Hedgehogs and ponds.

Dizzydee

Sorry, didn't know where to post this but I'm hoping you keen gardeners can help me. I've put a plastic pond in my back garden in the hopes of attracting some wildlife. I've done that alright - about 6 weeks ago I found two baby hedgehogs floating in it. I was really upset, but assumed that they were thirsty and as they tried to drink from it, they fell in and couldn't get out again. I've just been down my garden and found another floating in it. I know lots of people who have ponds and I havn't heard of this happening before. Do any of you know why this is happening?

djbd1973

How steep are the sides?

I am no expert, but where I have stepped sides, I have plants/shrubs that discourage birds from eating tadpoles etc and hopefully for other wildlife from falling in, but I do have a side that has a gentle slope that is shallow for frogs/toads etc to get in and out and I did this deliberately. My pond is sheeting though as I dug the shape myself.

Dizzydee

It has a slope for the frogs to get out, but is probably too steep for the hedgehogs. It hasn't got any plants in it yet because I havn't got round to doing it. That's possibly the problem. I think I will go to the garden center tomorrow and get some of the log roll to put round it for now, so they can't fall in.

Lara

Oh how sad! Poor little mites :(.

Dizzydee

My OH is calling me a murderer. I built a wildlife pond to ATTRACT the wildlife- not kill it.

Beamish

We also had a floating hedgehog last week, its never happened before

I have now put a DIY ladder in the pond to help them get out, I used a plastic rack from my small plastic greenhouse and have placed it against the edge of the pond.

Tomorrow we are going to net the pond as a new kid on the block has started to appear (Young Heron) plus the fallen leaves are beginning to amass.

Beem

cajef

Hedgehogs swim very well, but if they cannot escape from a pool they will become exhausted and drown. By laying a ramp or by gently sloping the banks of your pond you'll ensure the hedgehog's escape or a length of chicken wire hung over the edge makes a good escape ladder.

annie123

They will try to get out buy going round the edge.
I have 2 ways out for wildlife from my pond and I have seen them both used by hedgehogs and very tiny baby foxes.

One is a plank of wood wedged at the bottom one end, and finishing at the edge so they can walk out.

The other is good quality (plastic coated, no sharpe edges) chichen wire weighted at the bottom by a small brick following the side wall going up and at the top is vanishes under the lawn. It is about 2 foot wide and has a spare piece of liner as well under it to stop paws and claws making holes as the go!!
I did have to weight it first until the lawn has established itself.

Both of these are cheap and easy to do and will solve your problem.

Good luck

navig8r

I am going to be really hard here but with all the resources of the internet I find it hard to take in that people still make such mistakes ,my sugestion for an escape:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=538856
Dave

flossyblog

Dizzydee wrote: »

Sorry, didn't know where to post this but I'm hoping you keen gardeners can help me. I've put a plastic pond in my back garden in the hopes of attracting some wildlife. I've done that alright - about 6 weeks ago I found two baby hedgehogs floating in it. I was really upset, but assumed that they were thirsty and as they tried to drink from it, they fell in and couldn't get out again. I've just been down my garden and found another floating in it. I know lots of people who have ponds and I havn't heard of this happening before. Do any of you know why this is happening?

a few years ago, after working in the garden, I remarked to my OH, "wouldn't it be wonderful to have hedgehogs in the garden as they could eat all the slugs and snails" A few days later DH tells me not to go in the garden, "do you want the good news or the bad news" he asks. "Well you got a hedgehog but I'm afraid it won't be doing anything" It had fallen into the water feature which was quite deep. I was extremely upset. DH put a plank in the water so if any more came along they could get out. I did have the water feature removed later when we changed the garden