Hedgehogs

Acresfield is not just an amazing place to live but also actively supports conservation and the protection of our natural world.  Being located in a semi-rural area the park is ideal for attracting wildlife including hedgehogs.  A number of our owners have installed hedgehog houses and Sandra Keeling went one step further and actually installed a CCTV camera inside her hedgehog house and here is some of the amazing footage which has been taken.

Here are some of the videos kindly supplied by Sandra for us all the enjoy.

HOME SWEET HOME/ THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Hedgehogs are generally considered beneficial to gardens as they are natural pest controllers, consuming insects, slugs and caterpillars that can damage plants.  Here are some tips as to how to encourage and support hedgehogs.

1. Stop using pesticides and slug pellets in your garden. Not only can these harm hedgehogs but also damage their food chain. Use organic methods instead.
2. Add 13cm x 13cm square gaps at the bottom of boundary fences and walls to allow hedgehogs easy access to your garden. Keep a corner of your garden wild to offer shelter, protection and natural food for hedgehogs and other wildlife. Encourage hedgehogs into your garden, but never move one in from another area, as it may well have a nest of dependent young that you would be condemning to death.
3. Provide a shallow dish of fresh water for all wildlife, and offer food such as meaty hedgehog food, meaty cat or dog food or cat biscuits for hedgehogs, especially during long dry spells.
4. Make or buy a hedgehog home to offer a hibernation site that is safer from predators in the winter. It may also be used as a nesting box for a mother and her hoglets in the warmer months. Visit www. britishhedgehogs.org.uk for a leaflet on building a hedgehog home or visit our online shop to buy a premade one!
5. Check areas thoroughly for hedgehogs and other wildlife before strimming or mowing. Keep pea netting 22-30cms (9-12 inches) off the ground so that hedgehogs can pass safely under. If using robotic lawnmowers check areas carefully before use and never set them to run at night.
6. Dispose of litter responsibly. Every year hedgehogs are injured by litter and starve to death after getting trapped in discarded rubbish.
7. Hedgehogs are good swimmers but can become trapped in ponds or pools with sheer sides. Keep water levels topped up, provide a gently sloping edge if possible or place half submerged rocks and ramps in the water as an escape for them.
8. Holes in the ground should be covered or surrounded by a barrier to keep hedgehogs out.
9. Take care on the roads, hedgehogs are nocturnal so are out at night. A hedgehog’s natural defence mechanism is to roll into a ball – this is no match for a vehicle.