Wildlife lovers are doing this one thing to welcome hedgehogs this autumn

Wildlife lovers are cutting one neat square to help hedgehogs move, feed, and bed down before the first frost. The idea is simple, almost cheeky — and it might be the small fix that saves a species from slipping away.

It starts at dusk, when the sky goes that smoky blue and the air smells faintly of wet leaves and bonfires. A neighbour kneels at the back fence with a pencil behind her ear, measuring the slats while her kids hold a torch and whisper like they’re on a secret mission. In the hedge-line, something snuffles. You hear the low, contented huff of a hedgehog snaking through ivy and old footballs, looking for a way through that wooden wall.

Five minutes later, there’s a clean square cut at ground level. The torch beam hits it and the children cheer. A snout appears, curious and shameless, and slips into next door like it’s clocking in for the night shift. *All for a hole the size of a postcard.*

The one thing: a hedgehog highway under your fence

Across terraces and cul-de-sacs, people are carving 13cm-by-13cm gateways in fences so hedgehogs can roam between gardens. They call them hedgehog highways, and once you’ve seen one you start spotting them everywhere — a little mark, a tiny arch, a badge of quiet kindness. The logic is plain: link up gardens and you rebuild a patchwork of safe routes through the city night. **A 13cm square is the magic number.**

In Bristol, Lisa and her two next-door neighbours cut three holes in one afternoon, then logged them on a community map. A week later, the motion camera caught a hedgehog trotting through at 11.42pm, then again at 2.03am with a face dusted in soil like it had nosed through a bakery. Groups like Hedgehog Street have rallied thousands to do the same, neighbour by neighbour. In rural areas hedgehogs have fallen hard this century, while towns show signs of stabilising where gardens are joined up.

Fences, walls, and gravel boards can turn a hedgehog’s nightly wander into a maze. These animals can travel a mile or two in one night, hoovering up beetles and worms, building fat reserves for winter. A barrier forces detours, road crossings, dead ends. A small ground-level hole changes the map. It opens new food patches, safer paths, and space for courtship in spring. It also helps youngsters find shelter before temperatures drop.

How to cut the hole and make it hedgehog-friendly

Pick a spot at ground level along your back fence where hedgehogs already pass — you’ll see faint trails through grass or leaves. Mark out a square roughly 13cm by 13cm with a pencil and a little ruler. Use a hand saw or jigsaw to cut slowly, wearing gloves and eye protection. Sand the edges so nothing snags. If your fence has a gravel board, cut through that too, or shift the square slightly so the opening sits flush with the soil.

Think like a hedgehog for the finish. Place a short tunnel of sturdy pipe or a timber frame if you want the opening to last. Keep the approach clear of brambles and netting, then scatter a thin mat of leaves to lie low and soft. We’ve all had that moment when a small job feels absurdly fiddly, so keep it simple and stop when it works. **Let’s be honest: nobody really does that every day.** If you’re renting, chat with neighbours and note that the cut is tiny and neat. Most say yes when they hear the word hedgehog.

A few common mistakes pop up. Some holes are too small, or they sit a few centimetres off the ground so hedgehogs can’t find them. Others open straight onto a driveway where cars pull in. Aim for a shaded corner near planting, and check for hazards like loose netting, uncovered drains, or sheer-sided ponds. Add a little ramp of bricks in water features so thirsty visitors can climb out. Never put out milk; offer fresh water and, if you like, a few spoons of meaty cat food at dusk.

“You don’t need a big garden or a big budget,” says Tom, a Hedgehog Street volunteer in Kent. “You just need a square and a conversation with the person over the fence.”

• Cut size: 13cm x 13cm at ground level
• Place near cover, away from driveways
• Smooth edges; add a frame or short tunnel if you can
• Leave water; skip milk; keep nets tight off the ground
• Ask neighbours — one square is good, a chain is better

What happens when the night opens up

The first thing you notice is how alive the dark becomes. On a mild autumn night, the garden starts to whisper: a shuffle in the leaves, a click of beetle wings, the soft scrape of a hedgehog investigating a cracked patio. They pass through quickly, like commuters who know their route. The camera traps show them looping back for a second look, then vanishing under a viburnum as if pulled by a string only they can feel.

Next comes the small reshuffle of habits. Cats stop staring at the fence and start ignoring the new hole because the novelty fades. The neighbour you only waved to before now texts to say a prickly visitor went through at 1.10am and again just before dawn. You start leaving a saucer of water near the gap, and you kick the habit of raking every leaf because a soft pile is better bedding than any shop-bought box. **Leave the leaves, link the gardens, and let the night shift pass through.**

Then the slow story plays out. A hedgehog shows up heavier in late October, well fed and unhurried. It may choose your log pile or next door’s compost, padded with the leaves you decided not to bag. The hole stays there through winter like a small promise. The act feels tiny in the day, almost nothing. At midnight it becomes a doorway for a species that needs one gentle break from all our tidy lines and locked boundaries.

It’s funny what a square of air can do. A little opening changes your relationship with your patch of ground and the people on the other side. You start to look sideways instead of only inwards and the garden becomes part of a route, not an island. The fix is small, almost shy, and yet it opens room for wild lives to pass through ours without fuss. Think of it as neighbourliness with a beat at midnight. You cut the square once and the benefit walks through for years.

FAQ :

• Will foxes or dogs use the hole?Fox cubs might squeeze when tiny, but the size is aimed at hedgehogs. Most dogs won’t bother with a low narrow gap.
• Do I need permission to cut the hole?If the fence is shared or belongs to your neighbour, ask first. Many say yes when they hear why.
• How high should the hole be?Right at ground level. A gap a few centimetres up is easy for us and awkward for them.
• Will the hole weaken my fence?Not if you frame it. A simple wooden surround or short tunnel keeps strength in the gravel board.
• Should I feed hedgehogs in autumn?Water helps every night. A spoon or two of meaty cat or dog food at dusk is fine. Skip milk and bread.