Only Pans

Pumpkins: Halloween is one night. Tonight. If you have to waste a food item (and I strongly suggest you don't), please put it out for that one night, then safely dispose of it. Please DO NOT put it out for the wildlife. Once you've handled it, cut it, left it out in the open, unrefrigerated, it will not be hygienic or safe for anyone to eat. Pumpkins are a low-acid vegetable, so once they are cut and left at room temperature, pathogens will rapidly grow on the flesh, producing mould spores. Our precious wildlife do not have any magical properties that protect them against food poisoning. Additionally, this time of year there are baby hedgehogs around, born too late to find natural food, desperate to eat anything to stop the pain of starvation. Pumpkin has a laxative affect so it would be particularly cruel to leave it out for starving wildlife to eat in desperation, causing them to lose precious fluids that may make the difference between life and death. So no matter what you read elsewhere, please DO NOT put your discarded decoration out for the birds or any other wildlife. Please DO NOT compost them either, as a composting pumpkin can produce highly toxic tremorgenic mycotoxins, which will be deadly if the compost bin is not properly secured and is accessible to wildlife (or pets). Many hedgehogs, seeking the warmth of a compost bin, die this way every year. Once you've used the pumpkin as decoration it's waste, fit only for the bin. Please help get this vital message spread far and wide, to save precious lives and prevent suffering.

The real horror of Halloween. Artificial cobweb: a bit of fake fun for you, but a very real and terrifying death for them. If you see your neighbours using it, it's possible they don't know the danger so please print out this simple leaflet and pop it through their door: tinyurl.com/HalloweenHedgeho… The fine, strong synthetic fibres of this lethal 'web' are difficult for animals to see at dusk and can quickly wrap around their legs, wings, and neck, trapping and killing birds, insects and mammals. When Eden the hedgehog struggled to free herself the web tightened, cutting off circulation and causing deep wounds. Can you imagine the pain and sheer terror? And then seeing dawn approach, while hanging there, tightly bound and helpless, only an inch above the ground but suffering slow strangulation. Aside from being stressed, dehydrated, starving and exhausted, she also had horrific bite/peck wounds to her face, where she had been held there, helpless, unable to curl and defend herself, while a predator tried to eat her alive. Tragically her constriction injuries were too severe to survive, and poor Eden had to be put to sleep. If you have used this deadly cruel trap to 'decorate' your garden, I beg you - take it down now. Please spread this vital information, and help save lives.

Halloween artificial cobweb material: It may be a bit of fake fun for you, but it's a very real and terrifying death for them. And it's not only birds. Last year I had my first call of the season of a hedgehog trapped in this horrific fake 'cobweb', made especially for gullible halloweeners to spread over their greenery, trapping all unsuspecting birds, insects and mammals, including hedgehogs. The fine synthetic fibers are difficult for animals to see and can quickly wrap around their legs, spines, and neck, leading to severe injuries. When a hedgehog struggles to free herself the web tightens, cutting off circulation and causing deep wounds. These constriction injuries often lead to permanent damage or death. Unfortunately the call was from Manchester, so all I could do was talk them through getting the poor creature to a rescue. Clearly she had been trapped there for at least one night, and her struggles had pulled the strong nylon strands so tightly that one of her toes had been amputated. Can you imagine the pain and the sheer terror? And then seeing dawn approach, while hanging there, tightly bound and helpless. Aside from being stressed, dehydrated, starving and exhausted to the point of near death, she also had horrific bite/peck wounds to her face, where she had been held there, helpless, unable to curl and defend herself, while a predator tried to eat her alive. If you have used this deadly cruel trap to 'decorate' your garden, please take it down now. Please don't be conned by the greedy makers and sellers of this rubbish into hurting defenceless animals.