Hedgehog Houses

How to build a hedgehog House in a couple of hours

A quick and easy way is to buy a box similar to that shown below (House A) from one of the big DIY stores like B&Q , who do self assembly Pine Storage boxes for between £10 & £15 depending on size

Just assemble it, cut an approximately 5" square hole in a corner of one of the sides and cover the entire box with a sheet of roofing felt or plastic sheet/tarpaulin, (however tarpaulin being lighter weight will need to be very securely held down) leaving a raised gap around the hole, like an awning so the hedgehog can get in, but the water can't. Put a couple of bricks on the box roof on top of the felt to prevent it slipping off or being blown away.

If you build a tunnel entrance as is shown in house C below, then drape the felt all over with just a gap for hedgie to get in.

If you can't build a tunnel entrance, just place a brick each side of the entrance to support the felt/tarpaulin so it makes a little awning/porch.

The ideal place for the box is under a hedge, large shrub or similar concealed place to make it as natural as possible. Put a couple of slabs under the hedge to protect the box from the damp ground and keep it fairly level (cost about 90p each from your local DIY store), then put a rubber doormat with holes to allow drainage on top of the slabs, with the box sitting on the mat, this allows rain water to run away under the box without any danger of the box getting flooded.

These show nesting boxes hidden under shrubs in a garden, covered with roofing felt to keep them warm and dry

Fill it ¾ full with hay and your hedgehog will soon take up residence. It may take a few weeks for the hedgehog to adopt the box, but rest assured it soon will. Often during the summer the box will be used by a mother to have babies or as a temporary shelter for the odd night or two and then during the winter a hedgehog will take up permanent residence and hibernate safely & successfully..

When you first put it down, check after the first rain storm that there are no leaks, we found that what we thought was a waterproof house wasn't, the felt had slipped when I placed it. If the felt tears or cracks then just place another sheet over the existing one, a couple of layers make for good insulation.

It is a very good idea to keep a spare sheet of felt or tarpaulin and a bag of hay around for emergencies .

Please try to put a box or other shelter down early in the year so the hedgehog can get used to it and knows it's there, especially if there is bad weather before hibernation time.

Once the house is being used, it just needs a quick clean clean out twice a year, in March/April when the hedgehog wakes up from hibernation & again in September/October before the hibernation. Just take out all the old hay and give it a quick wipe around with a safe disinfectant (one you would use on your food preparation surfaces or one sold especially for animal use) DO NOT USE BLEACH, then refill with hay.

If you have hedgehogs visiting your garden & can't build a proper box then any shelter is better than none and a good quick alternative is to lean a piece of plywood or similar against the shed wall or similar sheltered place at 45º angle, put another piece raised on bricks underneath it as a floor and place a tarpaulin or piece of roofing felt over to make it waterproof, leaving just a small entrance at one end. Fill with hay and hope that a hedgehog will use it.

Alternatively a ready made, purpose built hedgehog house Like this one     can be purchased from 

• Ark Wildlife  Various houses from £30 to £40

• CJ wildbird foods phone: 0800 7312820 for approx £25.00-£30.00

• Direct from British Hedgehog Preservation Society on 01584 890801 for £31.50

• from Spikes World

• Ebay.co.uk always have lots of different houses for sale

Any of the houses you buy need to be covered in roofing felt to protect from the weather

*** We don't recommend the dome style house like this one    as we have found that most hedgehogs find it too small, cramped and claustrophobic. Once there is enough straw, hay or dry leaves inside to keep the hedgehog warm and build its nest, there just isn't enough room for the hedgehog  They are extremely difficult to clean out with only a tiny entrance at the back that you can barely get your hand through. It is just about impossible to get a hedgehog out from one to examine it or check it over. It is better to buy a bigger (square) house with a removable roof that has more room inside it