Hedgehogs are more likely to be seen scurrying around gardens at this time of year, and they can struggle to survive hibernation if they do not find enough food now. It is important for hedgehogs to fatten up in autumn before November begins so they have enough energy to stay warm during the frosty cold weather.
However, a lot of insects tend to die off in October, which can make finding enough food a difficult task for these spiky critters unless they have someone feeding them. Leaving out food for hedgehogs is an incredibly kind gesture, but most people do not realise they are doing more harm than good by leaving out the wrong items. Charlie Mellor, an expert from the Woodland Trust, has warned that you should never give hedgehogs milk as it can actually cause them a lot of harm.
She said: “Contrary to popular belief, hogs are lactose intolerant and milk can make them ill, so please only offer them water.”
What should you not feed hedgehogs?
It is really common advice on social media to give hedgehogs milk, but they cannot properly digest it, and drinking it can cause them to experience intense stomach pain and diarrhoea.
Hedgehogs will drink milk if it is left out for them, as they do not understand it is harmful, and it will actually severely dehydrate them or even kill them if they are weak enough.
It is much better to put a bowl of water for them in a quiet spot of your garden, and hedgehogs will likely come back every day before they hibernate.
Avoid also leaving bread or mealworms out for hedgehogs, as they don’t provide enough nutrients and can increase the risk of disease, even though birds enjoy them.
How do you feed hedgehogs to keep them healthy?
One of the simplest but most effective ways to help out hedgehogs is to attract their natural prey to your garden by letting parts of your lawn or flowerbeds grow wild in autumn.
Charlie said: “Allowing areas to become overgrown or adding a pond, log pile or compost heap will provide habitat for creepy crawlies, and attract birds and other wildlife that feed on them too.”
Leaving out leaf piles, letting grass grow long or letting shrubs become extremely bushy will encourage more insects to a garden and provide them with a shelter to stay safe in the colder seasons.
Humans should only supplement a hedgehog’s diet as they are wild animals, so they need to hunt, so they do not become too dependent, but in autumn, they can be fed daily to help them gain enough weight.
You should leave out cat or dog food for hedgehogs, as it is filled with fats and proteins hedgehogs need to build up their fat reserves before winter begins.