The race is on for hedgehogs to get themselves in good condition and ready for hibernation as we move out of summer and into autum. To do this it is essential that they build up enough fat reserves to see them through the cold weather when it arrives. Here are some of the challenges our prickly friends face and some top tips on how to help them stay strong and healthy.
What’s happening right now (late August)?
• Many hedgehogs will have second litter of hoglets in late summer.
• Hedgehogs need to weigh at least 500g before they can survive hibernation. This can be a big ask for hoglets who were born right at the end of the season.
• Long dry spells can result in natural food resources such as slugs and snails becoming scarce.
• Tidy gardens and fewer natural habitats make it harder for hedgehogs to nest and forage.
• Not all hedgehogs sleep continually through hibernation. Sometimes they wake up to feed during the cold winter weather. This happens more frequently with young, lighter hedgehogs that were born later in the season.
How can you help?
• Put out specialist hedgehog food in a sturdy, shallow dish to help them build up fat reserves. This is even more critical for young hoglets.
• Ensuring a regular supply of supplementary feed in your garden cuts down on foraging time, allows them to conserve energy and makes topping-on feed much easier.
• Just after dusk is the best time to put out food in the garden, as this is the time that they are most active.
• Create a super-safe feeding station with a small to prevent their food being eaten by larger animals such as cats.
• Always make sure that hedgehogs have constant access to clean, fresh water.
• Choose a quiet, shady, undisturbed area of the garden for a hedgehog house. This can offer a safe and insulated home for them to shelter and hibernate in, as well as acting as the perfect nesting site for raising young hoglets.
Handy food and equipment to help you care for your hedgehogs
Hedgehog Food
Our super hedgehog food is fortified with essential vitamins and minerals, and a tasty blend they will love.
Shop our hedgehog food here
Hedgehog House
The perfect shelter for your hedgehogs to sleep, nest and hibernate.
Shop our hedgehog house here
Hedgehog Bowl
A delightful two toned ceramic feeding bowl with a decorative hedgehog image in the bottom.
Shop our hedgehog feeding bowl here