Last week, Keeper Jennie went to do the morning check on our guests in the Suffolk Prickles Hedgehog Hotel. One of the pens should contain two young Hedgehogs, but Jennie could only find one in the inside box. She checked the outside area and found this fantastic Hedgehog nest (complete with snoozing Hog) under their outdoor house. This is a sure sign that they are getting ready for winter.
This Hog-made nest of shavings, hay and leaves shows that the Hedgehogs are preparing for the winter!
Hedgehogs are often thought to hibernate all winter, but this is not always the case. In milder years, they may stay active throughout the winter, especially if there is a plentiful supply of food.
Here are our top tips to help Hedgehogs this winter:
Don’t be too tidy - leave any fallen leaves in a pile for the hedgehogs to use to build their nests Create a log pile, which will provide some structure for a nest, or a safe bolt hole if they are disturbed.
Avoid moving piles of vegetation or structures that Hedgehogs might be using for nesting - if you find a sleepy Hedgehog, replace the nesting material carefully and leave them in peace.
Food glorious food - young Hoglets may not have put on enough weight to hibernate safely, so providing food will help them survive to next spring.
We recommend wet or dry kitten food, which is high in protein for them. AVOID any food which contains peanuts, raisins, sunflowers or mealworms, as these can cause health issues for Hedgehogs.Keep an eye on your neighbours - if you have Hedgehogs in your garden, monitor them. Their visits may become infrequent now that the weather has turned, but if you do see them out and about and you have any concerns, please contact your local Hedgehog Rescue for advice.
If you don’t have Hedgehogs in your garden, you can help us to help them, by purchasing items from our Amazon Wishlist.