Hedgehog Help
Found a Hedgehog?
Thank you for stopping to help. If a hedgehog looks poorly or injured, or it’s out in the daytime, please phone us for advice.
Please don’t rely on email, our contact form or Facebook messages for urgent help, as they may not be seen straight away. If you can’t get through, please try again shortly or contact your nearest vet.
Draft advice, awaiting review by Dottie’s team. The guidance below is based on the charity’s existing advice and must be checked and approved before this page is published.
Is It an Emergency?
Please Call Us Straight Away If It Is…
- Out in the daytime and not obviously going somewhere
- Lying or sleeping out in the open, on a lawn, path or road
- Injured, wobbly, or caught in netting or litter
- A baby hedgehog on its own
It’s Probably Fine If It Is…
- Moving purposefully, as if it’s on its travels
- Carrying a mouthful of leaves or nesting material
- A mum out briefly in summer to find food while her babies wait in the nest
Not sure? Please ask. Catching a hedgehog that doesn’t need rescuing can cause it real stress.
Step by Step
What to Do While You Call
- Pick it up gently using thick gardening gloves or a folded towel.
- Pop it in a high-sided box lined with newspaper or an old towel.
- Bring it indoors to somewhere quiet, dark and warm. Please never keep a rescued hedgehog outside.
- If it feels cold, add a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel.
- Offer a shallow dish of water only. Please don’t give food to a poorly hedgehog unless we advise it, and never give milk or bread.
- Call us on 07397 782292 and we’ll tell you what to do next.
General Advice
Garden & Wildlife Questions
Not an emergency? Here are answers to some of the questions we’re asked most often.
Do I need to rescue this hedgehog?
Not always. A wild animal that’s caught when it doesn’t need to be can suffer from fear and stress. Hedgehogs may look calm in the hope that you’ll leave them alone. If you’re not sure, please ask us. If you do need to keep it safe while you call, put it somewhere quiet and dark.
I’ve seen a hedgehog out during the day
Hedgehogs are nocturnal. They sleep during the day and forage late in the evening, sometimes into the early morning. A hedgehog out in daylight may have a problem. If it seems to be on its travels or is carrying leaves, it’s probably fine. In summer it could be a mum taking a quick break from her babies to find food. Otherwise, please follow the steps above and call us.
I’ve found a hedgehog asleep in the open
Healthy hedgehogs build nests to sleep and hibernate in. If you find one lying out in a garden, on a path or in the street, please assume it is unwell and call us straight away.
Can I feed the hedgehogs that visit my garden?
For healthy visitors, a shallow bowl of fresh water is always welcome. Meaty cat food can be offered, but please never put out milk, bread or fish. If a hedgehog seems poorly, don’t feed it. Offer water only and call us.
How can I make my garden hedgehog-friendly?
- Make a small gap at the bottom of your fence so hedgehogs can roam between gardens.
- Check long grass carefully before mowing or strimming, and check bonfire piles before lighting them.
- Give ponds a gently sloping edge or ramp so hedgehogs can climb out.
- Avoid slug pellets and garden chemicals, and tidy away netting and litter.
- Leave a wild corner with leaves and logs for nesting and natural food.
Have a non-urgent question that isn’t covered here? Send us a message.
Every Little Hog Counts
Your support helps us rescue, care for and release more of Kent’s hedgehogs. Thank you for helping us give them a second chance.