Hedgehogs will keep returning to your garden if you leave one item outside, according to a gardening expert. With October in full swing, leaving one item outside can ensure hedgehogs will visit your garden this month.
Simple steps to attract hedgehogs
This month may mark the end of hedgehog foraging season but there's still time to attract these creatures. While they're gearing up to settle in for their winter hibernation, there are steps you can take to attract them to your property. Given the species is declining in numbers, these measures can provide hedgehogs with a much-needed lifeline.
In a video posted on TikTok, gardening expert Deb shared some simple tips for drawing them in. She explained there are easy ways to tempt them into your garden. To encourage their visits, she noted that just one key step needs to be taken.
Hedgehog highway and shelter
Deb explained: "Now, it may seem simple, but the first thing to do is make sure you have a hedgehog highway. Hedgehogs can roam up to one mile each night."
She continued: "If you have a fenced garden, make sure that there's a gap in the fence, or a gap under your garden gate. Provide shelter for the hedgehog.
"A log pile, compost heap or purpose-built house in a shaded spot will give hedgehogs a safe place to rest and hibernate. Provide food and water, not milk. Contrary to popular belief, milk is bad for hedgehogs. Do not leave milk out. Leave out fresh water."
Food and garden preferences
She also noted that hedgehog biscuits are available to purchase and scatter around your garden as a treat for any visiting hedgehogs. She also noted hedgehogs favour gardens with leafy trees, so it's worth keeping this in mind. If you lack these, Deb recommended it could be worthwhile planting some.
Why do hedgehogs like shelter?
Hedgehogs are drawn to gardens because they offer a safe environment alongside food, water and shelter. These factors are crucial for them to rest, rear their young and hibernate securely. They typically gravitate towards quiet, dry and hidden spots within gardens.
Compost heaps, log piles or spaces beneath sheds and thick vegetation are amongst their preferred locations. That's why establishing a "wild corner" with a pile of logs, leaves and garden waste is advantageous, as it provides ideal nesting material and shelter. You can also buy or build a specially designed hedgehog house.
If you're lighting the fire more often at the moment, you'll be glad to hear they love log piles. These supply both food and shelter. Log piles establish a habitat for insects such as beetles and woodlice, which are key food sources for hedgehogs. They also offer a safe refuge for hedgehogs to hibernate, breed and rest as the piles provide protection from predators.
