Whilst rats love most of the supplementary food that we put out for
Rats will live anywhere and its amazing how they can squeeze, into the smallest places, and they can kill hedgehogs or at the least, chew off the odd leg,a human trap set up near by with some nice smelling food and you may be able to catch it and either euthanize or move to a different area.
Cats, foxes, magpies, and crows will all eat the hedgehog food if you leave it out in the open. This problem (if you see it as a problem) is easily solved by creating a hedgehog feeding station. That way, only animals hedgehog size or smaller will be able to eat the food.
Occasionally they may eat amphibians, small rodents and birds that are already dead, slugs and snails, birds' eggs and even fruit.
Any small creature can get in them. In fact, being dark, hidden away in corners of the garden and dry inside, it's an ideal hidey hole for juvenile hedgehogs when they first leave the nest. Recent research has show that vast numbers of dead hogs taken for Post Mortem have rat poison in their stomach.
Rats like to keep under cover if possible, whilst hedgehogs are happy to eat in the open. So think about moving your feeding station to the middle of the lawn. Feed as late as possible. The less time the hedgehog food is out there the less chance it has of attracting rats.
Rats apparently hate the smell of mint, whilst hedgehogs seem to quite like it. Peppermint essential oil sprinkled by their bolt holes, or plenty of mint planted in your garden, could work as a deterrent. Don't use rat poison. Rat poison could also poison hedgehogs, other wildlife and even your pets.
Fill it with lots of hedgehog-safe food and water at sunset, ideally using a hedgehog food bowl and a hedgehog water bowl. Only put out small amounts of food as this is to supplement their diet. Clear away any uneaten food in the morning and refill the dishes each evening so the food and water is always fresh.
Yes, peppermint oil is effective against rats. Rats are sensitive to the smell, so using it in and around your home will ward them off and prevent an infestation.
Essential Oils: I have been advised that oils that are considered "hot" are toxic to hedgehogs. Oils that are considered hot: Cassia, Cinnamon Bark, Clove, Hyssop, Lemongrass, Ocotea, Oregano, Peppermint, Thieves, and Thyme. These are often contained in blends.
Those resembling pet food with a high meat content are most suitable. Place in a shallow dish and put in a sheltered area of your garden, or a feeding station (see below), around sunset.
Leave out foods like tinned dog or cat food and crushed cat or dog biscuits. Supply good quality, meaty hedgehog food from wildlife food suppliers. Never feed hedgehogs milk or bread - milk can cause diarrhoea and bread isn't very nutritious.
Hedgehogs mainly eat creepy crawlies
The most important invertebrates in their diet are worms, beetles, slugs, caterpillars, earwigs and millipedes. As well as these, they also eat a wide range of other insects.
Although they do not injure hedgehogs, bait box rat traps can also be lethal to hedgehogs. Hedgehogs can also get inside these traps and will eat any poison left out and be poisoned themselves. Small hedgehogs are around the same size as a rat. This is why it is difficult to keep rats out of hedgehog feeding stations.
He also describes the results of experiments where he has put the two species in the same enclosure and the hedgehog has failed to notice the mouse until it pretty much bumps into it; the mouse showed no instinctive fear of the hedgehog.
Rats cannot tolerate smells such as ammonia, mothballs, peppermint oil, crushed cayenne pepper, and pepper spray due to their intensified sense of smell. Clean and uncluttered homes and yards scare rats due to the lack of food and places to hide, as well.
This makes peppermint oil, chili powder, citronella, and eucalyptus the most common natural rodent repellents. Chemical smells, such as ammonia, bleach, and mothballs also work as mice deterrents.
Fruits: Dried fruit should be avoided, but a small amount of fresh fruit can be offered to your hedgehog as treats. Apples, bananas, berries, and melons are popular choices among hedgehogs.
When to feed hedgehogs. It's a good idea to put out food for hedgehogs all year round. In spring, it will be a boost for those emerging from hibernation, while in late summer and autumn it will help hogs build up those all-important fat reserves to survive the winter.
Keller says, “With appropriate care and keeping, your hedgehog will live about five years, and some even live longer than eight years.” If you have any questions about hedgehogs, contact your local veterinarian.
Bait with Rodenticides
Bait stations using rodenticides (rat poison) are effective ways to get rid of rats permanently. To give yourself the best possible chance of catching a rat in the trap, keep the bait small and in the centre of the trap.