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Hedgehogs are a great animal
to attract to your wildlife garden. They have voracious
appetites and will definitely keep your slug and snail population under
control. Hedgehogs do need to hibernate over winter, so make
sure you provide an adequate shelter for them when planning your
wildlife garden design...
Hedgehogs
in your wildlife garden
Hedgehogs
can eat 300 invertebrates a night - you can see why they are useful in
a wildlife garden. Hedgehogs will eat garden slugs, and they are a much
better form of pest control than beer traps and copper rings.
Be careful not to use slug pellets in your wildlife garden as they are
toxic to hedgehogs and may kill them.
Hedgehogs
hibernate in winter
Hedgehogs hibernate in nests over winter - usually from October to
April. They like to shelter in a warm dry spot such as under
a hedge or in a thicket of brambles. Piles of dry plant
material are particularly appealing which is why you should always
check your bonfire for hedgehogs before lighting.
If you are concerned that there is not a suitable nesting site for
hedgehogs in your garden, you can buy a hedgehog
habitat or hogitat
for your wildlife garden. These have a narrow entrance to
prevent predators getting in.
  
Hedgehog foodstuffs
Feeding hedgehogs bread
and milk can give them a stomach upset so please don't do it!
Hedgehogs much prefer to eat slugs, snails and caterpillars or garden
berries and fruit.
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