Hello from a first-time wildlife gardener

deer boy · #11 (**permalink**) 23-06-2008, 05:48 PM

Hi Marcia welcome to WAB

Good luck with the house move & happy birthday for Wednesday

demicav · #12 (**permalink**) 23-06-2008, 05:52 PM

Hi Marcia, welcome to WAB.

ellen h · #13 (**permalink**) 23-06-2008, 06:11 PM

Hello there,welcome to WAB
ellen

djackso · #14 (**permalink**) 23-06-2008, 06:32 PM

Hope this helps

The type of garden likely to attract hedgehogs will have overgrown areas - voluminous shrubs, long grass, piles of leaves, etc. Severe pruning, mowing and raking wipes out all the cosy nooks that hedgehogs like.
You could also supplement your hedgehog's diet by putting out a bowl of good quality cat or dog food (not fish). This will only ever be supplemental: a hedgehog's natural diet consist of bugs and beetles, caterpillars, earthworms, slugs and snails, etc. They will continue to forage for themselves whilst you put out food for them - there is no need to worry that they will starve if you go on holiday.
In addition to this, what hedgehogs would really appreciate during the summer is a shallow dish of water- or a pond!

ron1863 · #15 (**permalink**) 23-06-2008, 10:24 PM

Hi Marcia, welcome to WAB, looks like a lovely well kept garden. Good luck with the move.

Marcia · #16 (**permalink**) 24-06-2008, 06:22 AM

Thank you all for the welcome posts, birthday wishes and the tips to atract hedgehogs.

Thank you!

Maybe my garden might be a bit too tidy for the hedgehogs... I'll put some water and mealworms at night to see what happens (I might count the number of worms I put in the bowl

yeah i know, I am this control freak...). I can't put cat food because there are cats in the neighbourhood that often walk on my garden with a matter-of-fact look in their face...