Everyone loves to spot a little black-nosed hedgehog in the garden – but we are not all aware of how difficult life can be for the spiky little animals come the summer months.
We can struggle enough with the hot weather but with the options of fans, cold beers or a cool dip in the pool there are ways to cope.
However, in the wild hedgehogs come across two main issues – one being there are fewer juicy creepy crawlies to snack on, the other being there are less pools of cool water to splash around in.
Most hedgehogs are born in June and July and the experts are saying that the adorably named baby hedgehogs, hoglets, are appearing in back gardens all over the country, according to Hedgehog Street.
The first few weeks of hoglets are spent in the nest before they learn to forage for ten days with their mothers.
After this point hedgehogs are on their own, and will wander off to start their own lives in the green fields of Great Britain. It is at this point some hedgehogs may begin to struggle in the hotter months.
Although insects like earwigs and beetles are rife in late summer and provide ample grub for hedgehogs, other creepy crawlies are in shorter supply.
Hedgehogs bread and butter is slugs and earthworms and these can be harder to come by at this point in the year. Sources of water dry up in the hot weather and sun.
Without access to fresh water hedgehogs have a very diminished chance of surviving their first weeks of life.
However, there are things we can do to help ease their struggle. Just placing a small bowl of fresh water in the garden can help these little animals out.
As a bonus your bowls of water are sure to be visited by thirsty hoglets. You can also put out some wet cat or dog food to compensate for the lack of natural hedgehog food available.
If you fancied a bigger project you could also build a pond. A pond provides hedgehogs with a year-round water supply, so they will keep strolling back to your lawn.
It will also provide a home for insects and amphibians that hedgehogs like to snack on and as a bonus they can cool down in it. You can help aid their entry and exit to your haven with a gentle slope for their tiny legs.
