As the nights get colder and the leaves begin to fall, you might notice hedgehogs visiting your garden as they search for food and somewhere safe to shelter. Autumn is an important time for these prickly little visitors as many prepare for hibernation.
Sadly, hedgehogs face a range of challenges, including habitat loss, busy roads, pesticides and fewer natural food sources. The good news is that there are simple things we can all do to help.
You don't need a huge garden or lots of specialist equipment. A few small changes can make your outdoor space safer and more welcoming for wildlife.
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Why Do Hedgehogs Need Help in Autumn?
During autumn, hedgehogs need to find enough food to build up their energy reserves before hibernation. They also need safe, undisturbed places to build nests and shelter from the weather.
Gardens can provide valuable food and habitat, but everyday activities such as clearing leaves, using garden chemicals and lighting bonfires can put hedgehogs at risk.
With a little preparation, you can help make your garden a safer place for them.
1. Leave Out Fresh Water
One of the easiest ways to help hedgehogs is to leave a shallow dish of fresh water somewhere accessible in your garden.
Refresh it regularly and keep the dish clean. Water can be useful throughout the year, not just during hot weather.
Remember: Never give hedgehogs milk, as they cannot digest lactose properly. Bread is also unsuitable and offers little nutritional value.
2. Should I Feed Hedgehogs in Autumn?
You can offer supplementary food to hedgehogs, particularly when natural food sources are limited. Suitable options include specialist hedgehog food or meaty cat or dog food.
Place food in a shallow dish and remove leftovers daily to keep the feeding area clean. Always provide fresh water alongside food.
However, feeding should complement a wildlife-friendly garden rather than replace the natural food sources hedgehogs need, such as insects and other invertebrates.
3. Create a Hedgehog Highway
Did you know hedgehogs can travel between several gardens in a single night while searching for food and shelter?
Solid fences and walls can make these journeys difficult. A gap measuring approximately 13cm by 13cm at the base of a suitable fence or wall can help hedgehogs move between neighbouring gardens.
If possible, speak to your neighbours about creating connected routes through your gardens. Together, you can provide a larger area for wildlife to explore.
4. Leave a Little of Your Garden Wild
A perfectly tidy garden isn't always the best environment for wildlife.
Leaving a quiet corner with fallen leaves, logs, shrubs and other natural materials can provide shelter for wildlife and support the insects hedgehogs feed on.
You could also consider installing a purpose-built hedgehog house in a quiet, sheltered spot.
Before moving piles of leaves, logs or compost, always check carefully for animals that may already be sheltering there.
5. Avoid Harmful Garden Chemicals
Pesticides and slug pellets can harm wildlife directly or reduce the natural food sources hedgehogs depend on.
Where possible, avoid unnecessary chemical treatments and encourage natural pest control instead.
A garden with a variety of plants, natural shelter and healthy soil can support hedgehogs alongside many other British wildlife species.
6. Check Before Clearing Your Garden or Lighting a Bonfire
Autumn is a popular time for tidying gardens, cutting back plants and clearing fallen leaves. Unfortunately, these activities can disturb wildlife that is using natural materials for shelter.
Before mowing, strimming, turning compost or moving logs and leaves, check carefully for animals.
Bonfires are another important hazard. Build your bonfire on the day you plan to light it, and check thoroughly for wildlife immediately beforehand. If you discover a hedgehog, do not light the fire. Seek appropriate wildlife rescue advice if the animal appears to need help.
What Should I Do If I Find a Hedgehog Out During the Day?
Hedgehogs are mainly nocturnal, so seeing one out during daylight can understandably cause concern. However, not every daytime sighting means the animal needs rescuing.
Look at its condition and behaviour from a safe distance. If it appears injured, weak, staggering, unusually unresponsive or distressed, contact a wildlife rescue organisation or vet for advice.
Young hedgehogs that appear cold, weak or are calling persistently may also need professional help. Avoid trying to treat or feed an unwell animal without guidance.
Do Hedgehogs Hibernate in Winter?
Hedgehogs generally hibernate during the colder months, although the timing varies with the weather, food availability and the individual animal.
Before hibernation, they build nests using materials such as leaves and grass. The energy reserves they build up during autumn help them survive when food becomes harder to find.
This is why providing suitable habitat and protecting natural food sources is particularly important at this time of year.
If you see a hedgehog during winter, don't automatically assume it is in trouble. Hedgehogs can wake during hibernation, but any animal that appears weak, injured or distressed should be assessed by an appropriate professional.
Help Hedgehogs This Autumn with Smith's Pets
Hedgehogs need safe places to forage, feed and shelter, and our gardens can play an important role in supporting them.
At Smith's Pets, we believe protecting British wildlife starts with understanding the animals around us and making thoughtful changes at home.
Have you spotted a hedgehog in your garden recently? We'd love to hear about your wildlife visitors!
Explore the Wildlife section of the Smith's Pets website for more seasonal advice and practical ways to help the wildlife on your doorstep.
