This is how hedgehogs survive the winter

the essentials in brief

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

Do hedgehogs hibernate?

Hedgehogs are the only winter sleepers among insectivores. Hedgehogs use this survival strategy to bridge the cold season and the associated lack of food. The animals withdraw into a weatherproof, well-insulated, spherical nest for four to five months. Here they curl up and reduce all body functions to a minimum. Short periods of wakefulness before going to the toilet are not uncommon.

Why does the hedgehog hibernate?

Because there is nothing to eat in winter, hedgehogs overslept the cold season. The insectivores in the prickly dress feed primarily on beetles, maggots, snails and earthworms. After the first frost at the latest, the menu is swept empty because most of the insects die or retreat to winter quarters. Since hedgehogs do not run a stock economy, they eat up a supply of fat in good time and go into hibernation until the next spring.

Hedgehogs are masterful energy savers. Put your little body into stand-by mode so that the fat reserves you have gained last for many months. 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 breathing 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 beginning and end of hibernation with the weather conditions. Hedgehogs only retreat to their winter quarters when bitterly cold nights or the first snow has dried up their sources of food. 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

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

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Max the hedgehog - lullaby for little rascals

When do hedgehogs end hibernation?

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

Hedgehogs usually wake up from hibernation at the end of March

Hedgehog found during hibernation - what to do?

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

There is nothing to be alarmed about when a hedgehog wakes up from hibernation. After a short waking phase, an awakened 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.

Hedgehog hibernating or dead? - That's how you find out

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

Where does the hedgehog hibernate?

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

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

Leaves and wood left behind are ideal winter quarters for hedgehogs

What weight guarantees healthy hibernation?

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

Please do not expose a well-fed, healthy hedgehog to the stress of weight determination. A lively, plump spiny animal is best at organizing its preparations for hibernation. In many cases the prickly sleepyhead has been woken up and is looking for a new place to sleep. Recognizable emaciated, weak or apathetic hedgehogs, on the other hand, should be on the scales in order to be able to make an informed decision about 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 the date, place, time and weight of the find. Also, examine the hedgehog for injuries or identifiable illnesses and note the symptoms. It gives an important indication of the state of health Hedgehog droppings. Then please contact a regional hedgehog rescue center or the veterinarian. On the basis of the information collected, the experts are at your side with advice and action.

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

Capricious weather conditions or initial gardening work often startle hedgehogs out of hibernation too early. If you come across a roaming hedgehog from the beginning to the middle of March, the insects that are present are nowhere near enough to meet the high nutritional needs. Now one of the few exceptions applies to supplementary feeding. So feed You hedgehogs correctly after hibernation:

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

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

How to 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 hedgehog rescue stations with valuable help in releasing young hedgehogs back into the wild if they have been raised by hand. Occasionally, formerly underweight, young or adult hedgehogs are abandoned after a controlled overwintering in the new area. Knowledgeable release means a time-consuming procedure and has nothing to do with half-hearted release in the next bush. How to properly poach 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 the hedgehog in the open-air 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 7. Day reduce the daily amount of food by a third

Thanks to this procedure, the hedgehog can calmly explore its new territory and find the best places for juicy insects and fat beetles. The feeding station, which is still stocked, 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 will have to take care of his food independently.

frequently asked Questions

When do hedgehogs go into hibernation?

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

When do hedgehogs wake up from hibernation?

Just in time for the beginning of spring, hedgehogs wake up from their hibernation. Males leave the sleeping nest as early as mid-March, whereas females do not wake up until the beginning of April. During the months of rest, the animals lost an average of a third of their weight. Experts suspect that male hedgehogs wake up a few weeks earlier because they have to feed on new fat reserves in good time before the strenuous mating season begins.

How much does a hedgehog have to weigh to hibernate?

Hedgehog cubs are born well into September. These stragglers are often noticed in late autumn because they go looking for food during the day. If you meet a young animal, you can weigh it. A young hedgehog should weigh at least 500 grams, not be sick or injured. For an adult, healthy hedgehog, the lower limit is 900 to 1000 grams.

What should we watch out for when we abandon a hedgehog after hibernation?

Releasing a hedgehog after hibernation does not mean simply placing it in a bush in the garden. Rather, a slow familiarization process has to be completed. Set up an enclosure with a feeding station for 5 to 6 days. Once the hedgehog has learned that there is a source of food here, the enclosure is opened and equipped with a filled food bowl for another 7 days. This way the hedgehog can explore its territory stress-free. After a week, remove the enclosure and feeding station.

Can I move a hedgehog while it's hibernating?

Moving a hedgehog in hibernation should only take place in urgent exceptional cases. Prepare a new hibernation place in the protected, shady location in advance. An old wooden wine box, for example, is suitable as a sleeping house. Saws You have two cat-safe entrances and exits with 10 × 10 cm. 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 shortly before the start of the winter or during the winter?

This is easily possible for a healthy hedgehog with a normal weight. As wild animals, hedgehogs are excellently adapted to a life in the wild, regardless of the current season. However, it becomes problematic for a young hedgehog who is underweight, even if he is otherwise healthy. At less than 500 grams, the young animal does not have sufficient fat reserves to survive months of hibernation. In the event of an emergency, hedgehog sanctuaries are available to overwinter endangered hedgehogs under controlled conditions and only release them 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 sinks well below 10 degrees Celsius and you only breathe two to three times per minute. Real hibernators are dormice, marmots and hedgehogs. During hibernation, body temperature, breathing rate and heartbeat remain almost normal. There are always short periods of wakefulness to take in food. Use this survival strategy squirrel, Brown bear and raccoon back.

Tips

Colored pencils are the perfect tool for children to discover nature in general and the hedgehog in particular. Various sources on the net offer a free coloring picture on the subject of sleeping hedgehogs, like the big knowledge publisher for children "School and Family".