How to Make Your Garden Hedgehog-Friendly
In the tranquil retreat of your garden, an assortment of wildlife seeks refuge, plays, and forages. Among these creatures, the humble hedgehog, with its distinctive spiny coat and endearing face, holds a special place in the hearts of many British gardeners and wildlife enthusiasts. However, despite their popularity, hedgehogs are facing a decline, with habitats being threatened by urban expansion, traffic, and lack of food. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to make your garden a haven for these delightful animals.
Provide Easy Access
One of the first steps in making your garden hedgehog-friendly is to ensure these little wanderers can enter and exit without obstruction. Hedgehogs roam extensively in search of food, mates, and nesting sites, often covering more than a mile in a single night.
- Create Hedgehog Highways: Use our gravel boards with hedgehog hole or cut a 13cm x 13cm (5in x 5in) square hole at the bottom of your garden fence or gate to allow hedgehogs to pass through. Encourage your neighbours to do the same to create a network of gardens for hedgehogs to explore.
Offer Shelter
Shelter is paramount for hedgehogs, providing them with a safe space to nest, hibernate, and rear their young.
- Leave Wild Patches: Allowing areas of your garden to grow wild can provide natural nesting materials and cover for hedgehogs. Piles of leaves, logs, and twigs emulate a hedgehog’s natural habitat.
- Build or Buy a Hedgehog House: There are many varieties of hedgehog houses available to purchase, or you can build your own. Place it in a quiet, sheltered part of the garden, preferably against a fence or wall, and fill it with leaves or hay to encourage hedgehogs to move in.
Supply Food and Water
Providing food and water can be a lifeline for hedgehogs, especially during late summer and autumn when they are building up fat reserves for hibernation, and in spring when they are emerging from their winter sleep.
- Water: Leave shallow dishes of water out, especially during dry spells. This is vital for hedgehogs’ survival.
- Food: Offer hedgehog-specific food, chicken-based cat or dog food, or cat biscuits. Avoid bread and milk, as they can cause digestive issues. Feeding them at dusk is best.
Create a Safe Environment
Whilst making your garden inviting, it's equally important to ensure it’s a safe habitat for hedgehogs.
- Check for Hedgehogs: Before using strimmers or mowers, check for hedgehogs hiding in the undergrowth. Similarly, inspect piles of rubbish or bonfires for sleeping hedgehogs before burning.
- Limit Chemical Use: Reduce the use of pesticides and slug pellets in your garden. They can poison hedgehogs and reduce their food sources. Encouraging natural predators like hedgehogs is a better solution for pest control.
- Keep Netting and Litter Away: Garden netting, plastics, and litter can trap and harm hedgehogs. Keep netting raised off the ground and dispose of litter securely.
Foster a Diverse Ecosystem
Finally, fostering a broader ecosystem in your garden supports hedgehogs indirectly by ensuring a steady food supply.
- Encourage Invertebrates: Insects, worms, and other small creatures are the mainstay of a hedgehog’s diet. By planting a mix of native shrubberies, flowers, and leaving areas of the garden untended, you can attract a healthy population of these invertebrates.
In Conclusion
Making your garden hedgehog-friendly not only aids in the conservation of these charming creatures but enriches your garden ecosystem, making it a bustling hub of wildlife activity. By opening up your garden to hedgehogs, providing them with food, water, and shelter, and ensuring their safety, you play a vital role in safeguarding the future of one of Britain’s most beloved mammals. Plus, there’s nothing quite as rewarding as watching a hedgehog meander through your garden, knowing it's a safe haven for them.
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