Vine House Farm Launches New Hedgehog Food
Vine House Farm is proud to announce that we have launched new Hedgehog Food, which has been carefully formulated to provide the perfect nutritional balance.
Although we are best known for our high-quality bird foods, we’ve also been producing and selling hedgehog food for many years. This reflects our interest and concern for all wildlife, and in particular, species which our customers can attract to their gardens and make a positive difference to their survival and population numbers – much needed when it comes to hedgehogs.
However, following advice from hedgehog experts on our original food mix, we took the view that it was rather too rich to be fed as the main food, but fine as more of a treat when fed in very small quantities. So we’ve launched a new Hedgehog Food, which is biscuit-based and has been carefully formulated to provide the correct level of nutrients, minerals and protein that hedgehogs need for their diet.
Of course, the very best food for hedgehogs is what they’d naturally find, with invertebrates including earthworms, slugs and insects ideally making up much of what they would eat. However, in dry weather and in the winter, such food can be hard to find - particularly in more urban areas with few wildlife-friendly gardens. So our new Hedgehog Food provides the nutrients also found in their natural food, though as the food is dry it’s very important to also provide a shallow dish of clean water close-by.
Hedgehog numbers have declined in Great Britain by an alarming 50% in the last 18 years or so, and since the 1950s the decline is even more dramatic with an estimated drop in numbers from 30 million animals down to just one million now. If hedgehogs visit your garden then providing our Hedgehog Food, and along with clean water, can make a positive difference to help reverse their decline in numbers.
A further step you can take is to find space in your garden for our Brushwood Hedgehog House, which is made from a steel frame and is fully waterproof. Positioned in a corner of your garden and ideally where there is plenty of cover such as bushes and shrubs, the house just needs to be covered in leaves or other dead foliage – which will act as further insulation and give the appearance of a natural entrance for any passing hedgehog.
Although we are best known for our high-quality bird foods, we’ve also been producing and selling hedgehog food for many years. This reflects our interest and concern for all wildlife, and in particular, species which our customers can attract to their gardens and make a positive difference to their survival and population numbers – much needed when it comes to hedgehogs.
What are the differences between the original and new mix?
However, following advice from hedgehog experts on our original food mix, we took the view that it was rather too rich to be fed as the main food, but fine as more of a treat when fed in very small quantities. So we’ve launched a new Hedgehog Food, which is biscuit-based and has been carefully formulated to provide the correct level of nutrients, minerals and protein that hedgehogs need for their diet.
Of course, the very best food for hedgehogs is what they’d naturally find, with invertebrates including earthworms, slugs and insects ideally making up much of what they would eat. However, in dry weather and in the winter, such food can be hard to find - particularly in more urban areas with few wildlife-friendly gardens. So our new Hedgehog Food provides the nutrients also found in their natural food, though as the food is dry it’s very important to also provide a shallow dish of clean water close-by.
Why hedgehog conservation & care are important
Hedgehog numbers have declined in Great Britain by an alarming 50% in the last 18 years or so, and since the 1950s the decline is even more dramatic with an estimated drop in numbers from 30 million animals down to just one million now. If hedgehogs visit your garden then providing our Hedgehog Food, and along with clean water, can make a positive difference to help reverse their decline in numbers.
A further step you can take is to find space in your garden for our Brushwood Hedgehog House, which is made from a steel frame and is fully waterproof. Positioned in a corner of your garden and ideally where there is plenty of cover such as bushes and shrubs, the house just needs to be covered in leaves or other dead foliage – which will act as further insulation and give the appearance of a natural entrance for any passing hedgehog.