Hedgehogs

Hedgehogs can be elusive creatures, and often not seen, at least alive. But they are quite common around Bradley Stoke, and often visit gardens. If you look closely you might see the signs.

Occasionally you might come across a crunched up snail shell, which might be evidence of a hedgehog having a snack. Much more common though is hedgehog pooh. It is relatively easy to recognise - it is usually black in colour, and can range in size from small pellets 1-2cm long and 0.5cm wide, up to bigger efforts which look like they might have come from a cat, apart from the fact that cat poohs are usually a different colour. It looks as though the hedgehogs have been having a party in my back garden some time on Monday night/Tuesday morning, as there were multiple droppings across my back lawn.

If you want to feed hedgehogs, don't put out milk and bread (it swells in their stomachs). Instead, put out cat food, wet or dry, and a small bowl of water. Place it somewhere which you can observe from inside the house, and periodically check it. Most likely the hedgehogs won't appear until after dark, but they will sometimes appear earlier. If you put out food regularly then you can often establish a routine with the hedgehogs, as they will check each day whether there is food there for them or not. Disgruntled was particularly charmed a couple of years ago when a family of five used to turn up every day. If you look closely each hedgehog has its individual markings and features, so every hedgehog was given its own name. Disgruntled also recommends that if you have the space you build a hedgehog house so that they have somewhere to hibernate through the winter. Disgruntled did this, and for at least one winter a hedgehog was in residence. Note that although they hibernate, they do not necessarily sleep through the entire winter, and may make appearances when the weather is warmer for the odd snack. All the better for keeping the slug and snail populations down in your garden.