Local homebuilder’s top tips to keep hedgehogs safe this Bonfire Night

This bonfire night, Barratt Homes is encouraging everyone to spare a thought for their prickly pals.The local homebuilder has already joined forces with the RSPB to set up a new benchmark in wildlife friendly developments and is now encouraging households to watch out for hedgehogs that may be taking shelter in pre-built bonfires.It is estimated that there are fewer than a million hedgehogs remaining in Britain, and they have been officially registered vulnerable to extinction. Hedgehogs have been declining in both urban environments due to busy roads and impenetrable walls and in the countryside due to predators, poor habitats and pesticides.Nicki Reid, sales director for Barratt Homes Exeter said: “Our partnership with the RSPB is extremely important to us and we want to work closely with our customers and communities to ensure our British wildlife is preserved at our developments.”“It is important to remember our smaller prickly neighbours this winter and following these simple steps to protect hedgehog habitats can make a world of difference. We are proud to have installed 900 metres of hedgehog highways at our Okement Park development near Okehampton. Hedgehogs can travel up to 2 kilometres at night in search of food so making their journeys as easy as possible and free of obstacles is incredibly important.”“We encourage all homeowners to keep these holes open to allow hedgehogs to pass through, as well as other animals like frogs and toads that may choose to make their home in your garden.”There is plenty that we can all do to help reverse the decline in hedgehog numbers. Barratt Homes offers seven top tips on how to transform your gardens into a hedgehog haven this autumn and protect the hedgehogs this coming bonfire night.When lighting a bonfire, be sure to try and build the bonfire on the day you want to light it and as close to the time you intend to light it. This will prevent the hedgehog from setting up camp. If this isn’t possible then before you light the bonfire, manually check it for any hedgehogs, as piles of wood and branches can seem like the perfect place to hibernate for the winter. When lighting a bonfire, always light from a corner not the centre, this will give the hedgehogs plenty of chance to escape.If you do find a distressed hedgehog on bonfire night, put on a pair of gardening gloves and transfer the hedgehog to a shoebox, make sure to fill the box with leaves and grass to make it homely. Make sure there are air holes in the top of the box before fastening it shut. Put the box in a quiet place, such as a garden shed. Once the festivities are over, release the hedgehog into a bush or grassy area.Put out fresh water for hedgehogs in the garden but don’t feed them milk as they are lactose intolerant. Tinned meaty cat or dog food and even dry cat or dog food is a useful addition to a hedgehog’s diet.Avoid using pesticides as that can reduce the food supply and is harmful for hedgehogs if ingested. Hedgehogs feed on snails, slugs and caterpillars so can take over as pest control.Keep your gardens a bit messy this autumn and winter, piles of leaves provide the perfect cover for hedgehogs if they wake up from hibernation in search of food. Sweeping leaves into a quiet corner of the garden makes the perfect spot for hedgehogs. Be sure to be careful when turning over compost as hedgehogs love to set up camp there too.Hedgehogs are good runners and travellers and can travel around a mile a night in search of food or shelter. Putting a small 13cm by 13cm hole in the bottom of your garden fence, can allow them more opportunities to roam around in search of a mate or food.Make sure to cover drains and holes in your garden, as a hedgehog may fall in and ensure there is an escape route in ponds. Always check for hedgehogs before using a strimmer or mower, particularly under hedges and leaf litter piles where they could be resting.For more inspiration and guidance on how to help your local hedgehogs and other wildlife, please visit the RSPB’s Nature on Your Doorstep: www.rspb.org.uk/NatureOnYourDoorstepYou can join us on our social media pages, follow us on Facebook or Twitter and keep up to date with whats going on in South Devon.Got a news story, blog or press release that you’d like to share or want to advertise with us? Contact us