Please leave out bowls of shallow water and food for hedgehogs and wildlife!

[FizzAfterSix]

During this extreme weather, please leave out water for water and nocturnal animals such as hedgehogs.

Hedgehogs are endangered and unless we take care, could be extinct in our lifetimes.

Please leave a wild area in your garden, a shallow bowl of water at night, plus some cat food/cat biscuits and think about making an access point in your wall or fence.

Remember that a hedgehog out during the day is probably in trouble so please contact a local rescue.

No mealworms - they are very harmful! Cat food and water is fine.
I recommend googling Hedgehog Cabin (@hedgehogcabin on Twitter), which is updated daily by an amazing hedgehog rescuer who really knows her stuff.

It's so sad that we are not protecting our vulnerable wildlife in this country.

Yes I always leave food and water out for the little family of hedgehogs living in the vicinity. Always lovely to see them after dusk. Very sweet and sometimes I can sit on the patio and be close enough to watch them eat and drink.

Thanks for the reminder - have just done so.

Poor hot hoggies!

Unless you definitely have hedgehogs around, don't leave food, the cat food will attract rats and foxes unfortunately.

Shallow water is good though, for all kinds of wildlife.

Cat food would just get eaten by our greedy feline anyway!

We’ve had lots of wasps drinking from our bird bath today. Lots of creatures in need of water 🙂

I'm sitting on the patio waiting for our hogs now, they usually arrive around dusk. We have a logpile and lots of undergrowth, holes in the fences and feed and water fhem nightly. They are noisy little things.

Great to hear people are hard at it!

@Polyxena glad you clarified that!

One of mine has just put in an appearance.

A hedgehog lived in our garden and had a litter of babies earlier this year but we haven't seen her for weeks now. Her babies, a photo of one is attached to this post, were out in the garden during the day, on different days, covered in flies and tics. We took them to a couple of rescues but so far at least one has sadly died.

Yes good advice! I filled up a couple of extra bowls at my allotment today

oh dear @GinLavender, that's very sad. But at least you got them speedy attention, that is the key.

I leave food out for the foxes and hedgehogs. Not had any issues with rats, the garden being thrashed or other. Last year we had 6 baby foxes that came to eat. They do squabble loudly over the food. The cats enjoy watching them and eat with the hedgehogs.

We have baby owls. The loudest babies I've ever heard

Thanks for the reminder OP - have just donated to the British Hedgehog Preservation Society too. I love hedgehogs

The hedgehog that visits my garden

If you're leaving shallow dishes of water out, put a layer of pebbles in at least one, so bees can drink without drowning.
I never put food out, having had previous rat and fox issues, but always leave water.