Hedgehog Hazards 2

Netting of all sorts should be stored when not in use. If a hedgehog gets tangled in a net, it will twist and turn until it nearly severs a leg or causes serious injury to the throat. Netting for peas and beans should start at least 30 cm of the ground.

Barbed wire should not be left lying around in the garden. Nor should it be used at low level. If a hedgehog gets trapped by barbed wire it will instinctively roll into a ball, causing damage to it’s unprotected areas.

Beer can plastic holders. Always cut these up before disposing of them. Many animals die in these, even when they find them on rubbish sites after they have been collected by the dustbin people. A small hedgehog which has one of these on it, will find it cutting into its body as it grows. Unless removed it will die a slow agonising death.

Metal grills, should be checked on a regular basis if used in the garden. It would be preferable to use grills with a finer mesh, this will prevent a hedgehog getting caught in it.

Slug pellets containing Methocarb (Agricultural slug pellets) are poisonous to hedgehogs. Pellets containing Metaldehyde have been proven by research that slugs that eat this type of do not accumulate poison and are not as dangerous as first feared. However, if the pellets are eaten direct, this could cause serious internal damage to the hedgehog. If pellets are used in the garden, they should be placed under slightly raised stones where hedgehogs and other animals can’t reach them. You could try alternative methods of slug control, such as a beer trap.