What you can do to help hedgehogs in your garden

We can all help by making our gardens hedgehog friendly and persuading our neighbours to do likewise.

The better we look after hedgehogs in our own gardens the fewer will end up needing urgent care.

We can help by providing

• FOOD - Hedgehogs need reliable access to food whatever the weather. They need to eat every day so a small bowl of supplementary food will be appreciated. Meat based dog or cat food is ideal.
  
  Please DO NOT feed them mealworms, bread or milk
  
  

• WATER - Make sure there is always clean drinking water available at ground level.
  
  

• SHELTER - Hedgehogs need sleeping, breeding and hibernating quarters so plenty of space, quiet corners and dry cover will help them flourish. Providing a cosy hedgehog house would be very much appreciated.
  
  

• ACCESS - Hedgehogs need to roam large areas to find food, nesting materials and a mate so make gaps in fences or gates to allow them to move between gardens freely.
  
  

• SAFETY - Be careful when gardening - strimmers, mowers, sharp implements all cause terrible injuries to  hedgehogs.
  
  Bonfires need to be checked before lighting as hedgehogs love to nest in them.
  
  Ponds need to be made safe so that a hedgehog can get out if it falls in. They can swim but do need to be able to climb out.
  
  Fencing and netting can be hazardous as hedgehogs often get caught or trapped.
  
  Please don't use poisons.​
  
  Always take care when driving at night. Many hedgehogs are killed by cars and lorries each year. Spines are little defence  against wheeled predators.
  
  

• PROTECTION -  Some pets are territorial and will attack hedgehogs. Please ensure the safety of both by keeping pets away where possible.

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