Bennie’s Bucket List

Above): Bennie’s bounty in a green bucket – the critter is still alive.

Yesterday, I was walking around the garden taking some pictures for our Garden Notebook blogspot. As usual, the two Labradors Bennie and Sophie were close at my heels, on the off-chance that I might encounter something which they haven’t seen.

Without warning, I was treated to two unrehearsed field hunts by both dogs, as they relentlessly attacked some sort of prey in a lemon bush and another (or perhaps the same fiend) in a hedge of tall hydrangeas, sniffing out the grass all around and trying to climb up the plants, on the trail of a fresh spoor track of an interesting who-knows-what.

(Above): Sophie on the left and Bennie on the right, with their heads literally glued inside the Lemonade bush, spiky thorns and all.

(Above): Over here, Sophie. Bennie leading the way into the inner depths of the hydrangea hedge. Luckily the plants are due for some serious pruning in the near future, because the canine treatment can only be described as merciless. I fully expected Bennie to exit the fray with a crocodile (or something equally unexpected) hanging from his jowls, or at the very least, one of his favourite hedgehogs. Sadly, this was either a dress-rehearsal hunt, or an attack on some invisible alien. Hmmm.

On the subject of hedgehogs, it is probably not necessary, but I can confirm that Bennie brought home another sizeable hedgie after the previous evening’s trio. This one was alive and kicking. I received an enquiry regarding the hedgehogs which Bennie the Labrador has been collecting regularly over the past few months. I read up a bit and list some answers in case anyone else has an interest.

(Above): A hedgehog quill. Unlike the African and American porcupines with long deadly quills, the local hedgehog in New Zealand is a tiny rodent, with appropriately tiny needles. This photo of one I found sticking into the sole of my foot (thank you) shows the length to be a tad under 20mm.

The hedgehog is an unmistakable small nocturnal mammal, grey-brown in colour with its back and sides entirely covered with spines. They are 150-250mm in overall body length and reach a maximum of around 1kg, but their weight can drop dramatically during winter hibernation.

Hedgehogs rely on their spines for protection and roll into a tight ball when threatened.

In winter, hedgehogs hibernate.  Winter dens are under tree roots or deep dry litter, in rabbit burrows or other dry refuges. Male hedgehogs begin hibernation much earlier than females.Then in spring, as early as September, the long breeding season starts, yet young may be born as late as May. Two litters can be produced per year, each of 4-7 young; however juvenile mortality is high.  The young are independent after about seven weeks.

Hedgehogs are mainly insectivorous, with key prey items being slugs, snails and larger insects, but will eat almost any animal substance and some plant material. They find much of their prey by smell.

[Source: Dept of Conservation]