Hedgehogs and Garden Hazards
Making your garden safer for hedgehogs
Hedgehogs are valuable visitors to our gardens, helping to control populations of insects and other invertebrates. However, gardens can contain hidden dangers that cause serious injuries, poisoning, entrapment and even death.
With a few simple precautions, you can help make your garden a safer place for hedgehogs and other wildlife.
At CapesWildlifeRescue, we regularly see how everyday garden items and activities can put wildlife at risk. Prevention is always better than treatment.
1. Garden netting and sports nets
Loose garden netting, football nets, fruit cages and other mesh materials can trap hedgehogs as they move through gardens.
Hedgehogs may become entangled around their legs, bodies or spines. Struggling to escape can cause deep wounds, restricted circulation and severe injuries.
How to help:
Keep netting raised at least 30cm (12 inches) above ground level where appropriate, and ensure hedgehogs cannot become trapped beneath it.
Secure loose netting tightly and check regularly for trapped wildlife.
Roll up football and badminton nets when they are not in use.
Consider wildlife-friendly alternatives wherever possible.
Never assume that an animal caught in netting will be able to free itself.
2. Garden ponds, swimming pools and water features
Hedgehogs can swim, but they cannot always escape from steep-sided ponds, smooth plastic liners, swimming pools or water features.
Exhaustion and drowning can occur if an animal becomes trapped in the water.
How to help:
Provide a gently sloping edge or a securely fitted escape ramp.
Make sure ramps are stable, rough enough to provide grip and extend into the water.
Cover water butts securely.
Check ponds, pools and water features regularly.
Even a small water feature can become a hazard if an animal cannot climb out.
3. Drains, holes and uncovered gullies
Hedgehogs can fall into uncovered drains, inspection chambers, gullies and holes in the ground. Once trapped, they may be unable to climb out.
How to help:
Keep drain covers and inspection chamber lids securely in place.
Cover open gullies and other holes when they are not in use.
Check excavations and trenches before leaving a garden or building site.
Provide a safe, stable way out of any unavoidable temporary excavation, where appropriate.
Always check holes and excavations before filling them in, as wildlife may be sheltering inside.
4. Bonfires and garden waste
Bonfire piles are particularly dangerous because hedgehogs may use them as shelter, especially during autumn and winter.
A hedgehog hidden beneath branches, leaves or garden waste may be burned alive if the pile is lit.
How to help:
Build bonfires immediately before lighting rather than leaving piles standing.
Move the entire pile carefully to a new location before lighting, checking thoroughly for wildlife as you go.
Use a torch and inspect the ground beneath and around the pile.
Never poke a bonfire with a fork or other tool without first checking for animals.
Keep bonfires away from hedgehog nesting areas and never burn a pile containing wildlife.
If you discover a hedgehog in a bonfire pile, do not light it. Seek advice if you are unsure how to move the animal safely.
5. Strimmers, lawnmowers and garden machinery
Hedgehogs often rest in long grass, under hedges and within overgrown vegetation. They may curl into a ball rather than run away when disturbed, making them difficult to spot.
Strimmers and rotary lawnmowers can cause devastating cuts, amputations and other injuries.
How to help:
Check long grass, leaf piles and vegetation carefully before cutting.
Inspect the area beneath hedges and around fences.
Cut long grass gradually and keep machinery away from dense cover where possible.
Avoid disturbing suspected nests, particularly when young may be present.
Never assume an area is empty simply because you cannot see an animal.
6. Pesticides, slug pellets and garden chemicals
Pesticides, insecticides, slug pellets, weedkillers, fertilisers and other garden chemicals can harm wildlife through direct exposure or contamination of food and water.
Hedgehogs rely on invertebrates for much of their natural diet. Reducing insect populations can also reduce the food available to them.
How to help:
Avoid slug pellets and unnecessary pesticides wherever possible.
Never leave chemicals, treated bait or contaminated food accessible to wildlife.
Store garden chemicals securely and follow product safety instructions.
Prevent chemicals from entering ponds, drains and natural watercourses.
Choose wildlife-friendly gardening methods, such as encouraging natural predators and planting diverse vegetation.
If you suspect a hedgehog has been exposed to a chemical, do not attempt to wash it or administer home remedies. Contact a wildlife rescue or veterinary practice promptly and provide the product name or packaging details if available.
7. Rodent poison and bait stations
Rodenticides can pose a risk to wildlife through accidental access to bait or, depending on the substance, secondary exposure after an animal eats poisoned prey.
Hedgehogs and other wildlife may also encounter bait that has been spilled or placed where non-target animals can reach it.
How to help:
Avoid rodent poisons where safer alternatives are suitable.
Seek professional advice about non-target wildlife risks before using rodenticides.
Keep all products secured and use them strictly according to their instructions.
Never leave loose bait or contaminated rodents accessible to wildlife.
If poisoning is suspected, seek urgent veterinary or wildlife rescue advice. Do not wait for obvious symptoms to appear.
8. Fencing, gates and garden boundaries
Solid fences and walls can prevent hedgehogs from moving between gardens to find food, mates and shelter.
Hedgehogs need to travel through connected areas to maintain healthy populations.
How to help:
Create a small hedgehog-sized gap of approximately 13cm × 13cm (5 inches × 5 inches) at ground level.
Ask neighbours to create connecting gaps so hedgehogs can move between gardens.
Check beneath gates for spaces where animals may become trapped.
Remove sharp wire, broken fencing and other hazards.
A network of connected gardens can make a real difference to local hedgehog populations.
9. Litter, plastic and discarded materials
Discarded packaging, plastic rings, tins, cans, glass and other rubbish can injure or trap wildlife.
Hedgehogs may become entangled in plastic or become stuck inside containers while searching for food or shelter.
How to help:
Pick up litter regularly.
Cut open or safely dispose of packaging that could trap an animal.
Remove discarded netting, wire and plastic from gardens.
Check containers before disposing of them, and secure rubbish bags and bins.
Please dispose of waste responsibly rather than leaving it in hedges or at the edges of gardens.
10. Puppy pads, garden fleece and other fabrics
Loose fabric, fleece, string and similar materials can become entangled around wildlife or be dragged into nests.
Some disposable absorbent products, including puppy pads, contain plastic layers that may cause problems if chewed or swallowed.
How to help:
Do not leave loose string, plastic-backed pads or unsuitable materials where hedgehogs can access them.
Secure garden fleece and coverings so animals cannot become trapped underneath or entangled.
Dispose of damaged or discarded materials safely.
If you are providing a hedgehog nesting area, use appropriate natural nesting materials and keep the area clean and dry.
11. Domestic pets
Dogs and cats may injure hedgehogs, even when they appear to be playing or investigating.
Dog bites and cat attacks can cause puncture wounds, crushing injuries and infection. Some injuries may not be visible beneath the spines.
How to help:
Supervise dogs in gardens after dark, when hedgehogs are most active.
Prevent pets from repeatedly disturbing hedgehog nesting areas.
Keep pets away from any hedgehog that appears injured or unwell.
Contact a wildlife rescue or vet promptly if a hedgehog has been caught or bitten.
A hedgehog attacked by a cat or dog should receive professional advice even if no obvious wound can be seen.
12. Hedgehog houses and nesting areas
Hedgehog houses can provide shelter, but they need to be placed and maintained carefully.
How to help:
Place houses in a quiet, sheltered location away from regular disturbance.
Ensure the entrance and surrounding area are free from hazards.
Keep pets away from the entrance.
Avoid opening or disturbing an occupied house unnecessarily.
Never move an occupied nest without appropriate advice unless there is an immediate danger.
If you suspect an occupied nest is in danger, contact a wildlife rescue for guidance before disturbing it.
What should I do if I find an injured hedgehog?
If you discover a hedgehog that is bleeding, trapped, struggling to walk, unusually weak, covered in fly eggs or maggots, or otherwise behaving abnormally, seek help promptly.
Keep pets and people away.
If the hedgehog is in immediate danger and it is safe to do so, gently place it in a secure, ventilated box lined with a towel.
Keep the box somewhere quiet and comfortably warm.
Avoid feeding, bathing or medicating the hedgehog unless a professional advises you to do so.
Contact a wildlife rescue or veterinary practice for further instructions.
Do not put yourself at risk to reach an animal trapped in a dangerous location.
Help us protect hedgehogs
You do not need a large garden to make a difference. Small changes, such as leaving a wildlife-friendly corner, creating access gaps in fences, checking before using machinery and avoiding unnecessary chemicals, can help make gardens safer for wildlife.
At CapesWildlifeRescue, our aim is to rehabilitate wildlife where appropriate and give animals the best possible chance of returning to the wild.
If you find a hedgehog that may need assistance, please contact us before travelling. All admissions must be discussed and authorised in advance, as our capacity varies.
A safer garden can save a life. By taking a few extra moments to check for wildlife, you can help prevent avoidable suffering and give hedgehogs a better chance of thriving.
