Help for prickly visitors
In the run-up to Hedgehog Awareness Week, Hannah Stephenson looks at what NOT to do if you want to help these garden creatures
So, Hedgehog Awareness Week (May 2-8) is almost upon us, when householders are urged to encourage these prickly visitors to their gardens. Indeed, some have almost adopted them as pets, picking them up and posting pictures on Instagram. But there are fundamental mistakes we are making, unaware that our actions may cause hedgehogs stress or even poison them.
Native hedgehogs are vulnerable and should be treated with care, says Grace Johnson of Hedgehog Street, a nationwide campaign now celebrating its 10th anniversary, launched by People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS).
Don’t keep them as pets
“It’s best not to handle native wild hedgehogs. Evidence shows they can get quite stressed,” says Johnson. The wild species we have in the UK is the west European hedgehog, which is a dark brown colour.
“African pygmy hedgehogs are a common pet in America. People here also keep them as pets, but you won’t find them in the wild. The wild species we have in the UK and Ireland is the west European hedgehog, which is a dark brown colour. We don’t recommend them as pets.”
Don’t pick them up unless you think they are injured or sick
“If you see a hedgehog out at night, you are very lucky. As long as it’s not trapped, or caught in netting or drains, leave it and watch it from a safe distance,” says Johnson. “If they are feeling threatened they will curl up into a ball. They can bite and will protect themselves if they need to.
“If you need to handle an injured hedgehog, wear thick gardening gloves to protect yourself and the hedgehog. Bring it inside and put it in a high sided box lined with an old towel or fleece that it can hide under. Also put a hot water bottle filled with just warm water in there so the hedgehog can warm up if it needs to.”
Don’t ignore it if you see a hedgehog during the day
“If you see one out and about in the day, it can be a warning sign and it often means there’s something wrong with it. As a guide, we say, if hedgehogs are moving quickly and look like they know where they are going, keep an eye on them.
“It could be a disturbed nest or a mum gathering nesting materials. But if it looks like it’s sunbathing or is wobbling on its legs, or if it has flies around it and looks injured, call the BHPS to check.”
Don’t use dog or cat flea powder on them
“Hedgehogs can be full of fleas, but they are host-specific so they can’t live on people or pets. If you see one in your garden covered in fleas, don’t use commercial pet treatments because they are generally going to be too strong,” says Johnson.
Don’t give them milk or bread or fishy flavoured pet food
“We don’t recommend bread or milk or any human food. Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant, so the milk will upset their tummies. Bread doesn’t provide any nutritional value.
“Feeding hedgehogs is a good idea – we recommend meaty cat or dog food – but try to avoid fishy flavours because they can sometimes upset the hedgehogs’ tummy. Dried kitten biscuits and things like that are fine. And leave water for them too.”
Don’t think that they will keep your slug population down
Some gardeners might create a hedgehog feeding station using slug and snail-loving plants such as hostas, but slugs and snails can give them internal parasites such as lungworm, warns Johnson. “Slugs and snails don’t form a major part of the hedgehogs’ natural diet. They’d rather feed on earthworms, beetles, caterpillars and earwigs.”
Don’t go mad with the strimmer or mower
“Have a mixture of long and short grass, leaving a patch of the lawn to be a bit longer. Try to plant native wildflowers and mix annuals such as cornflowers and poppies.
“Rethink weeds a bit. Dandelions are good for insects and pollinators, while low dense shrubs and UK grown fruit trees will attract insects as the fruit falls.” And if you are strimming, check first that there are no hedgehogs hiding in the grass.
Avoid chemicals
Finally, “don’t use slug pellets or chemical fertilisers,” says Johnson. “Try to keep your garden organic, to encourage insect life.”