Hedgehogs follow a rhythm of life that is unique among insectivores. With an epically long hibernation, the cute spiny animals outwit seasonal food shortages. This guide illuminates important questions about the ingenious survival strategy.

Hedgehogs like to hibernate in soft piles of leaves

Table of Contents

Show all
  1. the essentials in brief
  2. Do hedgehogs hibernate?
  3. Why hibernation?
  4. When to hibernate?
  5. When is the end?
  6. Found during hibernation
  7. Where do hedgehogs hibernate?
  8. Weight before hibernation
  9. Woke up too early
  10. Release after hibernation
  11. frequently asked Questions

    12. the essentials in brief

    • Due to the lack of insects in winter, hedgehogs hibernate for up to five months, only waking up briefly to go to the toilet
    • Males hibernate from mid-October to mid-March, females from mid-November to early April
    • Temperatures above 10°C and higher light intensity wake up the hedgehogs
    • If a hedgehog is found hibernating, it should not be disturbed under any circumstances

    Do hedgehogs hibernate?

    Among insectivores, hedgehogs are the only hibernators. Prickly hedgehogs resort to this survival strategy to bridge the cold season and the associated lack of food. For four to five months, the animals retire to a weatherproof, well-insulated, spherical nest. Here they curl up and reduce all bodily functions to a minimum. Brief waking periods for going to the toilet are not uncommon.

    Why do hedgehogs hibernate?

    Because there is nothing to eat in winter, hedgehogs sleep through the cold season. The spiny insectivores feed primarily on beetles, maggots, snails and earthworms. At the latest after the first frost, the menu is emptied because most insects die or retreat to their winter quarters. Since hedgehogs do not practice stock management, they eat up a supply of fat in good time and go into hibernation until next spring.

    Hedgehogs are master energy savers. To ensure that the fat reserves they have gained last for many months, they put their small bodies into stand-by mode. First, hedgehogs curl up into a closed ball. The body temperature drops from 36 degrees to below 10 degrees Celsius. At the same time, the respiratory rate drops to one or two breaths per minute. The heart only beats four to five times a minute.

    When do hedgehogs hibernate?

    Hedgehogs coordinate the start and end of hibernation with the weather conditions. Only when bitterly cold nights or the first snow have dried up their food sources do hedgehogs retreat to their winter quarters. A look at the calendar is only for orientation in this regard. Under normal weather conditions, hibernation extends over this period:

    • male: mid-October to mid-March
    • female: mid-November to early April

    The reason for the gender-specific difference, when hedgehogs go into hibernation and when they wake up, is not completely clear. Experts suspect that female hedgehogs need a few weeks longer after rearing their young to feed on the necessary fat reserves.

    background

    Max the hedgehog - lullaby for little rascals

    The song by Max the Hedgehog puts lively bullies in the mood for a relaxed bedtime in the evening. Max the hedgehog loves to hibernate and is happy that he can sleep safely under the snow during the cold season. The child-friendly text and the catchy melody are ideal as a sung bedtime story. Once your children's interest in hedgehogs has been aroused, the learning story "Hedgehog Isi and Hibernation" explains more details (author: Susanne Bohne, ISBN: 9783752896909)

    youtube

    When do hedgehogs end their hibernation?

    Hedgehogs end their hibernation between mid-March and mid-April. Important signals are rising outside temperatures to over 10 degrees Celsius and brighter light conditions. It takes several hours for the massively reduced vital functions to return to normal levels.

    Not every hedgehog needs help - but all help has to be right.

    Hedgehogs usually wake up from hibernation at the end of March

    Hedgehog found during hibernation - what to do?

    The most common reason for found hedgehogs in winter is cleaning up work in the garden. Piles of leaves and brushwood are removed, piles of wood are dismantled for use as firewood or dogs rummage around. A nest is accidentally uncovered with a sound asleep, tightly curled up hedgehog. If the animal does not react, cover the nest again with leaves.

    Don't worry if a hedgehog wakes up from hibernation. After a short waking phase, a roused hedgehog falls asleep again. Sometimes he uses the break to go to the toilet. As long as the nest is intact, there is no need for human intervention.

    Hedgehogs hibernating or dead? - Here's how to determine it

    A hibernating, live hedgehog is virtually motionless and is often pronounced dead. In the wintry sleep mode, the animal only takes three to four breaths per minute, which you will hardly notice visually. An important clue to a live hibernating hedgehog is its posture. The spiny animal should be rolled up tightly into a ball. A dead hedgehog usually lies open and stretched out.

    Where does the hedgehog hibernate?

    In the fall, hedgehogs look for a sheltered place to hibernate. Mixed hedges, piles of leaves and brushwood are very popular. They also consider a void in a woodpile or shed when looking for a safe place to stay. In the hedgehog-friendly garden, there should therefore be no housing shortage before winter.

    Once a hedgehog has found the perfect winter quarters, it starts building its nest. Preferred building materials are leaves, grass and small branches. The accommodation is padded with soft moss. Since hedgehogs are solitary most of the year, they build the spherical nest to themselves.

    Leftover leaves and wood are ideal winter quarters for hedgehogs

    What weight guarantees healthy hibernation?

    Winter is a tough time for hedgehogs, with many imponderables. There are increasing reports from concerned animal lovers because they encountered a hedgehog looking for food in late autumn or after the first snow. This can be a young animal that was born late, a weakened old animal or simply an experienced, adult hedgehog that wants to bolster its fat reserves a little. If you have doubts as to whether the animal is in need of help, the weight is an important indicator. The following table provides information about the key data about the weight before hibernation:

    Weight assessment early winter young hedgehog adult hedgehog
    ideal weight greater than 500g greater than 1000 g
    Minimum weight 500 to 600g 900 to 1500g
    underweight 300 to 500g 800 to 1000g
    critical weight under 300g under 800g

    Please do not subject a well-fed, healthy hedgehog to the stress of determining its weight. A lively, plump prickly animal handles its own preparations for hibernation best. In many cases, the prickly sleepyhead has been woken up and is looking for a new place to sleep. Noticeably emaciated, weak or apathetic hedgehogs, on the other hand, should be weighed in order to be able to make a well-founded decision on how to proceed.

    Please report underweight hedgehogs

    With a weight of less than 500 grams for young animals and 900 grams for adults, hedgehogs are not equipped to survive months of hibernation. First note down the date of finding, place of finding, time of finding and weight. Also check the hedgehog for injuries or obvious illnesses and note the symptoms. Hedgehog droppings are an important indication of the state of health. Please contact a regional hedgehog sanctuary or the veterinarian. Based on the information collected, the experts are at your side with advice and action.

    Hedgehog wakes up from hibernation too early - what to do?

    Unpredictable weather or the first gardening jobs often startle hedgehogs out of hibernation too early. If you come across a roaming hedgehog in early to mid-March, the existing insects are far from meeting the high food requirements. Now one of the few exceptions applies to supplementary feeding. How to properly feed hedgehogs after hibernation:

    1. Build a bird feeder with two 10×10 cm small loopholes
    2. Set up a bowl with cat food or a mix of hedgehog dry food and scrambled eggs
    3. gradually increase the amount of food in the first few days
    4. Set up a shallow bowl with fresh water
    5. Change food and water daily

    The additional feeding is only intended as a bridging until there are enough insects to capture in the wild. From the end of April/beginning of May at the latest, reduce the daily amount of food so that your spiny boarder can go hunting. The feeding station is finally closed when a young hedgehog weighs at least 500 grams and an adult hedgehog weighs 1000 grams.

    Release hedgehogs after hibernation - this is how it works

    In spring, hedgehogs can be released into the wild step by step

    Animal lovers with their own garden provide valuable help in releasing young hedgehogs if they have been reared by hand. Sometimes formerly underweight, young or adult hedgehogs are released into the new territory after a controlled hibernation. Competent release means a time-consuming procedure and has nothing to do with half-hearted release in the next bush. How to properly release a hedgehog:

    1. Set up a mobile, escape-proof outdoor enclosure on a level surface of at least 5 m² (better 10 m²)
    2. place a sleeping and feeding house in the middle with 10×10 cm small entrances and exits
    3. Put hedgehogs in the outdoor enclosure
    4. feed for 5 to 7 days
    5. Open the enclosure and fill the feeding station daily for a further 7 days
    6. from the 7th day reduce the daily amount of food by a third

    Thanks to this procedure, the hedgehog can explore its new territory in peace and find the best places for juicy insects and fat beetles. The still stocked feeding place gives him the necessary backing. If you reduce the amount of food after a week, your prickly pupil will learn without stress that from now on he has to take care of his own food.

    frequently asked Questions

    When do hedgehogs hibernate?

    When insects are scarce in nature in late autumn, acute lack of food causes hedgehogs to begin hibernating. Before the ground freezes and the first snow falls, the animals retreat to their winter nest. As a rule, males go into hibernation in mid-October. Females usually eat four weeks longer for their winter fat.

    When do hedgehogs wake up from hibernation?

    Hedgehogs wake up from hibernation just in time for the beginning of spring. Males leave the nest as early as mid-March, while females don't wake up until early April. During the months of dormancy, the animals lost an average of a third of their weight. Experts suspect that male hedgehogs wake up a few weeks earlier because they need to stock up on new fat reserves in good time before the strenuous mating season begins.

    How much does a hedgehog need to weigh for hibernation?

    Hedgehog cubs are born well into September. These stragglers are often conspicuous in late fall as they forage during the day. If you come across a young animal, you can weigh it. A baby hedgehog should weigh at least 500 grams and not be sick or injured. For an adult, healthy hedgehog, the lower limit is 900 to 1000 grams.

    What should be considered when releasing a hedgehog after hibernation?

    Releasing a hedgehog after hibernation does not mean simply placing it in a bush in the garden. Rather, it is a slow process of getting used to it. Set up an enclosure with a feeding station for 5 to 6 days. Once the hedgehog has learned that there is a food source here, the enclosure is opened and the food bowl filled for another 7 days. In this way, the hedgehog can explore its territory without stress. After a week, remove the enclosure and feeder.

    Can I move a hibernating hedgehog?

    Relocating a hibernating hedgehog should only take place in urgent, exceptional cases. In advance, prepare a new place to hibernate in the sheltered, shady location. An old wooden wine crate, for example, is suitable as a sleeping house. Saw out two 10×10 cm cat-proof entrances and exits. Pad the inside with straw, leaves, and moss. You should only move the hedgehog when the new winter quarters are ready for occupancy.

    Can hedgehogs be released just before or during winter?

    This is easily possible for a healthy hedgehog of normal weight. As wild animals, hedgehogs are well adapted to life in the wild, regardless of the season. However, it becomes problematic for a young hedgehog that is underweight, even if it is otherwise healthy. With less than 500 grams, the young animal does not have sufficient fat reserves to survive the months of hibernation. For this emergency, hedgehog sanctuaries are ready to hibernate endangered hedgehogs under controlled conditions and only release them into the wild in the following spring.

    What is the difference between hibernation and hibernation?

    When animals go into hibernation, they drastically reduce all vital functions. The body temperature drops well below 10 degrees Celsius and people breathe only two to three times a minute. Real hibernators are dormice, marmots or hedgehogs. During hibernation, body temperature, respiratory rate and heartbeat remain almost normal. There are always short periods of waking to take in food. Squirrels, brown bears and raccoons resort to this survival strategy.

    tips

    Colored pencils are the perfect tool for children to discover nature in general and hedgehogs in particular. Various sources on the Internet offer free coloring pictures on the subject of sleeping hedgehogs, such as the large knowledge publisher for children "School and Family".

Category:

Animals in the garden