Forget expensive feeders — here’s what really makes hedgehogs visit

Yet night after night, many of us set them out and the lawn stays quiet. The truth is less shiny and far more effective.

I’m standing on a damp patio in socks, cup of tea cooling in my hand, listening to a fox bark somewhere over the railway line. The sensor light has been taped off, the lawn is slick with a thin mist, and the old washing-up bowl sits under the viburnum, brimming. A soft shuffle grazes the fence like a zipper. My neighbour’s cat freezes. Out from the shadow, the round, determined shape toddles in, nose twitching. It bypasses the fancy feeder I bought last spring and heads straight for the water, drinking as if it had walked from the next county. *I don’t move. The dark holds its breath.*

What really brings hedgehogs in

Hedgehogs visit when they can get in, move safely, and find the basics they need. They’re not auditioning feeders. They’re looking for routes, cover, water and a predictable routine. **Access beats gadgets.** A single 13 cm by 13 cm hole at ground level in your fence is more effective than the most stylish feeder on Instagram. Dark corners and low planting help too. If the path is simple and sheltered, hedgehogs will learn it and return.

On a small street in Leeds, a family messaged our local group in despair: they’d bought the premium feeder, the specialist biscuits, even the night-vision camera. No hedgehogs. One Saturday they cut a square “hedgehog highway” through the gravel board and chatted with two neighbours to do the same. The following week, a huffing duet snuffled past like tiny hoovers. The camera caught muddy feet, not glossy packaging. Volunteer mapping projects like Hedgehog Street have logged thousands of these holes across the UK, and those dots often sit where sightings cluster.

Think like a hedgehog and the logic snaps into focus. They can roam more than a kilometre each night, burning through energy in a body the size of a loaf. Open corridors save steps. Short grass patches lure beetles and worms, while piles of leaves and sticks harbour more. Bright lights and barking dogs create dead zones. A dependable dish of fresh water is a magnet, especially after warm, dry days. If your garden reads as easy, quiet and useful, they’ll write it into their nightly loop.

Turn your patch into a hedgehog stopover

Start with a 20-minute transformation. Cut or create a 13 cm square hole at ground level in a fence or gate to connect with a neighbour’s garden. Put a shallow dish of fresh water near cover, no more than a couple of centimetres deep. If you want to offer food, use meaty cat or kitten kibble or wet food in a low dish, tucked inside a simple tunnel or box to reduce cat raids. **Food is a bonus, not the hook.** The hook is a safe, dark route in and out.

Skip the myths and the hard work you’ll abandon next week. No milk and bread. Go easy on mealworms, sunflower hearts and peanuts — they’re like crisps, not a meal, and can cause problems if overdone. Swap slug pellets for beer traps or hand-picking. Add a small wooden ramp or stones in steep-sided ponds so visitors can climb out. Keep a palm-sized “messy corner” of leaves and logs. Let’s be honest: nobody actually does that every day. Try two tidy-up evenings a month and call it a win.

You don’t need to buy a hedgehog house right now. A stack of old roof tiles, a log pile against the shed, or a dense clump of native shrubs gives instant cover. Chat to your neighbours about linking gardens and turning down the lights after 10 pm. We’ve all had that moment when the garden feels empty and we wonder what we’re doing wrong — often it’s just a missing doorway and a loud patio light.

“If you give them a way in and a quiet corner, they’ll do the rest,” says a volunteer hedgehog carer in Kent. “Nine times out of ten, I tell people to cut a hole, add water, and stop strimming blind.”

• Tonight’s quick wins: cut a 13 cm hole, place a shallow water dish under cover, dim bright lights, and message one neighbour.
• Weekend upgrades: build a log pile, set a pond escape ramp, make a DIY feeding tunnel from a plastic box with a 12 cm side entrance.
• Ongoing habits: lift long grass in patches, avoid netting at ground level, check before you strim or light bonfires.

When you stop chasing gadgets

Strip it back and a pattern emerges. Gardens that feel calm, connected and a bit scruffy get more hedgehog traffic than glossy, sealed-off rectangles. **Routine beats novelty.** Put water out every evening, keep entrances clear, and leave a corner unraked. Talk to the person over the fence about creating a mini network. A single street can become a wildlife runway. You’ll still find room for a feeder if it brings you joy. Just remember the moment in the dark when a small animal arrives, not for the box you bought, but for the path you opened. That’s the hook worth sharing with friends.

FAQ :

• What should I feed visiting hedgehogs?Offer meaty cat or kitten kibble or wet cat/dog food. Specialist hedgehog biscuits are fine too. Skip milk and bread, and go easy on mealworms, peanuts and sunflower hearts.
• When is the best time to put food out?At dusk. Place the dish under cover or inside a tunnel and lift leftovers at first light to deter rats and foxes.
• How big should the access hole be?About 13 cm by 13 cm, at ground level, cut through a fence board or gate. Mark it clearly so future repairs don’t seal it up.
• Do I need to buy a hedgehog house?Nice to have, not essential. A log pile, dense shrub base or a quiet, dry corner works. Place any house in shade with the entrance out of the wind.
• How do I stop cats raiding the food?Use a plastic storage box as a feeding tunnel, entrance cut to around 12 cm, with a brick “porch” to lengthen the approach. Dry kibble also reduces cat interest.