leave a mess
Often gardens can be too tidy
and leave little room for wildlife.
Hedgehogs need somewhere to
make a nice warm nest and
to hide from predators. They
also need areas abundant in
gastropods (slugs and snails) in
order to feed.
Create a leaf pile behind your
shed or greenhouse and leave a
wild / scrubby corner of your
garden un-mown or not formally
planted so that hedgehogs have a
safe place to rest and forage.
make a log pile
Log piles may be used for
hibernation and nesting but they
will also attract insects, snails
and caterpillars into your garden
for the hedgehogs to eat.
Alison Daykin
Collect any old dead wood from
your garden or ask the local park
for permission to take some from
their supply and pile it up in a
quiet undisturbed corner of your
garden. As the wood rots down,
replenish the logs from time to
time. Remember to check for
hedgehogs if you are going to
move it elsewhere.
make ponds
safe
Hedgehogs are good swimmers
but can get stuck in ponds or
swimming pools and may drown
if they can’t find a way to get
out when they are tired.
Froglife
If you have a pond or pool,
ensure that there are escape
routes should a hedgehog fall
in. You could position a plank of
wood at the pond edge or pile
some rocks at one end so that it
can climb out. When planning to
dig a pond try to ensure it has
gently sloping sides (which will
also help our amphibious garden
friends too).
check before
mowing
Please be careful when using
any cutting equipment in your
garden. Mowers and strimmers
are particularly dangerous as
these can wound or even kill
hedgehogs hiding or nesting in
long vegetation.
Before mowing or strimming,
check in long patches of grass,
along rough edges and under
hedges. If you do discover a
hedgehog, please either postpone
your mowing or carefully move
it (using thick gloves!) to a safer
place in the garden or place in a
cardboard box temporarily until
you have finished cutting.
bonfire night
Check any piles of wood or
garden refuse for hibernating
hedgehogs before burning. Where
possible re-site the pile on the
day it is to be lit. If this is not
possible, check carefully and
then light from one side only so
anything caught isn’t surrounded
by flames right away and has a
chance of escape.
Hedgehogs often use wood piles
as a safe, sheltered place to
spend the winter. They usually
hibernate from November to
April, but check for wildlife all
year round.
don’t use slug
pellets
Hedgehogs may unwittingly eat
slug pellets or poisoned slugs so
ideally avoid using them (try
alternatives such as beer-baited
slug traps). If you do use them:
only buy those containing a dye
or taste deterrent; only put them
out when and where you have a
problem preferably in a tube or
pipe too small for hedgehogs to
fit through and remove any dead
slugs you find.
Finally, remember – hedgehogs
actually eat slugs and other
garden pests, so encourage
hedgehogs into your garden and
they may help with the gardening!
babies
It is unusual to see baby
hedgehogs moving about without
their mothers unless they are
in trouble. This could be either
because their mother has not
returned home or they are ill. If
you see any hoglets make sure
there are no adult hedgehogs
anywhere close by before you
potentially seperate them from
their mother.
Steve Heliczer
Once you are sure they have been
abandoned please contact British
Hedgehog Preservation Society
as the hoglets may be too small
to survive the winter hibernation
alone. It is important not to
disturb them too much as they
can be very easily stressed.
food
Nigel Kingwill
You can put out dog food, cat
food or special hedgehog food
as this often makes for good
hedgehog-watching. It also
provides energy for hedgehogs
particularly during harsh
weather (either hot and dry or
very cold). However, ensuring
your garden is a good habitat
with natural foods such as
slugs, snails, earthworms,
caterpillars and beetles is also
very important. Plant flowers
and shrubs that will encourage
insects, and this will benefit a
wide range of wildlife. Provide
several sources of water at
different points around your
garden for hedgehogs and birds.
link your
garden
Hedgehogs need to roam across
several gardens to find food and
mates. Barriers such as solid
fences and walls often prevent
their movement. Hedges and
natural boundaries are better for
hedgehogs as they allow them
to roam free and can provide
shelter.
If you already have a wall
or fence try creating a small
hole, approx 15cm in height
and width, which will enable
hedgehogs to move between yours
and your neighbours’ gardens,
without encouraging pets such as
cats and dogs to wander.
people’s trust for
endangered
species
for more
information
www.hedgehogstreet.org
People’s Trust for Endangered
Species
15 Cloisters House
8 Battersea Park Road
London, SW8 4BG
www.ptes.org
020 7498 4533
British Hedgehog Preservation
Society
Hedgehog House
Dhustone, Ludlow
Shropshire, SY8 3PL
www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk
01584 890801
garden
chemicals
It is generally better for all
wildlife to use chemicals sparingly
(or not at all) in your garden.
Firstly, insecticides kill insects
which hedgehogs feed on. This
will reduce the amount of food
available to them and other wild
animals. Secondly, the chemicals
themselves may harm hedgehogs
if eaten and may have longterm, unknown effects.
Other chemicals: Use
environmentally safe wood
preservatives on sheds and fences
as hedgehogs often lick new
smells or substances.
hibernation
Hedgehogs hibernate from
around November to April, when
their food supplies are scarce.
If you accidentally disturb a
nest with an adult hedgehog in
it, replace the nesting material.
The hedgehog can then either
repair the nest or build another
elsewhere.
Dave Bevan
If the disturbed hedgehog is
hibernating and wakes up, put
out a dish of dog food and some
water each night until it starts
hibernating again.