What the HELL is tearing up my garden?
All along the walls in our back garden, something has been digging. This was a month ago:
This was two weeks ago:
It’s much, much worse now. What the hell could it be? It’s not birds, or cats, or our dog. I doubt a fox or badger would come in our wee space – the gate is very low and the space is small and reeks of dog.
Could we have a resident hedgehog? What the hell else could be doing this? Helppppp 🙂
heretherebespiders 
It looks like a hedgehog to me but I’m not wildlife expert.
It’s my guess, but previous to now I’ve only seen one in our back yard once – and it didn’t stick around. I hope it is – they eat slugs!
but won’t they tear up your garden? double edged sword maybe
Apparently so! But so far, it’s moss removal, which I have NO problem with! The occasional small bit of grass, but in the swamp I have at the moment, a quick foot-step will rip the grass out.
ah I forgot how wet it is there well the here’s to hoping it is a hedgehog
Me too! I just wonder where it goes during the day, if so? Should I put out some cat kibble?
Well the Internet says it is OK to feed it dry cat or dog food
I did know that – my concern is the dog will eat it before I get a chance to see if something else did 🙂
LOL well I don’t know how you keep your wee beastie from eating the food or maybe even the hedgehog. 🙂
Be sure an show when you find out!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
I will, if I ever do find out! There’s no scat or footprints yet.
Well it’s not Roo’s 😉 just sayin …out with the night vision goggles …hugs Fozziemum xx
I donno – I’m sure a roo could hop our gate no bother!
Bwahahaahahhaahahah 🙂
This looks like what my next door neighbours hens do to my garden lol
If it is a hedgehog though, remember oven gloves if you have to rescue them. If its hibernation season and they have been disturbed, they get very disorientated and the cold can wipe them out pretty quick. They are usually in dear places, like under planks, stones, in discarded pipes and that kind of thing.
Dear places was dark ffs lol
They are dear little things, it’s okay! Heheh. We think it is coming in under the gate and leaving again – but getting braver. I’m sure I have slugs a-plenty to snack on! I put a bowl with exactly 20 pieces of dog kibble in it in the shed – we’ll see if any goes missing!
I rescued one once that was zig zagging up the road, after being disturbed from hibernation. Kept it on a hot water bottle and fed it cat food then put it back into the hedge.
Google is an amazing thing lol
It’s not been that cold here – I still have sweet peas alive and happy out front. We looked under the oil-tank yesterday, nothing. Really not too many places to shelter in my garden! Might be coming in under the gate (there is a good gap) from an old stone wall just around the corner. Luckily the dog is only out to do her business and right back in again…
I didn’t think they would have done that much damage, but who knows. The little one with us was all disorientated bless it.
I have a tendency to throw my good homemade compost at the base of the walls when there is too much of it – so that area is probably chock-full of worms and slugs. I don’t mind – the grass is still there but the moss is flung about 🙂
My instinct would be to look at the gutter above. If it’s broken, or filled with dead leaves, the large amount of water coming in from the roof could do something very similar to this. Though normally not directly along the wall, because roofs are usually slightly longer than the wall. That was my first idea anyway when I saw the pictures, but then the comments about a hedgehog make sense too. I sure want to see the pictures if you catch it!
No gutter – it’s a dividing wall between properties. Only has a small cap a few centimetres wider than the wall. Plus, it’s only in a couple places, the moss has been dug out and flung around but not the grass. I don’t think it is birds because there aren’t any tracks, and no poop. I hope what ever it is is warm and safe today – being hailing off and on for hours now!
Good luck if you need any critter getters, let me know and I’ll bring the dogs.
Curiouser and curiouser…. I’d say hedgehog or cat…
Not a cat – I know kitties well and they wouldn’t dig like that, or toss the moss over their shoulder 😉
I was going to say mole but apparently we don’t have them in Ireland. Unless someone illegally smuggled one in!!
I hope not! Drove me crazy in Florida. But no, and they tunnel underneath and eat all the tasty roots.