Hedgehog in the garden- do we leave it?

[toomuchgoingonhere]

First time I’ve ever seen one. Crossing over the grass. Now hidden under some flowers. Do we leave it or do we need to rescue it? We have a dog and a cat if that makes any difference.

At dusk or night? Completely normal, leave him be, he’s just living his hedgehog life!

if he’s out in the middle of the day then contact a local rescue for advice as that can be a sign that they’re not well

You leave it. Dogs and cats don't usually interfere with them. Just let it go about its life.

I second this.

Just a hedgehog being a hedgehog.

Invite him in for a night cap?

This site might help. Has a helpline number too

https://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/

They do say it's worrying if you see them out in daylight as they're nocturnal. So yours could be fine.

Just leave him be! You are very lucky as they are pretty rare these days. Maybe you would consider researching and introducing some hedgehog friendly measures to your garden? Do NOT feed bread and milk, which is what people used to suggest.

You can feed them cat/dog food.

We have one that comes, have to do a hedgehog check before I let the dogs out.

Okay excellent. My teen gave it some cat food. It’s just happened so nighttime! I was just worried the cat or dog would see it or bother it. Good advice to see if it’s moving or still there tomorrow day.

Leave him be. PLEASE. Your dog and cat will not harm him. Hedgehog will stick his spikes up. Hedgehogs run around gardens all the time, through Spring, Summer, and Autumn, and hibernate in Winter.

Leave a shallow bowl full of fresh water for them every night if you can. You can put some dry cat food in a bowl too for it if you want.... He will appreciate it!

Even if you see a hedgehog out in the day, please don't move it/take it anywhere. I have seen people on Twitter, who think they know everything about hedgehogs, say 'ALWAYS TAKE A HEDGEHOG TO A RESCUE CENTRE IF YOU SEE IT OUTSIDE IN THE DAY,' but please don't do this, just leave it. It is very likely just pootling about looking for food. If you move it/take it somewhere, you are taking it away from its family and home and habitiat.

If it appears to be in distress, not moving, in pain, then call a hedgehog expert. Find your local hedgehog rescue centre. Someone will help it.

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Awwww, thank you for giving some cat food to him! 😘 Find a shallow bowl if you can, and put some water out too. You're really kind @toomuchgoingonhere xx

I’ll tell my Dd as I was so surprised, didnt know what to do. So a little bowl of water too. All my years I’ve never seen one- actually quite cool.

Our one drinks from the ground based bird bath.

Definitely a shallow bowl/saucer of water OP and thank you for caring!

they need all the help they can get. This is a useful site - you can log your sighting!

But not the fish varieties 🐟

You can buy hedgehog food from pet shops!

I put some out every other night. Hopefully, he’s eating my slugs and snails, too!!

We have one too. I caught it on the wildlife camera and the neighbours cat was in the garden too and didn't bother it at all. I guess they quickly learn they're a bit prickly

Just leave it to find its own way. We also have a curious dog but it curls up and no problem. The hedgehog has actually made a den in corner of garden so bought some hedgehog food for it. He/she will scurry around at night perfectly happily, bless xx

Please check the ingredients on commercial hedgehog food before you buy it - some of them have very low meat content and are full of cereals, which are no good for hedgehogs. The best thing to feed them is probably a complete kitten kibble, one with a very high meat content.
Also, slugs and snails carry lungworm which is fatal to hedgehogs and ideally they don't eat them.
This website https://hedgehogcabin.info/feeding has loads of useful information

How lovely! 😄 If you give water and food, they will stay. You will very likely get more soon, and may even see some babies. I had a family of 5 in my garden last year... (2 adults and 3 babies.) I now have a hedgehog feeding station, with 2 ways in/out, so they can't trap each other in. Also, the cats can't get in because the doorways are too small, so they can't snaffle the cat food!

I have 2 hedgehogs in the garden this year, so far.... 😍

Leave him - but not without posting a photo of him on here for us to see? 😉

Agree with PP about leaving it alone in the daytime.
They are like people and have the occasional sleepless.. day.

I see them often in the countryside, ambling around, perfectly happy.

That's the current advice.

We found one in our garden a few weeks ago and it stayed for days and was clearly not well as not moving at all. We took it to a local animal hospital who confirmed it was very underweight and had a bad leg. I emailed them this week (the hospital not the hedgehog 😁) and it is doing well and hopefully in a few weeks we can pick him/ her up and release them back into our garden as this is their home! So cool! And the other day we saw another one on the patio who was much fatter and scurried away. Wondered if he was looking for his friend / wife/ daughter ?! Love them!!

Here it is!

Awwwww, what a lovely story!

Lovely photo.

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