The European Hedgehog
Do you care?
Attract Hedgehogs
In this section:-Feeding Hedgehogs
-Hedgehog Houses
-Feeding Stations
-Hedgehog Gardening
Hedgehogs need all the help they can get now that they are endangered, so here is how you can help.
If you have read about the dangers of the garden and done as was told to do then I now bet you can add that little more detail to your garden. Many Hedgehogs will then be safe in your garden and will use it very often, that's if you follow what to do with care.
First thing to do is to feed the Hedgehogs, this will keep them coming and will save their lives, especially through hard times like when they go into Hibernation in Winter.
Feeding Hedgehogs
What to feed them:
Hedgehogs can be fussy, but despite this there is a range of things you can feed them.
-Tinned or dry 'Spike's Dinner Hedgehog Food' can be fed. Available online at Spikes World as well as other quality foods. It can also be bought from various pet shops.
-You can also feed Cat/Dog Meat, this should be chicken flavours. Not in gravy as this gives them diarrhoea. Non fishy flavours are best because this is not their natural diet, also it may encourage wild Hedgehogs to dive into ponds and try
to catch fish, which is very dangerous for a Hedgehog.
-You can also feed them Cat/Dog Biscuits, as these will help clean the teeth and gums, again non fishy flavours.
-Digestive Biscuits, mash, beans, cheese (cut up) Banana, cereal, chopped peanuts (non salted!), minced meat, chicken & scrambled egg can also be fed.
-When ever you feed a Hedgehog, make sure you include fresh, clean water.
What Not To Feed Them:
-Bread or Milk:
-They just can't Digest bread, and the swelling of it in their stomach can kill them, as well as the fact they can't digest Milk, it will just sit there in their stomach where Bacteria will multiply, giving them a nasty infection or killing them. It's a very dangerous wise tail!
-Salty foods like Bacon and Corned Beef.
Please click the picture on the right and see the mistake on book made of saying 'Bread and Milk is fine'.
Please remember:
-If you ever start feeding the Hedgehogs, never stop. Please feed them all year round.
-From September to December foods with high fat/oil content should be fed.
Hedgehog Feeding Stations
Hedgehogs are always looking for a safe place where they can eat their food. By buying or building a Hedgehog feeding station, you will be helping a Hedgehog to eat away from the dangers of cats, dogs and foxes. These creatures could eat the Hedgehog's food, so a feeding station will ensure that only Hedgehogs feed.
Hedgehog Houses
Buy A Hedgehog House:
Hedgehogs are always looking for a safe place to live, which is sheltered, warm and dry. You can buy one online or from several shops; you can also make one yourself.
Buy a Hedgehog House:
Build a Hedgehog House:
You can also make your very own Hedgehog House. You can use your own measurements if you like, but if not, then you can follow the example measurements.
Hedgehog Gardening
Gardening and 'Hedgehog Gardening' are two different things.
Gardening, like strimming and lawnmowing, can often be dangerous for Hedgehogs, therefore, in this section, I will refer to 'Hedgehog Gardening'.
There are many things that we can do to improve our gardens to help our spikey friends.
Below, I've listed some of the things you can do to enrich your garden, making it the ideal 'Hedgehog Garden'.
Log pile:
Logs offer many benefits to Hedgehogs.
The logs provide a great place for insetcs to live, which Hedgehogs eat.
Also, Hedgehogs may nest in amonst the logs.
So collect some wood and pile it up!
Compost Heap:
Another fantastic way to attract insects that Hedgehogs eat.
