a smol miscellanea

The Great Kibble Heist

A small hedgehog lying on his side on patch of bright green grass. His spiny back faces the camera, and one can just see his little snout sticking up on the right side.

Our a resident hedgehog, Piggiewinkuhl, totters about the garden during the twilight hours. He (or someone who looks a lot like him) has been here for a few years now, and we're very fond of him. (I say “him” because a “her” would be too much to hope for (HOGLETS!).)

We saved him from a horrible fate almost exactly one year ago, and have ever since then been debating what we can do to best to help him out more. We decided on a hedgehog shelter, and so recently acquired one made by Green Feathers from Hageglede.

A wooden hedgehog shelter with a rubberized roof resting on a stone slab, positioned against a pale grey wooden wall. The slate is surrounded by grass.

We set it up on Sunday and “baited it” with a little cat kibble while we wait for hedgehog food to arrive. Piggiewinkuhl, however, has tottered past ignoring it, and because we put it up in a blind spot, couldn't see why he didn't approve.

However, it has now been moved due to someone else lurking around unseen. Our friendly local tuxedo cat, Jaguar, has apparently been very intrigued by the smell of wild kibble. We know this because the camera inside the hedgehog house has been alerting us constantly to noises, and in some cases the physical presence of non-hedgehogs.

Night-vision footage screengrab from inside the wooden shelter showing a black cat snout peering in. Night-vision footage screengrab from inside the wooden shelter showing a black cat face peering in. Product shot of the wooden hedgehog house with the lid propped open, revealing the internal structure and compartment layout.

He gave it a good sniff just after we left the kibble on Sunday evening. And, because he's tenacious, another go the next morning. Bear in mind, the inside of the house looks like the photo on the right. It has a staggered entry as a mild anti-critter set-up built-in. So, it's safe, right?

Wrong!

When I got the alert from the Green Feathers app I almost had a smol heart attack, didn't watch the video, and rushed out to save him. I was met by a very self-satisfied cat, who proceeded, quite loudly, to ask for more kibble. So, he's just fine.

I'll be designing and 3D printing an anti-Jaguar tunnel extension to fit to the entrance ASAP. sigh

#Blog Post #Jaguar #Piggiewinkuhl #cats #hedgehogs