Hedgehog advice

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Warmer weather in September and October has resulted in autumn litters being born.

Young hedgehogs are called hoglets and some of these will not be big enough to hibernate and are struggling to find food. Hedgehogs usually hibernate between November and mid March. Their natural food is slugs, beetles, caterpillars and other insects. They also love minced meat, scrambled eggs, dog food (not fish based), fresh liver and fresh water. If you find a small hedgehog you can feed them with a variety of this food or buy commercially available food.

Please DO NOT give them BREAD and MILK as this food upsets their digestive systems.

Try to provide shelter from heaped leaves or a board placed against a pile of bricks or a shed. You can also buy a purpose built hedgehog box.

Be careful when strimming long grass as a hedgehog could be sheltering there and do check there are no animals sheltering in the middle of a bonfire pile before lighting it.