Why Hedgehogs Need a Helping Hand

Hedgehogs have been in steady decline across Britain for decades. Some estimates put the loss of rural populations at half or more since the 1950s, and the picture in the wider countryside is thought to be worse than in towns. The causes are familiar: fewer hedgerows, larger fields, more traffic, and gardens that are tidier and more sealed off than they used to be. For anyone living in a village, a hamlet or a farm cottage, that last point is where you come in. A rural garden on the edge of open fields is not an isolated patch of grass — it is a link in a chain, and joined to its neighbours it can offer shelter, food and safe passage across a whole parish.

Open Up the Boundary

A hedgehog can travel a kilometre or more in a single night, following familiar routes between feeding grounds and nesting sites. A solid fence or wall brings that journey to an abrupt halt. The fix is simple and cheap: a 13cm (5in) square gap at ground level in every boundary fence, or a tunnel beneath a gate. It is small enough to keep pets in and large enough for a hedgehog to pass comfortably.

• Cut a notch from the bottom of a wooden panel, or lift a gravel board by a few centimetres.
• With post-and-rail or stock fencing, a natural gap underneath is usually enough.
• For a solid wall, a purpose-made hedgehog brick or a couple of loose stones at the base works well.
• Mark the gap discreetly so it does not get blocked when the fence is next repaired.

Then talk to your neighbours. One gap is useful; a connected run of gardens opening onto hedgerows and rough field margins is transformative. If you rent, ask the landlord first, and check before altering stonework in a listed building or conservation area.

Water, Food and the Things to Avoid

Hedgehogs are thirsty, especially in hot spells and when feeding young. A shallow dish — a plant saucer sunk into the ground — is ideal. Keep the water no more than 3cm deep and add a few stones so anything that falls in can climb out. Never put out milk or bread; hedgehogs are lactose intolerant and milk causes serious digestive trouble.

If you feed, use meaty cat or dog food — not fish-based and not in gravy — or a purpose-made hedgehog food. Mealworms are fine as an occasional treat but should not form the bulk of the diet, as too many upset the calcium balance and weaken the bones.

Above all, stop using slug pellets. Any pellet that kills slugs and snails removes food and can poison the hedgehog that eats them, along with the birds and mammals further up the chain. Let the hedgehogs do the job instead — one hedgehog can clear a surprising number of slugs in a night.

Provide Somewhere to Sleep

Hedgehogs need somewhere dry, quiet and undisturbed to nest and hibernate. A wild corner is worth more than a manicured one: a pile of logs, a heap of leaves left over winter, a compost heap with a gap at the base, or a patch of long grass at the back of a border.

A purpose-built hedgehog house is a good addition if placed carefully. Put it in shade, against a wall or hedge, with the entrance facing away from the prevailing wind, and cover it with dry leaves. Do not lift the lid between November and April, and if you disturb a nest while gardening, rebuild it as close to the original spot as you can.

Everyday Hazards in a Working Garden

• Bonfires: build the pile on the day you light it, or move it to clear ground beforehand — a heap left standing for a week is a hibernation site.
• Strimmers and mowers: check long grass and nettle patches before cutting, and work from the centre outwards.
• Netting: keep fruit cages, pea netting and sports nets taut and at least 30cm above ground.
• Ponds: leave one gently sloping edge or add a ramp so a hedgehog that falls in can climb out.
• Drains and gullies: cover steep-sided openings or fit a ramp.
• Rodenticides: avoid them where you can; poisoned rodents are a real risk to hedgehogs and owls.
• Country lanes: drive slowly after dark, particularly between dusk and midnight in spring and summer.

Knowing What You Have

It helps to know whether hedgehogs are using your patch. Look for droppings — dark, shiny and full of beetle cases — snuffling noises after dark, and tracks in damp soil or along a dusting of flour. A simple footprint tunnel, made from a length of drainpipe with paper and a shallow ink tray inside, confirms a visitor without disturbing it.

Report what you find to your county wildlife recording scheme and share the results with neighbours. Once a few households are leaving gaps, water and quiet corners, a village can build a real picture of its local population — and a better chance of helping it recover. Small changes, kept up over years and repeated along a whole street, are exactly what a hedgehog needs.