Hedgehog Care

As the climate changes and our weather is so changeable over the winter months, many hedgehogs are now choosing to stay awake or to go into hibernation for a few days or weeks before emerging to look for food and water and then going back to sleep.

If you know you have hedgehogs visiting at night in the warmer months they will need your help should they wake now as their natural food of beetles, caterpillars, insects and worms are in short supply. Please consider helping them by leaving a saucer of fresh water out (a plant pot saucer ideal) and a bowl of kitten biscuits. The best kitten biscuits have a protein content of 28% or higher and do not have cereal as there first ingredient.

Should you see a hedgehog out in daytime, they need your help. They are likely to either be injured or poorly. Please scoop them up wearing gloves (they are very spiky), pop them in a high sided box (they are exceptionally good climbers and escape artists) with an old clean towel so they can hide under it. Also a bowl of water and a well wrapped hot water bottle (or plastic drinks bottle). Place the hedgehog in the towel and then on top of the hot water bottle in the box, please make sure that the box is big enough that the hedgehog can get off the hot water bottle if they want to. (If you end up with the hedgehog for sometime before you can get it to a rescue the hot water bottle will need to be checked to ensure that it is still warm or the warmth that the hedgehog has gained will be lost back into the bottle). Then contact a rescue (please have the hog contained before-hand as hogs are very good at disappearing)! Most rescues will ask you to bring the hedgehog to them.

East Yorkshire Hedgehog Rescue is based in Langtoft and always willing to advise and help.

Jo 07717 552624

Not all hedgehogs hibernate