Hedgehogs

[EvianBaby]

I've discovered I have a little hedgehog who likes to come and have a drink from the bowl of water I leave in the garden for the cat.

But, I have big fences all around my garden which are mostly flush to the ground, save one part that has a gap of about 2 inches.

Can hedgehogs squeeze themselves down like mice do?

[sherrardk]

Ps - hedgehogs are my favourite animal and it is supposed to be lucky if you have one visiting your garden.

[Maydup]

No need to put any food out at all. The hedgehog is visiting already so don't interfere with nature instead leave him to be the best pest controller you could want for living on a diet of slugs and snails.

[mrs.chappie]

EB, if you decide to give him some peanuts, please make sure you smash them up well - we get many starving hogs in our local hedgehog hospital and when examined they are found to have a whole peanut stuck to the roof of their mouth and cannot eat properly.

Also, if you do decide to give him some mealworms, buy them dried and rehydrate them yourself. Do it outside though, as they absolutely stink. You'll get them for a much better price if you buy them in bulk off eBay, rather than from a garden centre. Wild birds love them too.

[EvianBaby]

Boxtops, I said I didn't want to put cat food outside because I don't want to attract other cats.

Thanks for the suggestions. I've got tons of slugs in my garden, which I always found odd as there's hardly any plants. So maybe ill just leave him to feast on them and make sure the water bowl is topped up.