10 September β 14 October
dates recorded for this region, not shifted from anywhere
Hedges, gardens and stone-wall margins after dark; audible long before it is visible.
A second litter in August is a trap: those young rarely reach the 600 grams they need to survive hibernation. A hedgehog out in daylight in November is not enjoying the sun, it is in trouble.
photos, sightings and recordings, off this site
where this species is on the list
| Phase | When | Length | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| hibernating | 15 October β 4 April | 172 days | True hibernation: body temperature drops and the animal cannot simply wake. |
| going about the year | 5 April β 30 April | 26 days | Feeding, holding territory, doing nothing the calendar singles out. |
| courting | 1 May β 24 May | 24 days | Song, display, fighting, scent-marking β pairs forming or reaffirming. |
| pregnant | 25 May β 19 June | 26 days | Pregnant. Nothing to see from outside, which is why the dates matter. |
| raising young | 20 June β 24 July | 35 days | Dependent young in the nest, den or burrow, being fed. |
| young out of the den | 25 July β 9 September | 47 days | Young out of the nest or den, but still fed and followed by the adults. |
| young dispersing | 10 September β 14 October | 35 days | Young leaving for good, looking for a territory of their own. |