National Hedgehog Week 4-10 May 2008
Posted by Abigail on 01/05/08, filed under News |
Hedgehogs are a lovely part of our countryside and gardens. Sadly, they are often the victims of horrible accidents and illnesses that can be avoided if we all take a few minutes to consider the following safety tips:
If you have a pond or pool, put a ramp at the side to enable Spiky to climb out if he tumbles in.
Make sure all drains have a cover.
Sheds and greenhouses must be kept locked and if you have to have poisons, keep them securely on top shelves.
If you have a compost heap, be careful when digging in it – Spiky might be rummaging in there looking for tasty slugs and worms!
If you use netting in your garden, make sure it is a foot above the ground so Spiky doesn’t get tangled up.
When using a strimmer, check any overgrown areas very carefully or Spiky could be severely injured or killed.
Keep all rubbish safely shut in the bin – do not leave plastic sacks where Spiky, or other animals, could get trapped in them.
If you have a pile of wood or leaves in your garden ready for a bonfire always make sure Spiky is not having a snooze in there.
Never feed Spiky bread and milk – it is extremely indigestible for hedgehogs and can give them enteritis. If you want to give him a treat and encourage him to return to your garden, leave a little cat food out on a saucer.
If you want to attract Spiky to your garden, he will prefer it if it’s a little overgrown and wild!
Remember, Spiky’s favourite foods are slugs and worms and he is therefore a great, organic alternative to using dangerous slug pellets, which can be fatal for your pets and other garden visitors.
Grove Lodge has a dedicated Wildlife Unit where we treat, amongst others, sick or injured hedgehogs. A day in the life of the Wildlife Unit will be appearing soon on this blog!
If you find a sick or injured hedgehog, contact us on 01903 234866 or Worthing and District Animal Rescue Service on 01903 217788. For further information regarding hedgehogs, you can contact the British Hedgehog Society on 01584 890801 or visit their website at www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk.
This entry was posted on Thursday, May 1st, 2008 at 4:05 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.