Last night my brother came running in at about 11 and dragged me into the kitchen. He was insisting there was something making noise in the back garden, convinced it was either a dog or an axe wielding murdered. But when we turned the light on we found a pair of hedgehogs snuffing about in the leaves.
They were probably just out of hibernation. Normally hedgehogs will hibernate from about November to March but we've had quite a late winter this year. As it's warmed up over the last few week all the hibernating animals will have come out again.
Some larger hedgehogs can go into hibernation at about September and stay in until April. During hibernation they sometimes wake up several times to check and see how cold it is.
Also, have you ever wondered how hedgehogs have sex?
The hedgehog's dilemma is based on the idea that male hedgehogs would get injured by the female's spikes.
Well I discovered apparently the male's penis is very central to their abdomen and is often mistaken for a belly button. Females in estrous can then curl the end of her tail up to expose the vulva.
So hedgehog rape is impossible!!
And hedgehog offspring are called hoglets!!
