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BURNTISLAND HEDGEHOG HAVEN

🏆 MULTI AWARD WINNING RESCUE 🏆

IS YOUR GARDEN SAFE?

HERE ARE A FEW POINTERS FOR THINGS TO BE AWARE OF

Hedgehogs are frequent garden visitors, but everyday items and landscaping features can pose serious risks. This page will help you identify and eliminate common hazards to create a safe haven for these spiky friends.

  • The first thing is to make sure they can gain access by creating a 13cm x 13cm hole in your fence.
  • Hedgehogs love snuffling around for insects so if you can create a wild area in your garden to encourage insects (even just a wild corner) that would be fantastic.
  • Longer grass is great for insects to hide in.
  • To encourage insects, lots of ground cover plants are good.
  • Shrubs, wild flowers and log piles are great for attracting insects.
  • Pampas grass, bamboo and red hot poker plants are favourites to nest in.
  • Remove any hazards such as garden netting (ensure it is well above the ground) and football goal posts.
  • If you have a pond please ensure there is a ramp for easy access out of the pond.
  • Always cover or empty swimming pools/paddling pools.
  • Be careful with compost heaps, log stores and leaf piles as these are perfect places for hedgehogs to nest or hibernate.
  • Avoid using chemicals in the garden. This includes decking and patio cleaners, weedkiller and all pesticides such as slug pellets and ant powder.
  • Please be careful when using any machinery in the garden.
  • Strimmers cause horrendous injuries and even death.
  • Always make time to check in the long grass and bushes by hand.
  • Hedgehogs will NOT run away from noise but will ball up and stay where they are.
  • If you have dogs that might attack hedgehogs its best to put the dog on a lead for nighttime toilet breaks.
  • If your doig ever picks up a hedgehog it is always best to get the hedgehog checked by a rescue in case of puncture wounds to the skin which could become infected.
  • Please ensure all drains have covers and that any big holes are filled in. A hedgehog’s sight is poor and they can easily fall in and become trapped and die.
  • Hedgehogs would be grateful of a bowl of kitten biscuits or tinned cat (no fish) or dog food. Be careful if feeding wet food in summer due to flies.
  • You can easily make a feeding station (Click Here for more information) which will protect the food from cats and the weather. Providing water is so important hedgehogs drink a lot so a couple of shallow bowls of fresh water around the garden is a must.
  • If you have a secluded, shady area in your garden this is the perfect spot for a hedgehog nest box or shelter. Sadly many hedgehog nest boxes online and in stores are too small and made of very poor quality wood. Check our guidance on nest boxes here.