Author: Mel Smith

 

Hedgehog Awareness Week occurs during the first week of May each year. The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) helps raise awareness through campaigns, advocacy and educational projects so that practical steps can be taken to reverse the decline of hedgehogs in the wild. The BHPS also funds research to gain further insights into these much-loved creatures. Through Hedgehog Awareness Week, the BHPS aim to draw attention to the work they do and encourage the British public to get involved. But what can you do to help this endangered species? Read on to find out more…

 

How can I help hedgehogs?

 

There are a number of things you can do to help hedgehogs thrive in your local area, starting in your garden:

 

• Make sure that any piles of leaves or logs are left undisturbed. They can make an effective hedgehog nest and will also double up as a great habitat to attract a rich feast of earwigs, centipedes and woodlice.

 

• Cover any drains or deep holes that hedgehogs could fall into. If you have a pond or swimming pool, make sure there is an easy way out. Although hedgehogs can swim, they sometimes need a helping hand. Try placing half submerged rocks near the water’s edge, to help them should they get stuck.

 

• When spring arrives and gardening begins, be sure to check grassy areas before using a lawn mower or strimmer. This will prevent any potential accidents with hedgehogs.

 

• Avoid using pesticides or poisons that hedgehogs may accidently ingest, whether that be directly or when eating food sources such as beetles, worms and caterpillars.

 

•  Although you might find it hard if your garden is your pride and joy, try to leave the gardening as long as possible to allow wildlife to thrive in a more natural habitat.

 

• Tidy up any litter that may have been left or blown into your garden to avoid any hedgehogs getting trapped.

 

What should you do if you find a hedgehog in your garden?

 

There are a few things to consider if you spot a hedgehog before deciding if any action is needed. If the hedgehog is out at dusk or late evening, this is perfectly normal behaviour and the hedgehog can be left well alone. Leave out a shallow dish of fresh water and some scrummy Spike’s Hedgehog Food to help them with the energy they need to raise their new hoglets or to build up their fat stores ready for hibernation.

 

If you spot a hedgehog out in winter or in the middle of the day, then it could be that the hedgehog is unwell. In the winter months, hedgehogs traditionally hibernate due to the lack of food available in colder temperatures. However, this is no longer always the case with many hedgehogs coming out of hibernation in winter in search of food. Some hedgehogs, in southerly parts of the country, might not hibernate at all, so seeing a hedgehog out in the winter is not always a reflection of them being unwell. It can be hard to tell if there is something wrong so if in doubt, seek advice from your local hedgehog rescue. 

 

When should I help a hedgehog?

 

If you spot a hedgehog in your garden in the winter months or in the middle of the day, check to see if their eyes are open. If they are open then the hedgehog is not in immediate danger but you can continue to monitor from a distance, just to be on the safe side.

 

If you find one on a road, laying with their eyes closed, or if they look like they might weigh less than 300 grams, they likely need some help.

 

Other signs that a hedgehog might be in distress and need your help are:

 

• Appears to be lethargic – hedgehogs don’t sunbathe. They prefer dark, damp areas so if you happen to see one out in the sun and they’re not moving, it is likely there is something wrong.
• Flies – if a hedgehog has a swarm of flies surrounding them, they urgently need some help. 
• Wobbly – while out and about, if you spot a hedgehog that seems wobbly when they walk, then the hedgehog is unwell and needs help from a hedgehog rescue.
• Obviously injured – no matter what the injury is, make sure you speak with a hedgehog expert who can offer support with next steps.
• Trapped – have they been caught in netting, a pond or in a drain? If so, the hedgehog is going to need a helping hand.
• Hoglets – if you see hoglets out in the day, without an adult and/or they are squawking, they will need intervention from a hedgehog rescue or the RSPCA.

 

If you spot a hedgehog that fits one of the above criteria, contact the RSPCA or your local hedgehog rescue, who will be able to offer further assistance. For more help or advice about spotting the signs of a hedgehog in distress, take a look at The British Hedgehog Preservation Society website for more information.

Do you have regular hedgehog visitors in your back garden? Why not add your sightings to our hedgehog map and take part in the Spike’s Great British Hedgehog Survey.

 

 

Can you remember the last time you saw a hedgehog? For many of us, the last memory of seeing a spiky friend dates back to childhood. That’s not to say that they aren’t still visiting you though, it might be that you’re just not seeing the signs that they’ve been in your garden. If you’re not sure what you should be looking for, here are some top tips for tracking your hedgehog visitors.

1. Check for hedgehog tracks

As hedgehogs come out at night it can be tricky to spot them or to even know they’ve been. One of the first things to look out for is footprints. The average hedgehog weighs just one kilogram, so footprints are only visible if the ground is soft or wet. Check for footprints in muddy parts of your lawn or in flower beds. 

A hedgehog footprint is usually around 2.5cm long and 2.8cm wide. They have five toes on both their front and back feet but only four toes show up in their tracks. A hedgehogs front footprints look like little handprints while their back footprints are longer and slimmer.

If you think you can see hedgehog footprints but aren’t 100% sure, you can build a hedgehog tunnel or house and put a sheet of white paper down. This will allow you to see if any tracks or marks are left on the piece of paper by a neighbourhood hedgehog.

2. Look out for droppings

Finding droppings in your garden is a sure-fire way of knowing that you’ve had some spiky visitors. Not to get too graphic here but just so you know what to look for, hedgehog droppings are dark in colour due to their diet and tend to be found as singular droppings. They can range in size from 15mm to 50mm and look similar to a cat poo but are round on top rather than pointy.

3. Your garden has been disturbed

As many of you will know, hedgehogs love to settle in large piles of leaves, logs or compost heaps – anywhere that is dark and damp! Your garden visitors will have left a trail as they move around so look for areas of your garden where small tunnels have been forged.

If you suspect a hedgehog has set up home in your garden, try leaving a few large leaves over the entrance of the tunnel or a log pile before dusk and check the following morning to see if the leaves have moved.

4. Listen for noises

Hedgehogs are known for making quite loud noises and they are capable of making a range of sounds from quiet snuffling, to hissing and even loud screaming, which can sometimes be mistaken for human noises. Listen out at night for snuffling or shuffling sounds in your garden, particularly in spring (as this is when hedgehogs come out of hibernation and begin to look for food or mating partners). During mating season, male hedgehogs can get quite loud as they fight over female hogs.

5. Set up a hedgehog feeding station

If you’re still not certain whether you’ve had any hedgehog visits, it is worth setting up a hedgehog feeding station. Purchase a specialist hedgehog food such as Spike’s Hedgehog Food and leave a bowl of food and a bowl of water in a hedgehog house (you can buy one or make your own). The hedgehog house will prevent other animals from eating the food so you know for certain that you’ve had hedgehogs visitors. You could even set up a camera close to the feeding station so that you can catch a glimpse of them eating the delicious hedgehog food.

Once you know that you’ve had a spiky visitor, make sure you head to our sighting map to enter your sighting.

 

Irene Thomson set up Lowton Hedgehog Rescue nine years ago and now cares for up to 45 spiky creatures in her shed at any one time. After many nominations by those that know her, Irene has been named as our Spike’s Hedgehog Hero for April!

How did you first become involved in helping hedgehogs?

I started the rescue centre over 9 years ago after finding a hog that needed help. After taking it to a rescue, I then became involved in the vital work needed to save this species, as they are in serious decline in this country. By setting up my own rescue and attending numerous wildlife courses with Vale Wildlife Hospital and the RSPCA, I have been able to save hundreds of hedgehogs. 

Tell us more about Lowton Hedgehog Rescue?

The rescue is run from a purpose-built and kitted out shed in the garden. In total, the rescue can accommodate 45 hedgehogs at any one time and the busiest seasons are summer and autumn.

I think there are more electrical sockets in the shed than there are in my house! The sockets are needed because of the various pieces of equipment necessary for caring for sick and injured hedgehogs, i.e. incubators, zoo zones with 24/7 heat mats underneath them, examination lighting, microscopes, nebulisers, a fridge for certain medications and a microwave. Not to mention the heater for the winter months and a fan for the hot summer months!  

Outside hutches are insulated as well, plus I have a specially built rehabilitation pen in the garden used for monitoring disabled hogs i.e. amputees, eyesight issues and daytime activity. This is also used for situations where a mum and her hoglets have been disturbed or are in danger and once in the pen the family is safe with the youngsters learning to forage with mum. Hogs do not stay in this pen together as they are primarily solitary animals and can’t be mixed, it is purely used for specific cases before deciding the best situation for their eventual release, i.e. an enclosed garden for some of them.

I also have two small incubators inside my home which are specifically for orphaned hoglets who need two hourly feeds, or for critical cases that need close monitoring in the evening. 

How has the Covid-19 pandemic affected you and what you do?

The year 2020 saw a necessary change in the volunteering system due to the Covid pandemic. Previously, I had volunteers who came each morning to help with the daily task of cleaning out and refreshing all bedding and feeding needs. Now, I only have help three times a week from trusted volunteers who can work without my supervision. The rescue certainly can not function without the wonderful help of these people! 

What is it about caring for hedgehogs that you love?

My passion grows with each successful release of a healthy hedgehog, and also the knowledge that members of the public are now doing far more to help them survive fills me with joy. Many people now have hedgehog boxes in their gardens for the hogs to nest in and also provide food and water. It’s great that we can continue to spread the word about helping hedgehogs through the Lowton Hedgehog Rescue Group on Facebook and through our fundraising efforts.

What can people do to help hedgehogs?

The key thing is to allow hedgehogs to have access to your garden as they need to visit at least 10 gardens a night to find enough natural food. A simple gap or hole in fencing/gates (known as a hedgehog highway) will facilitate this.

Why do you think so many people nominated you to be a Hedgehog Hero?

I was delighted and also humbled by the number of people who nominated me to be a Hedgehog Hero and I know lots of folk follow the stories of the hedgehogs that come through the rescue and join with me on the hogs’ journey to recovery, but also give me moral support when there are the occasions of sadness because not all can be saved.

My rescue work is done voluntarily from my home and I fund the costs mainly by myself. I regularly need a little help to keep up with the daily costs and that’s where my helpers and fosterers come in!  Nominating me as a Hedgehog Hero is also a form of support which I really do appreciate. 

What does it mean to you to be named the Spike’s Hedgehog Hero for April?

I have a fabulous support network of volunteers/fosterers and wouldn’t be able to help such a large number of hogs each year without them. It is a privilege to be nominated as the Spikes ‘Hedgehog Hero’ because I think everyone can play a part in the conservation of a species that is in fast decline in this country. 

Congratulations to Irene for being named our Hedgehog Hero for April, you are an inspiration and a true Hedgehog Hero!

 

 

With the weather warming up and the sun appearing more and more, it means spring is here and the hedgehogs are coming out of hibernation! Remember, our spiky friends will be low on energy from their long sleep and will need lots of food and water to help them re-energise. Be sure to greet your local hedgehogs with tasty and nutritious treats like our Spike’s Hedgehog Food.

What time of year do hedgehogs come out?

Hedgehogs typically start to come out of hibernation from late March onwards, as the temperatures get warmer and the seasons change. This is the time of year they are most hungry and need lots of nutritious food and fresh water to replenish their energy stores. It’s worth remembering that hedgehogs can lose up to a third of their body weight by the time they come out of hibernation!

When hedgehogs first come out of hibernation, this is the best time to start feeding them, as natural food sources may still be scarce due to the slowly rising temperatures.

At this time of year, you might be tempted to get out into the garden and start tidying things up ready for the summer months. Remember not to be too tidy; even though hedgehogs are coming out of hibernation, they will still only come out at night time and may be snoozing in your hedges or in a pile of leaves during the day. 

As you start tending to your gardens you might think about putting slug pellets down. Slugs are a part of a hedgehogs diet and any chemicals used in slug pellets will also affect hedgehogs that eat these slugs. Instead, try protecting your plants with non chemical methods, so the slugs can still live in your garden without causing damage and continue to be sustenance for hedgehogs.

 

What months are hedgehogs active?

Once out of hibernation, hedgehogs remain active through spring and summer and start to think about hibernation again in late autumn, typically at the end of November. Hedgehogs are nocturnal animals, sleeping through the day and venturing out at dusk to find food or to meet potential mating partners.

 As we move into April, all hedgehogs will now be active and will be searching for nesting sites and mates. It’s important to keep leaving out food and water as they need to have replenished their fat stores ready for the mating season and they also need energy to search for a suitable nesting place. 

 May is the official mating season for hedgehogs with females giving birth to their little hoglets in June. In July, hoglets will start emerging from their nests on the lookout for food and will slowly become more and more independent from their mothers. Hoglets are usually fully self-reliant by August.

 As autumn comes back around, some female hedgehogs may have had their second litter of hoglets, although later litters might struggle to gain the weight needed for hibernation. Juveniles weighing under 300g may not yet have been weaned or could have been orphaned if found on their own. If you happen to find one contact your local specialised hedgehog rescue, who will be able to provide the specialist care needed to support juveniles in time for winter. Nesting for hedgehogs begins in October and they will be eating plenty of food ready for hibernation again in November!

Keeping some fresh, clean water and some yummy Spike’s Hedgehog Food available throughout the year will support your garden visitors each season and help keep them off the list of threatened species.

 What temperature do hedgehogs come out of hibernation?

 Hedgehogs do prefer the weather to be warmer so will emerge when temperatures reach around five-degree Celsius, which tends to be in the month of March. However, it may be as late as April until all of our spiky friends are active again.

 Although the majority of hedgehogs hibernate at some point during the year (some may not start hibernating until around christmas time) if the temperature stays relatively warm (above 5 degrees) then some hogs have been known to not hibernate at all. This has been documented in the South of England where temperatures remain warmer than the North throughout the year.

Another one of the key reasons hedgehogs may not hibernate is the abundance of food being provided by all of you hedgehog heroes! This has enabled many hedgehogs to get nice and fat, meaning they can survive the winter without the need to protect fat stores by hibernating. No matter the time of year, if you see any hedgehogs out and about in the day time, make sure to contact your nearest Hedgehog Rescue and they will be able to advise you on the best course of action.

 Do you have spiky friends in your garden? Make sure you share your pictures with us on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages.