 Apr 2013 Location: Folkestone,Kent Status: Offline Points: 430 |
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Lovely! How long does it normally take at 'normal' temperatures (about 10degrees day and night)?
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GemmaJF
Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Location: Essex Status: Offline Points: 4359 |
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Wigglers, about half the spawn is now hatched: Edited by GemmaJF - 12 Mar 2017 at 2:51pm |
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