Homes for hedgehogs - Welcome

Creating a wilder area in your garden is a great way to provide both shelter and a food source for your hedgehogs. Hedgehogs love to tuck themselves away in leaf mould and log piles, so having these features will help them feel at home. Wilder areas are also great homes for invertebrates, a fantastic source of food for hedgehogs.

Cutting 13cm x 13cm square holes in your fences, digging tunnels underneath or creating gaps in walls and boundaries so that hedgehogs are able to navigate the environment, is one of the top ways to help hedgehogs. In order to forage for food and find mates, hedgehogs will travel up to 2km a night. Without their ability to move across gardens, hedgehogs are limited in their feeding areas and are often forced onto dangerous roads.

Encouraging invertebrates into your garden is one way to provide food for your hedgehogs, but supplementary food – such as meaty cat or dog food - is also very useful if usual sources are scarce – especially as hedgehogs approach hibernation. Water is always important, especially during dryer months when hedgehogs might struggle to find a natural source of hydration

There are many hidden dangers for hedgehogs in a normal garden. Removing netting from your garden will stop hedgehogs getting tangled, and making sure there’s a ramp in any ponds or water features will help them get out of water if they fall in.

Pesticides not only kill a hedgehog’s natural food supply, they can also end up poisoning the hedgehog itself. Reducing or even stopping pesticide use will definitely benefit hedgehogs, as well as other wildlife. Other garden chemicals such as creosote also have a detrimental effect on hedgehogs, so should be swopped out for organic, garden friendly versions.

Before you start strimming or mowing lawns always check for hedgehogs who can be seriously hurt by this equipment. Bonfires can also be a big risk for hedgehogs, as they use bonfire piles as homes. Before starting a bonfire, check underneath in case a hedgehog has made its home there.

If we are to help hedgehogs, we need more data to understand their populations. You can help us gather data by reporting hedgehog sightings to the Somerset Environmental records centre, by supporting data gathering charities like the People’s Trust for Endangered species, or joining our annual hedgehog count in September.