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Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europeus)
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Many people only see hedgehog casualties on the roads, their first defence is to roll into a ball, but this is no defence when confronted by a car. They are frequent visitors to our gardens but are seldom seen. Go into your garden late on a summers evening, after dark and just listen, you may just hear the noisy creature snuffling around searching for slugs and worms or even eating the windfalls from a fruit tree. They are a gardeners friend as they can consume a hundred slugs in one night.
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Food:-Eats slugs, worms, insects, fruit and fungi in the wild. If you wish to feed hedgehogs then give them a bowl of meat based cat food (half a tin), or raw mince, feed it directly to the hedgehog when you see it otherwise if just left around, it will attract cats.
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Or try this special recipe:-
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Hedgehog Recipe |
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Meat flavoured cat biscuits
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unsalted peanuts
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sunflower seeds
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dried fruit
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birdseed mix (preferably with dried insects)
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Habitat:-The best way to attract hedgehogs to your garden is by providing untidy areas. It will hibernate between November and march in woodpiles, under sheds or at the bottom of hedges. Provide dry leaves for nesting. You could also supply a purpose built hedgehog box to keep them cosy dung the winter months.
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Important points
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Don’t feed hedgehogs bread and milk as it is not good for their digestive system.
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Don’t use slug pellets as hedgehogs will be harmed by the poisoned slugs and you are reducing their food supply.
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Do check bonfires before setting light to them- their could be a hedgehog sheltering in it.
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Do provide undisturbed woodpiles for them to nest and leaves for nesting material or even a purpose built nesting box.
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Do provide a bowl of water to wash food down with, especially when supplying dried food to the hedgehogs.
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For more information about hedgehogs please visit:-
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Wildforms, Keepers Cottage, Glenstockadale, Leswalt, Stranraer, Wigtownshire, DG9 0LU
email: pete@wildforms.co.uk Telephone: 01776 870453
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