Hedgehog
Hedgehogs
The common hedgehog is found throughout the Isle of Man. It is a protected species under the Wildlife Act 1980 and on the IUCN ‘red list’ for British mammals – i.e. vulnerable to extinction.
Hoglets
Hoglets are juvenile hedgehogs. They should remain in their nests, especially while their eyes are still closed.
Active nests should be left alone, unless hoglets are squeaking with their eyes shut.
If you find a young hoglet which is smaller than the size of an apple (300g) out of the nest, it will need help.
Adult hedgehogs need our help too.
- As well as letting the edges of green spaces go wild, create log piles and leaf mounds which offer shelter to hedgehogs; and always check carefully for wildlife before strimming.
- Add ‘hedgehog highways’ to your garden fences by making several 13cm by 13cm holes in the base of them, which will allow hedgehogs to move more freely in pursuit of food.
- Make ponds safe by adding escape routes to them – create sloping edges, place a piece of timber in the water as a ramp, or pile half-submerged rocks onto each other so that a thirsty hedgehog that falls in can climb out.
- Cover the entrances to drains so that a hedgehog doesn’t fall in and then be unable to climb back up.
- Don’t use slug pellets or pesticides, and instead go for safer alternatives such as sprinkling crushed eggshells or coffee grounds around any vulnerable plants; and spraying soapy water on delicate flower buds.
- When using garden mesh, try to place it several inches above the ground to prevent a hedgehog becoming tangled in it.
- Don’t set light to garden fires without moving the contents of the fire to a new spot first, just in case a hedgehog has fallen asleep underneath the twigs and leaves.
- And, of course, make sure there are always clean shallow bowls of water available for hedgehogs to drink from – add a few pebbles for bees and butterflies to perch on so that they can drink safely too.
How to help if you think a hoglet has been abandoned, or an adult is injured or sick
If it’s safe to catch and contain the animal this should be done very carefully. Whenever handling wild animals you should wear gloves and hold the animal away from your face. Always use common sense and, if unsure, seek additional advice or assistance.
A secure cardboard box with ventilation holes, lined with a towel or newspaper, is ideal. Keep the contained animal as quiet as possible and take it to a vet if it is injured or unwell (you won’t be charged) or the ManxSPCA if it’s uninjured. If you don’t have a box available you can use a blanket or coat to wrap the animal in, making it feel secure.
Personal hygiene should be taken into consideration when and after handling any animal. – whether it is domestic or wild, dead or alive. Obvious dangers include bites, scratches and disease transmission.