Homes for Hedgehogs

Aim

The Homes for Hedgehogs campaign aims to raise a total of £3000 to fund 20 extra bespoke hutches for the new Prickles and Paws hogspital.

Help Prickles and Paws continue their expansion!

What

Hedgehog capacity at Prickles and Paws varies throughout the year. The hedgehogs are kept separately in individual accommodation, with litters of hoglets sharing in the Summer months. They are also equipped with maternity hutches for females with their young.

Their current setup includes:

• 79 hutches
• 14 incubators
• 9 Zoozones, which are used for weak juveniles and hoglets as the halfway stage between incubator and hutch.

Their hutches are designed and made in-house, built from recycled plastic with a smooth finish. Perspex doors also help maintain biosecurity and allows a clear view into the hutch which allows for observations without disturbance. The hutches include an internal divider with an opening that creates a dedicated dark nesting area. This enclosed space significantly helps to reduce stress levels of the hedgehogs.

As Prickles & Paws expands into their new hogspital, extra hutch systems are essential for providing: 

• Safe, individual accommodation for hedgehogs that come into the rescue 

• Excellent hygiene standards reduce disease risk due to recycled plastic materials 

• Durable and easy-to-clean housing (the current housing has lasted 10years!) 

• A controlled environment that supports the hedgehog's individual rehabilitation 

We are seeking to raise a total of £3000 to allow Prickles and Paws to have 20 extra hutch systems made, to go alongside their existing hutches in the new hogspital facility.

Please help us reach our target and be part of important local conservation efforts that have a long-lasting impact on one of Britain’s most beloved native species. Together, we can give more local hedgehogs a second chance! 

Why

The native British hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) has undergone significant population declines across the UK due to habitat loss, road mortality increases, reduced food availability, and fragmentation of green spaces. Hedgehogs are now classified by the IUCN as Vulnerable to extinction in Britain, estimates suggest that the population has fallen from around 30million individuals in the 1950s to fewer than one million today, representing a decline of over 90% UK wide. Rural populations alone are thought to have decreased by 30-75% since 2000. This is one of the most significant mammal population declines recorded in the UK.

This makes charities like Prickles and Paws essential for their populations to remain. Rescues play a key role supporting hedgehogs and giving them the best possible chance of recovery with a successful release back into the wild. However, running a rescue centre is costly and resource-intensive. Hedgehogs need secure housing, veterinary treatment, and vital nutrition whilst on their rehabilitation journey. By helping to fund extra hutch systems for the hogspital, you will allow Prickles and Paws to increase the number of hedgehogs that can be cared for at any one time, creating a much bigger impact on our local populations.

About Us 

We are a group of five MSc students studying Conservation Project Management at Newquay University Centre, and as part of our funding module, we’re fundraising on behalf of Prickles & Paws Hedgehog Rescue to help increase their capacity at the new hogspital in Newquay!  

Prickles & Paws

Prickles and Paws is a small but rapidly growing registered charity that admits over 1,400 hedgehogs a year, rehabilitating them and releasing them back into the wild. The rescue is a huge part of the local community, with nearly 200 volunteers supporting their work through volunteer driving, helping care for hedgehogs at the rescue, fundraising and education.  

Their mission is:

• To provide a service of rescue, emergency care, rehabilitation and release for native British hedgehogs in Cornwall and the Southwest.  

• Inspire learning and conservation through improving the knowledge and understanding of hedgehogs for the general public through educational workshops and online engagement.  

• Continue research into wildlife care and rehabilitation to promote continued improvements in service provision and offer a knowledge base for the public and professionals. 

How can you help?

1. Make a donation 

Every donation gets us closer to our target amount.  

2. Spread the word 

Join us over on social media @Homes for hedgehogs to share our campaign with friends and family.

3. Check out Prickles and Paws work on social media @Prickles and Paws Hedgehog Rescue or their website: www.pricklesandpaws.org

This project successfully funded on 10th April 2026