Nova Hedgehogs

WHAT WE DO

At Nova Hedgehogs, we rescue and rehabilitate injured, sick and orphaned hedgehogs, helping them recover safely before they are released back into the wild.
Our staff and trained volunteers provide essential hedgehog care, including veterinary support, food, clean water and safe shelter. We treat injuries, support underweight hedgehogs as they regain strength, care for orphaned hoglets and closely monitor each hedgehog until they are healthy enough to survive independently.
Alongside our rescue and rehabilitation work, we also help educate the public about hedgehog protection. We offer advice on how to make gardens safer for hedgehogs, how to support local wildlife and what to do if you find a hedgehog that may be injured, unwell or in need of help.

How to attract hedgehogs

To attract hedgehogs, put out a shallow bowl of fresh water and meaty wet or dry cat food (or specially made hedgehog food) in a quiet area of your garden at dusk, when they are most active. Create safe shelter with a hedgehog house, a pile of leaves, or logs where they can rest and hibernate. Leave a small gap under your fence so they can move between gardens, avoid using pesticides, and never give them milk or bread, as these can make them sick.

How to build a hedgehog home

You can build a hedgehog home by using a sturdy wooden box with a small entrance (about 13 × 13 cm), a waterproof roof, and ventilation holes. Place it in a quiet, shaded part of your garden, hidden under bushes or against a hedge. Fill it with dry leaves, straw, or hay to keep it warm and comfortable, and avoid disturbing it once a hedgehog has moved in.

Keeping a safe environment

To keep a safe environment for hedgehogs, make your garden as natural and hazard-free as possible. Avoid using pesticides and slug pellets, as these can poison hedgehogs and reduce their food supply. Leave piles of leaves, logs, and wild areas for shelter, and provide a shallow bowl of fresh water. Check carefully before mowing long grass, using strimmers, or lighting bonfires, as hedgehogs may be hiding underneath. If you have a pond, add a gentle slope or ramp so hedgehogs can climb out if they fall in.

1-2 Miles

HEDGEHOGS CAN TRAVEL PER NIGHT

5700

SPINES ON AN ADULT HEDGEHOGS BODY

10cm 

IS THE LENGTH OF A HEDGEHOGS LEGS

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HEDGEHOGS SEEKING A HOME

Adopt a hedgehog and help support their journey back to the wild.

At Nova Hedgehogs, every hedgehog in our care has its own story. Some arrive injured, some are underweight, and others are orphaned and need round-the-clock support. By adopting one of our hedgehogs, you are helping to fund the food, shelter, veterinary care and rehabilitation they need to recover safely.

Your adoption helps us continue our rescue work while giving you the chance to follow the progress of a hedgehog in our care. Each hedgehog has their own name, personality and little facts, so you can learn more about them and the important work that goes into helping them return to the wild.

HERBIE

Personality: Shy but adventurous

Favourite snack: Caterpillars and slugs

Often spotted: Around leaf piles and garden borders

MALE

BRAMBLE

Personality: Bold and busy

Favourite snack: Earwigs, beetles and worms

Often spotted: Near fence gaps and hedgehog highways

MALE

FANG

Personality: Curious and confident

Favourite snack: Beetles and worms

Often spotted: Near hedges, flower beds and compost areas

MALE

BISCUIT

Personality: Quiet and gentle

Favourite snack: Insects and grubs

Often spotted: In wild garden corners and under shrubs

FEMALE

SPROUT

Personality: Gentle and calm

Favourite snack: Beetles

Often spotted: Near water bowls and sheltered garden corners

FEMALE

HEDGEY

Personality: Lively and playful

Favourite snack: Worms

Often spotted: Along hedgerows

MALE

Order: Eulipotyphla

Family: Erinaceidae

Species: 17 species exist

IUCN Red List Status: UK: Vulnerable; Global: Least Concern Population trend: falling in UK.

Distribution: widespread, from Britain and rest of Europe, except the far north, across to Russia. Absent from most Scottish islands. Introduced to New Zealand.

Habitat: mainly woodland habitats, hedgerows, fields, parks, town and country gardens.

Description: distinctive spiny coat; long, coarse hair on face and underparts. Size: length:- 20 – 30 cm.

Weight:– average 700g.

Life-span: can live up to 6 years.

Food: slugs, snails, caterpillars, beetles, earthworms, birds’ eggs; sometimes frogs, snakes and carrion.

CONTACT US