More and more snakes are appearing in cities.
Izvor: Paolino Massimiliano Manuel/iStockphoto
With the rise in temperature, snakes are increasingly coming out of their hiding places, so, accordingly, there is an increasing number of calls from alarmed citizens about encounters with snakes. Apart from certain plant species that can repel snakes, you are safest if you spot a hedgehog near your house, which snakes are terrified of.
Except for snakes, hedgehogs also protect you from the larvae of numerous insects, snails, and other pests that can harm your garden. In other words, if the hedgehog is a regular guest in your garden, you do not need to use insecticides and pesticides, or at least you can reduce their use, reports Green.hr.
They suffer from poison, cars and lawnmowers
It is the time when hedgehogs are much more active, they are looking for this year’s mating partner or a place where they could bring young into the world. But, as they often live in urban areas, they die on the roads because of cars, but also from the poison that people use to drive away rodents, and also from lawnmowers.
These are extremely useful mammals that gardeners adore, since they belong to the Insectivora order. They feed on numerous invertebrates, such as snails, spiders, grasshoppers, but occasionally also frogs, lizards, moles, and snakes. Hedgehogs also feed on poisonous snakes because they have the protein erinacein, which prevents the proteolytic action of snake venom.
What to do if you meet him in your garden?
If you are afraid of snakes, and you meet a hedgehog in your garden, reward him with a large feast. At the same time, you should be careful, because hedgehogs cannot tolerate milk and bread, as well as green vegetables (kale and cauliflower). Instead, it is important not to touch them with bare hands, since they are quite sensitive to the numerous bacteria found on them. You can give them boiled eggs or 1-2 teaspoons of canned cat food.
If you see young hedgehogs without a mother nearby, they should be warmed and a local shelter should be contacted. Put on gloves and gently pick up the hedgehog and place it in a lined cardboard box to keep it warm. At the same time, we emphasize that caring for hedgehogs is very complex and is not recommended for people who are not educated for this, since the chance of survival and return to the natural habitat is reduced for the hedgehogs when they become independent.
(WORLD)