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
