On discovering we had a hedgehog, I set about researching feeding stations with a view to building one. Several sites mentioned baffles to stop felines snitching hedgehog food. I know how small a hole out cats can squeeze through, and immediately designed my hedgehog feeding station with baffles.
Firstly, what is a baffle? Apart from confusion, it is also an obstruction to restrict flow of a fluid. In our case, a sinuous feline.
Here is what baffles look like in my home built hedgehog feeding station - which only took two hours to knock up out of 150x15mm gravel board, and a bit of left over roofing felt. NOTE the feeding station in the first photos is upside down. I do not have a base, simply plonking the feeding station on what I laughingly call a lawn. There is no mess to clean up, as I simply move it around every week or so.
These dishes are produced by RSPB. I found them in our local Pets at Home for £4 each. Bargain. NOTE, now that it has finally stopped raining, one of the dishes will be filled with water. Though I do have a pond, and there are woods behind us where there are a couple of large ponds, so the hog will not do without water.
Let's start with the local ruffian, a neighbour's cat which is a bit of a thug. Without the baffles it could easily reach any hog food.
Still not convinced? First some photos of the hedgehog going through the hole I cut in our side gate.
Now the ruffian
Oops, my cut and paste went a bit wry.
Now one of our cats, who is smaller than the local ruffian.
And now the other way
T'was nothing, she says.
90% luck, 5% field craft, 5% camera skills.
Hmm, can't seem to edit my own post.
The gravel board I used was 150mm x 25mm. Not the size I had in my original post. I've been doing a bit of plumbing, so have 15mm pipes on my mind.
I also bought the gravel boards from a local timber merchants, in my case Beaumont forestry. Cheaper than the DIY superstores and better quality. The boards have been pressure treated, but with the safe preservative. I should hope so, seeing as I made my raised veg beds out of them.
Lot to learn
After all of above, I realised I haven't shown our hog actually using its feeder. Plus, another reason for baffles.
In addition to bird and hog feeder, I have a messy garden. Lots of leaves from oak and birch trees in borders. Logs lying around from when I pollarded the birch trees. And the pond, some 1.3 square metres - complete with frogs and Great Crested newt!
I also put a trail cam inside the feeder, but the thing had a great deal of difficulty focusing. This is an Apeman trail cam, which isn't brilliant at stills, though its videos aren't bad. I might put my ancient Victure trail cam in, which does better with close ups. I hadn't used it for some time as I thought its PIR had stopped. Not so, it needs a goodly amount of charge in the batteries i.e. better than about 15%.
Now, the unwelcome visitor.
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