Hedgehogs

This is my usual warning for this time of year, just as gardeners are starting to mow,dig and strim or taking down rotten sheds, this is also the time that hedgehogs are waking up.  I have had one come in who was dug up with some brambles.  He was asleep about 2' below ground. Despite being on a heat pad, he still seems to be a bit dozey. Another woke up and made his way to a cattle shed in broad daylight. Luckily the farmer saw him and he arrived here.  I have also had one arrive and set up house in my hedgehog house, which has been steadfastly ignored for 5 years.
So, please be aware of our prickly friends and check long grass before mowing and strimming, take care forking compost or even digging. Any found out in the day are usually ill so need to be picked up right away, before they can escape. Put them in a high sided box, bring them indoors to keep them warm (they rarely have fleas nowadays and their fleas don't live on anything else) then call me on 01437 779461 so I can either take the little chap in here or direct you to your nearest rescue point.
If you want to attract hedgehogs to your garden and do not live near a badger sett, you can create a feeding station. Mine is an underbed storage box with a 4"x4" hole in a narrow end. I put the food in at the opposite end from the hole so cats and foxes cannot hoik it out with their paws. Put the lid on and weight it down so it won't blow over or another animal cannot turn it over. Always leave a bowl of water and the food can be any meaty dog or cat food, cat biscuits, meal worms, sunflower hearts, crushed peanuts (not salted) sultanas or even the specially prepared hedgehog foods. Put it down at dusk and, if hedgehogs are in your area, they will probably learn to wait for you under a handy bush and sneak out as soon as you leave.

The picture is of Lucy, one of a set of quads - Leo, Lucy, Liam and Lily. They will all be released very soon.