Hedgehog FAQs
The humble hedgehog can often be a little misunderstood and sadly misinformation is rife across social media.
Here we aim to answer just a few of the questions we are often asked as a rescue.
If you want to find out more about hedgehogs we strongly recommend that you consider joining the British Hedgehog Preservation Society who provide members with a wealth of useful information, or refer to the information on Hedgehog Street run by the Peoples Trust for Endangered Species.
It looks like a hedgehog in my garden has paint on it, what is this?
Hopefully this is very unlikely to be paint although sadly some people seem to think it is acceptable to mark a wild animal.
This MUST NOT be done. Sometimes people tell us that they do this so they can tell it is ‘their’ hedgehog so they can monitor them. Firstly, it is not ‘your’ hedgehog, it is a wild animal and doing so causes skin irritation and can even prove fatal as the chemicals seep into the skin or are licked off by the animal and ingested.
Only someone with permission from Natural England and a license to do so should mark or tag a wild animal.
What appears to be paint is mostly likely to be the result of the hedgehog self-anointing. There is no definitive research proving why hedgehogs self-anoint but we know that they do this when they come into contact with new or strong smells. This video, taken in our rescue with a litter of hoglets from Oakham, shows this behaviour perfectly and is also adorable to watch.
Is it safe to feed mealworms and sunflower hearts?
We DO NOT recommend feeding dried mealworms or sunflower hearts to hedgehogs, they contain almost no nutritional value and can harm their health.
Persistent feeding of mealworms to your local hedgehog population will cause unnecessary suffering, death and ultimately the decline in hedgehogs in your neighbourhood. This is because the effect of feeding large quantities of mealworms is linked to metabolic bone disease during which the decalcification of bones increases the likelihood of fractures and reduces the ability to weight bare and move.
If you would like to find out more about the devastating effect of metabolic bone disease you might find this video produced by Vale Wildlife Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre in Tewkesbury interesting. Sunflower hearts have the same effect and should not be fed.
If you feed these to the birds in your garden please make sure they are not fed at ground level to avoid a visiting hedgehog from tucking in!
Is it safe to disturb a hibernating hedgehog?
Our advice is always to leave a hedgehog house or an area where you suspect a hog to be hibernating well alone. Hibernation is a complex physiological adjustment – it is not a ‘deep sleep’. During hibernation:
- The hedgehog’s body temperature drops to match the environment.
- Breathing and heartbeats per minute reduce dramatically, the heart rate can fall as low as 2 bpm.
- Their metabolic rate reduces to approximately 2% of the levels when active.
- There maybe periods exceeding 2 hours where the hedgehog does not breathe followed by it taking 40+ rapid breaths. This is called Cheyne-Stokes breathing.
- Complex changes occur in blood chemistry.
- Kidney function is diminished.
- Reproductive organs become inactive.
- Essentially the body has become almost ‘switched off’ and yet part of the central system remains able to respond and control fundamental body functions of circulation, body temperature and regulation of water.
- Hibernation is therefore clearly a very vulnerable time for a hedgehog and for this reason it is essential we do not disturb them no matter how well meaning.
- If you do discover or disturb a hibernating hedgehog please cover it back up as carefully as you can and do not add ‘extra’ materials around it.
- Never move a hibernating hedgehog – if it has to be moved or has been moved by accident please contact a rescue or the BHPS for advice.
Do all hedgehogs hibernate and do they wake up during a period of hibernation?
The short answer is no. Not all hedgehogs will hibernate and research in 2020 has shown that they will wake for short periods of time to take on food and water or even move nesting sites.
It is therefore ideal if you can provide food and water all you round because any hedgehog waking from hibernation will be grateful for quick access to this.
Do I need more than one feeding station in my garden?
Our advice would be to have more than one feeding station or area in your garden.
Hedgehogs are not territorial but confrontations can occur when food is in short supply.
Generally several hedgehogs will feed alongside each other but if you can reduce the likelihood then the animals will be using less precious energy on scuffles!
I am moving home and want to take my hedgehog house with me; can I move it?
If you are moving home please do not risk disturbing a hibernating or nesting hedgehog by removing and taking your established houses with you.
When we encourage hedgehogs into our gardens and provide a hedgehog house we have made a commitment to them.
We would see this as a fantastic opportunity for you to be able to leave some information for the new owner so they know they are very lucky to have an active hedgehog population.
You can contact the British Hedgehog Preservation Society who may be able to send you some leaflets you can leave for the new owners and I would suggest you also let them know the name of their nearest hedgehog rescue. By doing so you may well inspire someone else to become a fellow hedgehog hero which would be a fantastic legacy.
I want a hedgehog in my garden – can you give me one to release?
We release hedgehogs back to the location they were found in most cases but would not consider a garden that does not already have a known population. If your garden is not already frequented by hedgehogs it is likely that there is a good reason for this.
Firstly you need to consider if your garden is accessible and hedgehog friendly – see our Helping hedgehogs page for more advice on creating an environment for hedgehogs.
There are many ways you can encourage hedgehogs in to your garden and you might find that if you provide a supportive environment with food and water frequently available they may come!
It is however possible that your garden or neighbourhood does have a local population but you are unaware due to their nocturnal nature. If you begin to support feed it is great fun to set up a trail camera to capture the comings and goings in your garden at night; you may find you do have a local population after all
IMPORTANT MESSAGE
If we are able to admit the hedgehog into our care we will always ask you to drive it to us in the village of Market Overton.
We have very little spare time between working and administering to the animals in our care. If you cannot drive across to us please ask someone such as friends, family, neighbours if they can do so on your behalf.
It is important that you do not bring a hedgehog to the rescue unless we have asked you to do so. It may be more appropriate that the hedgehog is taken straight to a veterinary surgery; we may not be here or we may be full and unable to take a new admission.
Other support
If we cannot admit the hedgehog or you want immediate advice please call the British Hedgehog Preseveration Society or use the directory of rescues that can be found at helpwildlilfe.co.uk to find another wildlife or hedgehog rescue in the area.
