As the leaves continue to change and the weather takes a turn for the worse, hedgehogs are getting ready to hibernate. But before they bed down for winter, the spiky mammals are busy gaining weight to sustain them during their six month snooze.
They live on a diet of beetles, earthworms and other invertebrates but will happily munch on our leftovers, eating anything from cake to cooked vegetables. You can also put out tinned cat or dog food but don’t believe the old wives’ tale – bread and milk is not good for hedgehogs.
As well as supplementary feeding, you can literally give hedgehogs a home in your green space by providing suitable habitat. They like thick dense undergrowth and a variety of lengths of grass which is a great excuse for a ‘wild’ area in your garden! They also shelter in places like log piles and compost heaps so, if you’re planning a Halloween bonfire, don’t build it too early and check for hedgehogs before starting the fire.
Alternatively you can easily build a ‘hedgehog hotel’. A simple wooden box design (approximately 2ft x 1.5ft x 1ft) with entrance holes and a watertight lid makes the perfect home for this special species. For inspiration, or to purchase a cosy ‘hogitat’, visit www.rspb.org.uk/shop.
When hedgehogs emerge in the spring they will be hungry and keen to explore. To make it easier for them to come and go, create ‘nature corridors’ by replacing manmade barriers with hedges and shrub borders or leave gaps underneath fences and gates. Finally, avoid using slug pellets in your garden as they can be harmful to hedgehogs and check for hazards - hedgehogs can easily fall down holes and into ponds!