Epping Forest Hedgehog Rescue

DANGERS TO HEDGEHOGS many dangers exist in your own garden, as well as on the road and in the fields.
Please look out for the following and try to remedy them for the hedgehogs, and other wild animals.

Almost all the problems hedgehogs face are caused by humans. They are maimed and killed in the most horrible ways you can imagine. Much of the time, the problems are caused by our ignorance or carelessness. Think carefully when planning your garden

NOTE: All images of hedgehogs in trouble on this page have been recreated with toy hogs, so that no suffering has been caused to any animal. With the exception of the Hedgehog covered in oil which is a real picture of a hedgehog that needed treatment

Metal grills & Wire Fences, should be checked on a regular basis if used in the garden. It would be preferable to use grills with a finer mesh, this will prevent a hedgehog getting caught in it. Also make sure that there is room for a hedgehog to crawl under the wire fence safely.

Barbed wire should not be left lying around in the garden. Nor should it be used at low level. If a hedgehog gets trapped by barbed wire it will instinctively roll into a ball, causing damage to it’s unprotected areas.

Garden ponds and swimming pools.
Hedgehogs can swim, but will eventually tire and drown if they are unable to escape from the water. Swimming pools should have a plank of wood on the surface on which the hedgehog can climb to await rescue. Ponds should have an escape route fitted to the the side of them, these can be made with chicken wire or make a ramp the hedgehog can use. Don’t make this too steep, as it could get slippery when wet.

Opened food cans
Empty tins, yoghurt pots and similar plastic cartons are extremely attractive to hedgehogs who get themselves trapped, and frequently injured, while trying to retrieve food from them.
Always squash the tin closed with the lid inside it and preferably, put it for recycling. Ask your Local Authority about recycling in your area.
Plastic cartons should be cut up. Never throw them on the ground. Always dispose of them in a secure bin.

Oils, greases
Tins of paint, oil cans and other similar products should be stored with their lids on or covered up to prevent accidents.
Do not pour oils or similar substances down the drain or throw awaty on the road side. Always take unwanted oils to your Local Authority recycling site, where it will be disposed of safely and properly.
Hedgehogs are inquisitive creatures and will explore everything!

Please be extra careful with empty food tins.
The first week in June 2002 one of the tame hedgehogs we feed in our garden was badly injured by being trapped inside an empty food tin. Her nose was chopped off and she had a bad cut all down her face and had lost one eye. She had suffered terribly until she found her way home, which had taken her nearly 2 weeks. She had been unable to eat or drink in all that time.

She had to be put down because of her very severe injuries. She was a sweet little thing we had named “Missy”.
She was less than one year old and could well have lived for another 8 or 9 years if this easily avoidable incident hadn’t happened.

Always squash tins closed with the lid inside them and preferably put them for recycling inside a secure container. Don’t let them be scattered on the ground where they can cause these terrible injuries to hedgehogs or other animals.

DON’T LET OUR CARELESSNESS CAUSE ANOTHER NEEDLESS TRAGIC DEATH OR HORRIFIC INJURY

Vehicles
You've all seen the the remains on the road. It's estimated that between 50,000 - 100.000 hedgehogs are killed by motor vehicles each year. Most casualties are males in search of a mate (March - April) or youngsters searching for food in the Autumn.
Please make your motto:- “SLOW DOWN FOR WILDLIFE”

Garden Strimmers & Lawn Mowers
Before strimming or mowing, always check to see that there are no hedgehogs lying up in the grass you are about to cut. Strimmers & Mowers cause extremely nasty injuries to hedgehogs. Ones that can easily be avoided!

Drains
Make sure drains are covered, you can use well squashed chicken mesh if the cover is missing or damaged

Dogs
Terrier dogs and other similar dogs can cause injuries to hedgehogs, especially when disturbing a nest of young.

Netting of all sorts should be stored when not in use. If a hedgehog gets tangled in a net, it will twist and turn until it nearly severs a leg or causes serious injury to the throat. Netting for peas and beans should start at least 30 cm of the ground.

Badgers
Avoid releasing hedgehogs near a badgers set. Badgers are the hedgehogs only real natural predator although foxes will take injured and young hedgehogs. Baby hedgehogs are vulnerable to attack from stoats and weasels.

Compost heaps - Garden forks
Hedgehogs don't like to be stabbed. Be careful when turning the compost heap. Many Hedgehogs and other small animals nest in the bottom of a warm compost heap

Bonfires
Please check your bonfire carefully before lighting it. Many hedgehogs and other animals nest inside the wood pile. It's always a good idea to move the wood pile before lighting it.

Cattle Grids
Not all cattle grids have escape ramps, therefore if you know of any in your area, please check them to see if they have. If not, bricks can be placed inside near the edge to form a series of steps to help.
Hedgehogs that fall into a cattle grid they cannot escape from will either die a slow death of starvation or drowning if the cattle grid fills with water.

Slug pellets
Slug pellets containing Methocarb (Agricultural slug pellets) are deadly poisonous to hedgehogs. Domestic use pellets normally contain Metaldehyde, if the pellets are eaten directly, they could cause serious internal damage to the hedgehog. If pellets are used in the garden, they should be placed under slightly raised stones where hedgehogs and other animals can’t reach them. You could try alternative methods of slug control, such as a beer trap.

Plastic Rings
Beer can & other drinks can plastic holders. Always cut these up before disposing of them. Many animals die in these, even when they find them on rubbish sites after they have been collected by the dustbin people. A small hedgehog which has one of these on it, will find it cutting into its body as it grows. Unless removed it will die a slow agonising death.

Cattle &
livestock drinking troughs
Found in fields and at roadsides in the country areas. Many animals die in these whether full of water or not. Hedgehogs climb and wander along the walls and bankings, fall in and cannot climb out again. If you know of one of these near you, please check it as often as possible

www.thehedgehog.co.uk

Navigation

Please visit the other hedgehog sites below