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Buy it nowHedgehog poo & tracks: identify signs of hedgehogs
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Would you like to know if a hedgehog is visiting your garden? These nocturnal creatures tend to keep a low profile and detecting their presence can be tricky. Look out for these signs that a hog has made itself at home.
How to identify hedgehog poo
It may not be pleasant, but one of the best ways to tell if a hedgehog is around is to keep an eye out for its poo. Look in areas where they will have been foraging for food, like lawns and playing fields. Droppings can vary depending on what they've been eating, but are usually:
- black or very dark brown
- roughly sausage shaped
- 1.5-5cm long
- glistening with an almost metallic appearance as they often contain insect body parts.
Not to be confused with:
- Fox poo: normally dark, long and twisted and often deposited in prominent locations. You may see fur, feathers and other food remains.
- Cat poo: tends to be a lighter colour and looser consistency.
- Rodent droppings: much smaller than hedgehog poo and rarely deposited in the open.
Did you know?
Trees can help hedgehogs. Research has found that hogs and other mammals are more likely to be found in urban areas with tree cover.
How to identify hedgehog tracks
Another way to detect hedgehogs is to find their paw prints. Hedgehogs have five toes on each foot, although sometimes only four are visible on their tracks. The front feet are wide and can resemble tiny human hands, while the back feet are longer and narrower. Hog tracks are normally 2-3cm wide.
Look for hedgehog tracks in mud and other soft ground. You can even buy or create a hedgehog footprint tunnel, which is one of the easiest ways to tell if a hog is in the area. Visit the Hedgehog Street website to learn more about how tunnels work.
Other hedgehog signs
Other than poo and tracks, hedgehogs rarely leave behind any signs of their presence, but if you’re out at night you may hear them. Hogs can be surprisingly noisy creatures, producing a variety of strange sounds. Listen out for the ‘huffing’ noise that males make as they attempt to woo a female during the mating season.
