WONDERED why there's so many hedgehogs around at the moment?

Well animal experts seem to think they're out earlier than usual because they're predicting a very cold winter. 

A West Country hedgehog centre - which has so far successfully released over 3,000 of the creatures back into the wild - is warning people to be on the lookout for hoglets which may need help surviving the cold months. 

Why are we seeing more of them?

Because of the sudden brisk temperatures, mums are hibernating earlier and may be more likely to abandon their young if disturbed.

What can you do to help?

Hedgehog experts are asking people to weigh little ones if its safe to do so. Any hoglets less than 450 grams should be taken to their nearest animal welfare centre. A hoglet needs to be ideally 650 grams to battle through until spring. 

How can I build them a home?

Anyone wanting to give an extra helping hand to these spiky little mammals can do so by creating a hedgehog home. Sturdy upside-down crates with little entrances covered in stones, earth and wood, make an ideal place to live.

Just make sure it's facing away from the northern wind, ideally against a wall or fence, somwhere quiet. Make sure not to disturb the box once its occupied because you'll frighten the mother, and leave the inside bare as they like to furnish their own homes.

What should I feed them?

Hedgehogs appreciate a bowl of water and a dish of cat/dog food. When the food is no longer being consumed, stop putting it out. 

Never feed hedgehogs milk or bread. They can’t digest them, so it upsets their stomachs.

They are known for their perculiar foraging habits. They root around in undergrowths in search of small insects, worms, centipedes, snails, frogs and snakes.

How should I make my garden hedgehog friendly?

  • Compost heaps: they might be nesting in your compost so don't go in with a fork!
  • Lawn mowers: strimmers and lawn mowers can kill them so be careful when cutting long grass and at the bottom of bushes
  • Fruit nets: they can get tangled in these
  • Slug pellets: these can be fatal to hedgehogs
  • Make sure they have access: they cover a wide area so will be foraging in several gardens. Make sure it has an easy way in and out.

Five things you didn't know about hedgehogs

1. A group of hedgehogs is called an array.

2. Each hedgehog has somewhere between 5,000 and 7,000 quills.

3. Hedgehogs are believed to be largely immune to snake venom. This is because of the protein erinacin in their muscular system.

4. In New Zealand, McGillicuddy's Serious Party once tried to get a hedgehog elected to Parliament. They were unsuccessful. 

5. Hedgehogs have very poor eyesight and reply on their hearing and strong sense of smell to get around.