Hedgehogs are considered the gardener’s friend as they can help keep some of the garden pests under control. However whilst they give us the pleasure of seeing them as they wander across our gardens late at night, we can cause them a lot of problems with our gardening activities. The following advice should help to reduce some of the problems that they might encounter in our gardens.
Bonfires – use a proper incinerator or move the pile to be burnt just before setting fire to it. This should ensure that no hedgehog has made a home in the rubbish. Do not burn or trim pampas grass until you are sure there are no hedgehogs nesting in it and always light checked material from one side only to offer an escape route for anything you may have missed.
Netting – keep all pea-netting a foot above the ground so the hedgehogs can pass safely underneath and not become entangled. The same applies to tennis nets, football nets etc., which should be safely stored away when not in use or at least raised up securely. Barbed wire should be kept off the ground and never left trailing or carelessly discarded.
Ponds – provide escape routes e.g. plastic coated wire mesh draped over the side and into the water to make a ladder, or a purpose-built ramp. If possible when making a pond have a gentle slope to at least one of the sides. Keep ponds topped up, especially in hot weather so hedgehogs are less likely to topple in when taking a drink. Children’s paddling pools and sandpits are also dangerous when filled with rainwater. Keep pots etc. that might fill with water upside down. Provide a shallow dish of clean water for all visiting wildlife.
Drains – keep drain holes covered: this stops leaves from blocking the drain and hedgehogs from falling in. Check uncovered drains, bean trenches, holes for footings etc. and garage inspection pits daily to make sure no hedgehogs are trapped. Provide escape routes if possible, e.g. a plank with batons.
Fences – repair wooden fences that blow down in the wind etc. as soon as possible or hedgehogs may be tempted to make their nests underneath them. Create 13 x 13cm (5 x 5”) square holes (hedgehog highways) in the bottom of fences or newly constructed walls so that hedgehogs can come and go. Use environmentally safe wood preservatives on sheds, fences etc. as hedgehogs often lick new smells or substances – your garden centre should be able to advise on suitable preservatives. Very occasionally hedgehogs are found with a leg trapped in between the gaps in log rolls (used for edging) so check these and other hazards regularly.
Wild Patches – STRIMMERS MUTILATE – take care when mowing or cutting long grass and tidying wild patches, as they are ideal places for a hedgehog’s nest. When cutting long overgrown areas check for hedgehogs and other wildlife, then cut initially to about a foot long. Check again before cutting any lower. Providing a suitable nesting or hibernation box can help prevent accidental disturbance. Bin bags left at ground level will also attract hedgehogs and they may try to nest in them and risk getting put out for the dustcart.
Compost – another ideal place for a hedgehog to make a nest and rear its young. Take care when turning the heap; one thrust of a fork can easily kill more than one baby hedgehog. The safest time to spread the heap is probably Oct/Nov when most babies have left their mum and adults have not yet started to hibernate. Partly used bags of compost that have been accessible may also have nesting hedgehogs in them.
Slug Pellets – we ask that you don’t use slug pellets at all. If you must use them, use sparingly in the middle of a narrow pipe or under a slab raised just off the ground with pebbles and pick up the dead slugs and snails as soon as possible. Read the directions for use before you use the product. Much better to use organic methods that don’t risk harming hedgehogs or other animals.
Sheds – do not suddenly decide to keep doors closed which have previously been left open for some weeks without first checking that there are no nesting hedgehogs inside. Keep chemicals, oil etc. in both sheds and garages out of the reach of hedgehogs. We receive a lot of calls in summer from people dismantling sheds who find a mother with babies under it – so do take care and if possible dismantle in October when the hoglets have left the nest and hibernation is unlikely to have started.
Dogs – if you have a dog which you know attacks hedgehogs, try to warn the hedgehog when the dog is being let out, e.g. turn on an outside light a minute or so before letting the dog out. Also for the dog’s garden visits after dark you might consider putting them on a lead or using a muzzle. These precautions should only be necessary at night. You may notice that hedgehogs have their own routine i.e. they appear at a certain time from a certain point. If this is observed keep the dog in during those times.
Not all the above suggestions will be practical for one reason or another but be aware of the dangers your gardening activities may cause and try to minimise them.
These suggestions are just some ways to help visiting hedgehogs but if you want to actively encourage them into your garden you can provide food in suitable feeding stations and nesting sites (e.g. a pile of leaves or log pile in a quiet corner of the garden). Surveys show that hedgehog numbers are in decline so anything you can do to help them will be appreciated. They are particularly vulnerable in the autumn when they are fattening up for hibernation and extra food then can be a lifesaver.
Feeding – to encourage a hedgehog to stay in or near your garden ensure it has a fresh supply of water available – especially in very hot weather. Make sure you have wild corners or edges and log piles to offer shelter and natural food resources for hedgehogs. You might like to supplement their natural diet with a dish of good quality meaty hedgehog food, meaty cat or dog food or cat biscuits, in a place where the hedgehog can get it, but not the local cats (e.g. under something low). TIP: look for meat as the first ingredient. Always ensure food and water bowls are kept clean.
Never take a hedgehog from the wild and put it into your garden nor take one from your garden and re-home it elsewhere. If this is done and there are young they may die once their parent is removed. In addition, the new site may not be suitable for hedgehogs (even if we think it should be!). They will be familiar with local food, water and nesting sites, so it would be cruel to unnecessarily take them away from that.
Finally if you do accidentally disturb a nest with a single adult hedgehog in it, replace the nesting material. The hedgehog can then either repair the nest or build another elsewhere. If the disturbed hedgehog is hibernating and wakes up, a dish of food and some water each night until it starts hibernating again would be helpful.
If there are babies in the nest, again replace the nesting material, handling the nest as little as possible so as not to leave your smell on it. Keep an eye on the nest to see if mum returns and telephone your local independent rescue if you know one, or the BHPS for a local contact. Do not allow friends, children etc. to uncover the nest for a peep. If the mother has returned, she may abandon, harm or kill her young if she is disturbed again.
