Hedgehog: Animal behaviour and problems.

      General information

      The hedgehog is a wild animal. This means that only in an       emergency case one should take him away from his natural       surroundings and take him along. On many occasions well-      meant "hedgehog rescue attempts" have caused more       damage by hasty human behaviour than having been of use.

      It is far better to to lay out your garden in the fall in a way to       fulfil the needs of the hedgehog, i. e. by spreading foliage and       branches in a sheltered place so that the hedgehogs can fit       out and move into their hibernation nest.

Hedgehogs are insect-eaters, however, also take up snails, earthworms, young mice and windfall. The hedgehog lives as a loner and has an excellent position finding. Hedgehogs who still wander around in the wintertime or during times when there's a heavy frost, can be made fit for the approaching hibernation by means of additonal feeding, for instance with cat food.

Social behaviour

Hedgehogs are loners. Even the hedgehog mothers wean their cubs very quickly and only rarely return to the cubs nest after having finished their suckling period. At the very beginning, the young hedgehogs seek protection in their nest, however scatter to the four winds very soon and start their lone life. The main service season are the months of April and May. It can, however, also last through August. When mating, the male orbits the female persistently and woos her with rattling noise. Afterwards the separation takes place. If other, dangerous looking animals or foes come across, the hedgehog has no problem to protect himself.He rolls himslef into a ball so that neither dog nor badger start to form bad ideas.