Hedgehog Haven Rescue

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Hedgehog Haven Rescue A small self-funded rescue in Luton, Bedfordshire. For the care of sick, injured or orphaned hedgehogs.

16/10/2026

🔴 Britain’s beloved hedgehogs are facing a growing crisis, with conservation experts warning that urgent action is needed to prevent further population declines.

A study has revealed that rural hedgehog numbers in England fell by 71% between 1981 and 2023, raising serious concerns about the future of the once-common mammal.

Experts point to intensive farming, the removal of hedgerows, increased pesticide use, road deaths and prolonged dry weather as key factors behind the decline. More than 100,000 hedgehogs are estimated to be killed on roads every year.

However, there is some hope. Hedgehog numbers in urban areas have increased by around 20% between 2004 and 2024, with wildlife-friendly gardens, reduced pesticide use and small gaps in garden fences helping them survive.

Conservation experts say it is not too late to protect these much-loved animals, but action is needed to help them survive in the British countryside.

Have you seen any hedgehogs in your garden recently?

16/10/2026

🍁As autumn takes hold, hedgehogs can do with a helping hand. Gardeners can look after hedgehogs this October by making their gardens more inviting.

👉There are numerous benefits to having hedgehogs in your garden. As natural predators of insects, caterpillars and beetles, they serve as an effective form of natural pest control.

Hedgehog numbers in rural areas have fallen by between a third and three-quarters nationally over the past two decades, and creating wildlife-friendly gardens is one of the key ways to support their conservation.

Gardens can offer hedgehogs vital sources of food, water and shelter, and leaving small gaps in fences and gates enables them to move safely and freely between different areas, reports the Express.

With just a handful of minor adjustments suggested by Chris Bonnett, founder of GardeningExpress, gardeners can make their outdoor space far more welcoming and provide hedgehogs with the resources they require during the autumn months.

Provide food
Hedgehogs will be seeking to build up their fat reserves ahead of hibernation, so putting out food is one of the easiest ways to draw them into your garden.

They are particularly fond of insects such as beetles, earthworms and snails. You can also put out meat-based cat food, specialist hedgehog food or plain dry cat biscuits.

As hedgehogs are predominantly active after dark, place the food outside during the evening.

Leave out fresh water
Put out a shallow dish of clean water somewhere quiet and sheltered, and make sure to refresh the water every day.

Provide shelter
Hedgehogs require a calm, sheltered spot to rest throughout the day before eventually going into hibernation. Think about leaving one corner of your garden unkempt, with heaps of leaves, logs and branches where hedgehogs can shelter and recuperate.

You can also purchase or construct a hedgehog house to provide a dedicated retreat for them.

Create gaps in fences and gates
These prickly creatures can cover a surprisingly considerable distance overnight while foraging for food and water.

Leaving a small opening at the base of gates and fences enables hedgehogs to roam freely between gardens without venturing near busy roads or hazardous areas. A gap measuring 13cm by 13cm is generally the ideal size.

Steer clear of harmful chemicals
If you're actively looking to encourage hedgehogs into your garden, cut back on the use of pesticides and other chemicals. These can directly harm hedgehogs and also eliminate the insects they depend upon for sustenance.

✍Mia O'Hare, Chris Bonnett

02/09/2026

🍂Hedgehogs are frequently spotted in gardens throughout September as they busily forage to pack on fat reserves before their winter hibernation.

🪴These prickly visitors are also a gardener's friend, munching on beetles, caterpillars, worms and other invertebrates that could otherwise damage plants.

🫗Leaving out food and fresh water in the garden each evening will help encourage hedgehogs to become regular visitors.

The RSPCA suggests offering tinned meaty cat or dog food alongside crushed cat or dog biscuits, served in shallow bowls so the creatures can reach them with ease.

It's important to refresh these daily, throwing away any uneaten food. However, there are certain items you should never leave out for hedgehogs, as they can cause them serious harm.

According to BBC Gardeners' World, bread and milk should never be given to hedgehogs. While hedgehogs will consume bread, it offers them zero nutritional value. Milk must be avoided as it triggers diarrhoea, which can result in dehydration and malnutrition in these small animals.

Mealworms are unsafe for hedgehogs due to their high phosphorus and low calcium content, leading to brittle bones and potential fractures, a condition known as Metabolic Bone Disease. Most hedgehogs discovered with Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) have to be put down.

Sunflower seeds and peanuts shouldn't be fed to hedgehogs either, as they can also trigger MBD. Fruit is another food to avoid, as it can lead to stomach upset and dental problems.

The only meat you should ever leave out is that found in balanced products such as cat or dog food, as previously mentioned. Raw meat carries the risk of salmonella, while processed meat contains far too much salt.

✍ Kate Lally

29/08/2026

🐝 Gentle giants of the garden. Bumblebees aren’t looking for trouble — they’re busy pollinating flowers and helping our planet bloom. Give them space, and they’ll happily go on their way. 🌼

28/08/2026

The rescue centre already looks after about 250 prickly patients a year.

20/05/2026

Please remember to check,we get so many hedgehogs in each year with Strimmer injuries.🦔

29/04/2026

It's less than ONE WEEK until - our biggest week of the year for celebrating & spreading the word about what we can all do to help protect the future of this amazing species in the UK.
🦔
Hedgehog Awareness Week runs 3rd - 9th May - please !
https://buff.ly/EVzmoE7

22/04/2026

🌙🦔 We’re looking for compassionate, reliable volunteers to join our Evening Crew here at Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital to help us provide 24/7 care for injured and orphaned wildlife.

🕖 When: Wednesday evenings, 7–11pm

What you’ll be doing:
📞 Answering emergency calls and supporting the public
📝 Booking in wildlife casualties as they arrive
🚑 Helping coordinate rescues
🩺 Assisting with triage on admission
🏥 Carrying out important checks around the hospital

This is a hands-on, rewarding role where you’ll work independently - but you’ll never be alone. Full training and ongoing support are provided every step of the way.

If you’ve ever wanted to make a real difference for British wildlife, this is your chance.

👉 See details on how to apply at: https://sttiggywinkles.org.uk/help-us/become-a-volunteer/

29/03/2026

Some good advice, but there are always exceptions,if your concerned about any wildlife phone your local rescuer for advice, thankyou Paula and the wildlife 🐾

26/03/2026

Hello, I’m a hedgehog, and if you keep shutting me out of your garden, I’m going to go extinct. I’m already on the IUCN Red List (GB) as vulnerable. It might sound dramatic, but for those of us navigating the modern world, the fences you build are walls we simply cannot climb. We aren't looking to take over; we’re just small travellers on a nightly quest for food and a safe place to rest our weary heads. When every garden is sealed shut, our world shrinks, our food disappears, and our families are torn apart by barriers we don't understand.
​I promise I’m a neighbour worth having. I’ll spend my nights quietly patrolling your flowerbeds, acting as your natural pest control. I don’t ask for much—just a tiny gap at the bottom of a fence, a "hedgehog highway," so I can pass through safely without having to risk the dangerous, busy roads that claim so many of my friends.
​Please, take a moment to look at your garden through my eyes. A little corner of wildflowers, a shallow dish of water, or even just a small hole in the fence can be the difference between a future for my kind and a world where we only exist in picture books. I want to keep snuffling through the leaves and waking up to the smell of your garden, but I can't do it alone. I need you to let me in.

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