hedgehog care
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If you have wild hedgehogs in your garden or local area there are a number of things you can do to help the hedgehogs and keep them happy! Have a look at the pet hedgehog page for information on how to care for domesticated hedgehogs.
Feeding hedgehogs
Hedgehogs are ominivorous, which means that they eat both meat and plant foods. They feed themselves naturally in the wild on a diet of snails, worms, slugs, caterpillars, bird eggs, mushrooms, berries, grass roots and more. However, the most common hedgehog in Europe is mostly an insectivore, eating mostly insects.
If you have a wild hedgehog in your diet you can supplement the hedgehog's natural diet by offering them specially-made hedgehog food available from many pet shops and online stores. You could also offer pet food containing meat or standard minced meat from the supermarket.
It is also very useful for the hedgehog if you make sure that drinking water is available in a small saucer or bowl.
Providing a hedgehog home
If you have a garden, allotment or other small patch of land that might be suitable for hedgehogs, you can encourage them to use it by turning a small part of the land into a hedgehog home.
The easiest and best way to do this is to buy a purpose-built hedgehog house from an online supplier. These houses will have been designed specifically with hedgehogs in mind and will provide a snug home for the hedgehog.
Alternatively, you can provide the hedgehog with plenty of naturally-occurring materials such as leaves and twigs, and they will then use these as shelter. You shouldn't have to worry about hedgehogs mixing with pets such as cats and dogs, as they are usually happy to share their space.
You should be careful if you have a pond or water feature in your garden, as hedgehogs can slip into the water and drown. The best way to avoid this is to make sure that there are several gentle slopes leading up from the water so a hedgehog can make his own way to safety if necessary
No poison please!
Most pesticides and chemicals can cause serious problems for hedgehogs. Try not to use them unless they specifically state that they are suitable for use near hedgehog habitats. Other things that can cause problems for hedgehogs include plastic packaging and litter in general. If you keep your garden clean your hedgehog friends will appreciate it.
Sick and injured hedgehogs
If you are in the UK and you find a poorly hedgehog in the wild then the British Hedgehog Preservation Society has a list of local volunteer contacts who may be able to offer some useful advice or even take care of the hedgehog for you. The Society also offers further information on caring for hedgehogs in general. Sick pet hedgehogs should of course see a qualified vet.