Hedgehogs are nocturnal and usually sleep during the daytime. Pregnant or nursing mothers may need to be out during the day. Otherwise, if you see hedgehogs in daytime they are probably injured or ill. PIck the hog up gently using gloves, place it in a box with a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel and take it to your local animal rescue centre.
Hedgehogs are nocturnal. They are generally found out and about at night. During the day they should be tucked up in their Hedgehog Houses sleeping
It might be exciting to see a hedgehog out during the day. It’s probably the only chance you get to take a proper look at one.
But if you do see one in the daytime it’s quite likely to be in trouble and needs your help.
In this article, we are going to take a look at the different reasons why hedgehogs might be out and about in the daytime. We’re going to explain when and how you can help and when you should leave well alone.
What to Do About Hedgehogs Out in the Daytime
What you should do with a hedgehog you see out in the daytime will depend on what the hedging is doing, how it looks and what time of year it is.
If you decide the hedgehog needs rescuing you can find your local rescue centre here.
Adult Hedgehog Looking Busy - Leave Alone
Though hedgehogs are mainly nocturnal there are times when they can come out during daylight hours.
Pregnant females building nests can sometimes be seen during the daytime bustling about with mouthfuls of leave.
And nursing mothers may take a break from the nest during the day to go and look for food and water.
So, if you see a decent-sized adult out and about looking busy during the day it is probably fine and you should leave it to go about its business.
Hedgehog Sunbathing on the Lawn - Rescue
Seeing a hedgehog apparently “sunbathing” out in the open on your lawn or paths may look cute but the hog is probably in serious trouble.
Hedgehogs lying out like this are often very ill, probably with an overload of worms or parasites.
Gently scoop up the hog using thick gardening gloves, wrap it in a towel, place it in a box with a wrapped hot water bottle and keep it in the house until you can get it to your local hedgehog rescue.
Hedgehog Staggering Around, Drunk - Rescue
Hogs looking drunk probably have hypothermia and need to be warmed up as soon as possibly.
Pop it in a box with a wrapped hot water bottle and call for help.
Hedgehog Dragging One Leg - Vet
It’s quite easy for hedgehogs to break a leg and quite easy to get fractures fixed. This hog also needs rescuing but it’s one for the vet, not your local rescue centre.
Not all vets will treat hedgehogs so call ahead to check.
As well as placing the hog in a warm box you could also try offering a little water in this case.
Hedgehog Dragging Both Legs - Vet
If a hog is dragging both legs it’s more likely to have a spinal injury. This may or may not be fixable. The vet will need to take a look at the hog.
When you rescue in this case. Rather than scooping the hog in your hands try to slip a piece of board or stiff card under it to keep the spine immobile.
It won't be possible to save every hog with a spinal injury but as each hedgehog life is so important to the species it’s well worth a try.
Hedgehog Coughing - Rescue
This could well be a bad case of lungworm which sounds nasty but is easily curable by your local rescue centre. So get the hog to them as soon as possible.
Learn what to listen for in our guide to hedgehog noises and what they mean here.
Caught in Netting - Rescue
Hedgehogs are inquisitive. They will stick their noses into all sorts of things. And if you’re covered in long spines, once you’ve stuck your nose into something it can be tricky to get back out again.
A rescue centre can sort this out easily. But don’t try to do it yourself. Take the hog and the netting to the rescue centre. If you have to cut the netting to get the hog free cut as far away from the hog as possible and try to avoid pulling.
Hedgehog With Cuts and Missing Spines - Rescue
A hedgehog with cuts, flesh wounds and patches of missing spines is likely to have been hit by a car or strimmer, or attacked by a dog.
Healthy hedgehogs are surprising good healers and even hogs who look in a pretty bad way can make a good recovery if kept clean and dry.
So once again, box him up and take him to the rescue centre.
Hoglets Out in the Daytime - Observe
If you see babies or young hedgehogs out in the day without their mother don’t immediately rush in to help. The mother may actually be close by.
So take some time to watch what they are doing. Ideally, place yourself downwind of the hoglets if you can. They have an excellent sense of smell.
If the mother doesn’t show up and the hoglets start making “pipping” noises they will need to be rescued.
Don’t be tempted to try to raise baby hedgehogs yourself as you might a baby bird. Hoglets are delicate creatures with complicated needs. Their best chance of survival is with the mother. But failing this they will need trained, specialist helpers to survive.
Skinny Hog Out in Autumn - Feed
Autumn juvenile hogs, or hogs born later in the summer, may struggle to get to the weight they need to safely hibernate. In this situation there sometimes aren’t enough hours in the night for a young hog to get all the food he needs. So you may see them out and about in the day.
In this situation, you should weigh the hog. It needs to be 600gms to safely hibernate. If it’s under that, offer food each night for a little while and weigh again. If the hog is up to 600gms your work is done. If not, give your local rescue centre a call.
It may need to be overwintered indoors to stand the best chance of surviving.
Dead Hedgehog?
If you think you have found a dead hedgehog check very carefully before you discard or abandon it.
Sick or injured hedgehogs can be very cold and still. They may look and feel dead when they are actually still alive with a chance of survival.
Put the hedgehog into the warm rescue box and it may well start to show signs of life.
Conclusion: Hedgehogs out in the Daytime Often Need Help
Since hedgehogs are nocturnal if we see them out in the daytime it’s often a sign that something is wrong and they may need our help.
In this article, we’ve tried to explain how you can help, and when it’s better to leave them alone.
We hope you found the article useful and interesting.
If you would like more information on how to help hedgehogs visit:
And if you spot a hedgehog in trouble, you can find your local hedgehog rescue project by clicking here.
If you have a question or suggestion we would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below.
18 comments
I have bought a hedgehog house…..not sure whether I should put some straw in it ….or leave them to make it home. It is situated away from window an slightly sheltered. Also they come to the back door at night to get cat food an water. Should I out some by the hedgehog house., or just leave . It’s been ther about 10 days. Nothing put in it by hogs? Advice would be appreciated. Thank you
I have a hedgehog at my step curled up is it possibly hibernating. It does not look distressed in any way
We have four youngish hogs vandalising our garden each night. Ornaments tipped up, solar lights moved, flower pots upset. Couldn’t be more pleased to see them! They’re very active in the day, but seem healthy and full of energy. I’ll pick up some catfood later today and put out with water in case they’re short of fat for the winter. I bought a two-berth hedgehog house, but now I see we have four I think we need to go for expansion.
Thanks for the advice!
Hedgehog out for last 2 days in my garden, fed it dog food at 5pm watching him he seemed ok, today he was in my hog box and there was green poo in box , at 12 today he wandered in the bushes, came back at 4pm wandered in my garden gave him a few cat biscuits, followed him he looks ok but he was pooping as walking light brown poo he vanished in the bushes, if i see him again I’ll pick him up and take him to rescue, concerned about him and also his poo
Hedgehog out past two days about 5pm fed it dog food, was in my hog box today and it had green poo in box , it seems ok, then today at 12 was in my garden, came back at 5 pm and I followed it it was pooing as walking and went in the bushes, if i see it again shall i pick him up and cotact rescue as im concerned about its poo .
I’ve got a hedgehog coming in my garden at 8pm. Is this normal for a hedgehog to come out. But I also have others coming in at 10pm. I’m quite concerned about the one coming in at 8pm.
We have a hedgehog in our garden that has just given birth we noticed that one dead one was draged out of the nest.the mother has been in and out of the nest she looks very weak and thin should we just put some food and water close to her nest and leave them alone or do u think she needs some help?
I have a Hedgehog which comes onto my patio and. Hunts for the food which I normally put out at night. The Hog looks healthy. It eats and drinks then goes across my lawn into the hedgerows within my garden. My garden is totally enclosed and is a large plot. I think there is also sufficient natural food but I leave food out for night time consumption but if the hog comes onto the patio it waits for the food.
One of our two hedgehogs seems to be coming out in the afternoon as well as early evening for food . Could it be pregnant and extra hungry?
I gave some hedgehog food ( sprinkled some on our lawn) it’s seems to be ok. I don’t want to go picking it up if it’s just nesting or has babies
I have just rescued one and it’s currently in a box and towel with meat in my dining room. I am going to release it and put it into my hog hotel that’s full of straw. It’s been fast asleep since I rescued it from the road, is she hibernating? What do I do?? Not toooo small I don’t think..
Hi,
We have got a hedgehog near the back door. It looks ok and I have just give it some hedgehog food and water which it is munching away at.
Should I just leave it alone?
A few months ago, I found a sleeping hedgehog in their hedgehog home as I was going to see if the hedgehog needed more food. I do not know if I offended the hedgehog but she/he grunted at me which surprised me. I apologised put the lid down on the hedgehog home and wonder if I upset the hedgehog. I have not seen the hedgehog since even though the hedgehog food is being eaten.
This hedgehog is small but full of spines, it just keeps running round the garden but wint stop, iv offered it food and water but it won’t touch it, has bit of dried blood on its neck, think a fox has had a go.
Just seems ablivious to us keeps coming in the house
We saw a mother and 4 hoglets outside yesterday afternoon. They seemed healthy and returned to a neighbours garden. Do we need to do anything?
little hedgehog out during the day seems healthy and is eating food
Healthy looking hog out in garden eyes closed shut,eating well and drinking any ideas is it right to have its eyes shut tightly