Hedgehog Awareness Week 2nd-8th May 2021

Next week is #HedgehogAwarenessWeek and we give a few tips here regarding hedgehog care taken from the British Hedgehog Preservation Society. https://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/

Happy hog

1. Avoid  using  pesticides  and  slug  pellets  in  your  garden.  Not only can these harm hedgehogs but also damage their food chain. Use organic methods instead.

2. Make  sure  hedgehogs  have  easy  access  to  your  garden. Ensure boundary fences or walls have a 13cm x 13cm gap in the bottom to allow hedgehogs to pass through. Keep a corner  of your  garden wild  to  offer  shelter,  protection and natural food for hedgehogs and other wildlife. Encourage hedgehogs into your garden, but you should never just move one in from another area, as it may well have a nest of dependent young that you would be condemning to death.

3. Provide a shallow dish of fresh water for all wildlife, and food such as meaty hedgehog food, meaty cat or dog food or cat biscuits for hedgehogs, especially during long dry spells.

4. Make or buy a hedgehog home, this offers a hibernation site that is safer from predators in the winter. It may also be used as a nesting box for a mother and her hoglets in the warmer months. The British Hedgehog Preservation Society can provide a leaflet on building a hedgehog home (see www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk).

5. Check areas thoroughly for hedgehogs and other wildlife before strimming or mowing. Keep pea netting 22-30cms (9 – 12 inches) off the ground so that hedgehogs can pass safely under and plants will grow to the netting. 

6. Dispose of litter responsibly. Every year hedgehogs are injured by litter and starve to death by getting trapped in discarded rubbish.

7. Bonfires offer a tempting home for a hedgehog. Ideally, collected materials should be re-sited just before the fire is to be lit, if this is not possible, the base should be lifted up with poles or broom  handles  (not  a  fork!)  and  a  torch  shone  in  to  look  (and  listen)  for  any  wildlife  or  pets  in need of rescue before lighting. Once checked, light from one side only to allow an escape route for anything you may have missed.

8. Hedgehogs are good swimmers but can become trapped in ponds or pools with sheer sides. Keep water levels topped up, provide a gently sloping edge if possible or place half submerged rocks in the water as an escape for them.

9. Cattle  grids  can  be  a  problem,  hedgehogs  fall  in  and  become  trapped,  a simple  ramp  placed in the grid will save lives. The surface should be rough to enable the escapee to gain a foothold. Holes in the ground should be covered over or surrounded by a barrier that keeps hedgehogs out.

10. Take care on the roads, hedgehogs are nocturnal so are out at night. A hedgehog’s natural defence mechanism is to roll into a ball – this is no match for a vehicle.

AT Not Just Pets we sell quality foods like Brambles and Spike’s as well as dried and live mealworm. We also sell hedgehog hides and habitats. We offer FREE local delivery, too.

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Not Just Pets Supports Rajapack and Tiggywinkles charity Hedgehog Mansion

Here at Not Just Pets we are excited to support Rajapack who are raising money for Tiggywinkles charity by building a Hedgehog Mansion!

As part of our Wildlife day that we are planning (more information coming!) we will be raising money to donate to the Tiggywinkles animal charity and help Rajapack reach their £1000 target and build a cardboard masterpiece.

Rajapack and animal charity Tiggywinkles, are building the mansion to raise the money needed to provide care to sick and vulnerable hedgehogs this winter—the season of hedgehog hibernation.

Not Just Pets stocks a wide range of accessories and food made especially for hedgehogs. You can find out more about them in store.

Hector (pictured below) — Rajapack’s nominated house hedgehog—will be given a sky dish, swimming pool and private jet, but only if donors reach the charity target of £1000. For each £50 target that is met along the way,

Rajapack will add a new feature to Hector’s mansion. Public donors can see Hector’s house progress and donate on the Rajapack website.

The house is to-scale and is suitable for any hedgehog seeking a life of luxury. The design means that Hector has room to move around freely and to invite his hedgehog friends, should they care for a game of tennis or a chill in the pool. Built from Rajapack’s finest cardboard, the mansion can withstand very mild gusts of wind.

Below are the key features that donations will help to bring to the mansion:

•Sky dish

•Garage

•Garage Extension

•West Wing Extension

•Trees

•Car

•Pool

•Tennis Court

•Plane

Andrew Wood, Ecommerce Marketing Manager at Rajapack, said:

“It’s fantastic that we can raise money for Tiggywinkles and at the same time create a fun project that is engaging for people both young and old.

“Close to Rajapack’s head office, this is a charity that is close to  the company’s heart. It cares for sick and injured animals, such as hedgehogs, badgers, deer, wild birds, foxes and reptiles. When we first found out that they needed packaging supplies and help with fundraising efforts, we jumped to help them. As the hospital receives no national funding, they rely heavily on the generosity of the public to provide the best in care free of charge.

Kind donations will ensure that they continue their important work giving wildlife a second chance!”

Note: Hector the hedgehog was not harmed in the making of Hedgehog Mansion.

Janine Tozer, Owner of Not Just Pets, says “We are delighted to be involved with this fundraising project for the TiggyWinkles charity. TiggyWinkles is a specialist wildlife hospital, dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating all species of British wildlife using all available vetinerary expertise. The hospital treats over 10,000 animal casualties per year and its doors are open 365 days a year – all casualties are treated free of charge.

Not Just Pets looks forward to sharing more information on the Wildlife day we are planning and hope that you can help raise some funds for Tiggywinkles.

 We look forward to welcoming you in store soon; remember we are open in our Bath store 7 days a week!

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