Hedgehog is a small spiny mammal that might look dangerous but isn’t. It is a friendly and warm living thing that curls up and uses its spiny and prickly body to deter most of its predators. Other than this, hedgehogs are harmless.
A lot of hedgehog owners question, how a hedgehog reaches the top of a hedge or a wall, can they climb?
Yes, hedgehogs can climb high walls and hedges. In fact, they are adept climbers. With their heavy round bodies and short legs, they can reach things lying at a height. Climbing up isn’t an issue for them but climbing down is because of their body weight and small size.
Many consider them as useful pets because they prey on the garden pests like snails, centipedes, worms, insects, snakes, mice, etc that can harm your garden plants.
The name Hedgehog is given to this creature for a reason. This small animal roots through hedges and shrubs in search of food which comprises various insects, frogs, snails, etc. They are famous for their peculiar foraging methods.
As the hedgehog roams around in the hedges picking the food for itself, it takes out pig-like grunts, hence the name Hedgehog.
Can Hedgehogs climb all kinds of fences?
Hedgehogs can be your garden saviors. Welcoming them in your garden can be highly beneficial for you. They look for their own food, but all they want is a shelter to keep them safe and a large area for them to roam around. If you wish to befriend a Hedgehog, make sure you have a hedgehog friendly fence put up in your garden.
Not all garden fences allow Hedgehogs a clear and easy pass. Hedgehogs have a habit of roaming around in the night in search of food. They can move around for good 1 to 2 miles in the entire night. The things that can restrict their food search movement are fences and walls that act as complicated obstacles to climb.
The main feed of hedgehogs comes from the gardens. Gardens serve as the safest place for food, shelter and save them from being run over by cars or being eaten up by the foxes.
Hedgehogs have a unique habit of foraging many gardens in one night. They eat all those insects that have entered your garden to destroy it by consuming your flowers, vegetables, plants, etc.
In an ideal situation, Hedgehogs love to forage from one garden to the other consuming snails and slugs. Fences can block their usual activity and make them deviate some considerable distance from their main path. This blockage might land them on the road and get them killed by a car or a predator lurking around.
For Hedgehogs to visit your garden, you need a fence made of log piles, dry stones or even planks, but all should have tailor-made gaps that allow Hedgehogs to pass through and enter and exit your garden. The gaps in the fence also let many other creatures (mostly the ones on Hedgehog’s menu) inside your garden.
If you have a wooden/ concrete fence in your garden and don’t see hedgehogs visit you often, then don’t worry, there is a solution to this.
Hedgehog friendly fence
At the bottom end of the fence, cut out a hole that is 15cm in diameter. Now dig a channel underneath the panel of the fence or a wall, in this channel put a drainage pipe or a brick that forms a tunnel which would serve as an ideal passage for wildlife to come and grace your garden’s beauty.
This type of passage can also be used to link your garden to your neighbor’s to encourage and safeguard the decreasing population of the Hedgehogs.
Here is a video showing hedgehogs friendly fence.
Can Hedgehogs climb out of the cages?
Hedgehogs can climb out of the cages but only if there are plastic panels and not wired ones. The cages with wire can make climbing difficult for the Hedgehogs and can also injure them. Their little feet can get caught in the metal wires and make climbing and walking inside the cage extremely difficult.
Here is a video showing a pet hedgehog trying to climb out of a wired cage that makes it super difficult for this cute little pet.
The kind of cage pet hedgehogs cannot climb
Choosing just the right cage for your pet Hedgehog can be a daunting task. For a Hedgehog you need a cage that keeps it safe and also gives it the freedom to roam around and have adequate space to itself. Climbing inside the cage can be quite painful for a hedgehog.
They can tangle their small feet within the gaps of the cages and injure themselves. To keep them safe, you need cages they cannot climb. The environment and the home taking care of the Hedgehog are the keys that determine the longevity, health, and quality of life of your pet.
Hedgehogs can make adorable pets but they are better off when left in the wild. When Hedgehogs get plenty of space and room for themselves, they are much healthier and happier as they get to explore and exercise.
If you are convinced to keep a hedgehog in a cage, the cage should be at least four square feet or 24” x 24” big. There should be enough room in the cage for a sleeping bag, eating area, wheel, and a litter box. This cage should be very well ventilated and should be easy to clean. Additionally, there should be space to accommodate a heat source if required.
Let us know more about the cages suitable for your pet Hedgehog:-
• Pans
For a Hedgehog being kept as a pet, you need pans that are deeper than six inches. Shallow pans are not preferred. The deep pans have many advantages, first, they have bedding within the cage and secondly, Hedgehogs cannot climb this kind of a cage and hurt themselves.
There are two kinds of pans, one is made up of metal and the other one is made up of plastic. The plastic one is any day better than the metal one as it is cleaner and would stay intact for a longer period of time, whereas a metal one might rust. Also, wire floors are not recommended for Hedgehogs because of their small feet.
How can you help Hedgehogs thrive?
A tidy, well-mowed garden can recoil Hedgehogs. For Hedgehogs to flourish and increase their population, you would need to keep your garden untidy. You would have to leave your grass long and piles of grass lying all here and there.
This will provide a conducive environment and habitat for a variety of species. If you are too fussy about an untidy garden then leave a portion of your garden with long grass and with paths cut into it so as to give it a more Hedgehog friendly look.
Make a well-positioned pond that is not too deep for a Hedgehog. Provide a ramp for an easy escape, in case it mistakenly falls into the pond.
Conclusion
The decreasing population of Hedgehogs isn’t a surprise for many. Hedgehogs love to hang around in the hedges and seek their prey. However, this activity is effectively barred from many potential hunting grounds by fences and walls.
The sad state of Hedgehogs now is that they are dying out of hunger. Even if you allow hedgehogs in your garden, your task doesn’t end there. You have to make efforts to encourage these very valuable pest controllers to take up residence in your garden.
Related Questions
Do hedgehogs like to climb?
Climbing is just a compulsion for Hedgehogs. They will only climb if it’s a necessity. To reach gardens they have no choice but to climb fences and walls. Even though climbing is not Hedgehog’s hobby, it is quite skilled at climbing. Once it climbs, the descend is in itself a task. Their body mass is not proportioned to climb or descend from a height.
Can Hedgehog cages have multi-levels?
Multi-level cages are not recommended for Hedgehogs. Though multilevel cages are a good idea, as they provide ample space to move around; but due to Hedgehog’s poor eyesight, they might just bang into the cage walls often.
If you have a multilevel cage for your Hedgehog, make sure that the ramps are enclosed with large PVC pipes, coroplast, wire, etc.
Can Hedgehogs climb trees?
Hedgehogs can climb trees but you won’t find them on trees often. You might see them digging burrows near the trunk of the trees for the purpose of hibernation. Even though they are primarily terrestrial, they can swim and climb quite adroitly.
To come down they simply fall and do not attempt to climb down. They use their spine quite effectively during the fall to cushion the shock caused by landing on the hard ground.
Can Hedgehogs climb ramps?
Hedgehogs can climb ramps but it can be quite dangerous for them because of their round body, tiny feet, and body weight. They can tumble down the ramp while climbing, hence extra precautions should be taken when using ramps in cages by securing them with PVC pipes, wires, etc.