Build a hedgehog house

DIY hedgehog house. Give your prickly garden visitor a helping hand by creating this sturdy des-res. It will make a cosy Winter hibernation home or a snug Summer nest.

The great news is that hedgehogs do definitely use artificial hedgehog houses – read more about that here.

Every rehabilitated hedgehog that is released from my rescue is provided with one of these wooden houses to help them settle into their new home. I always recommend wooden boxes because they are more predator and element proof and will last longer. Some hedgehogs will remain living in them but others will continue their search for the perfect ‘natural’ residence – they can be fussy creatures! You can always use it as a feeding station if no-one makes it their permanent home….

The entrance tunnel helps to keep out predators as well as wind and rain.

You will need:

• A DIY guru who can translate the diagram into reality – ESSENTIAL!
• Exterior grade plywood or OSBC board (untreated)
• Wooden battens
• Screws
• Wood glue
• Hinges (for lid)
• Roofing felt  (recommended)
• Fence paint (for exterior)

Plan and dimensions

Plan and dimensions for the hedgehog house

The completed house before the exterior is painted. Drill some air holes at the top of the side walls to help aid ventilation

Hay-presto!

Once you’ve built the house, don’t treat the wood with anything nasty like creosote – these can be toxic to hedgehogs. You can paint the exterior with fence paint to prolong its life. Drill some ventilation holes towards the top of the side walls.

Fill the house with some hay as a ‘new home’ gift for your spiky visitor. You can also place some piles of hay around your garden underneath something to keep it dry and then they can add more to their nest whenever they like.

Siting your hedgehog house

Follow these tips to site your hedgehog house and increase your chances of a prickly resident.

• Face the entrance away from the prevailing weather.
• Place it in a quiet area that is unlikely to be disturbed.
• Insulate the house and provide extra protection from the weather by covering it with branches/twigs/leaves.
• Don’t treat the wood with strong chemicals like creosote.
• Clean it out in Spring after the hibernation period and before nesting begins (late April).
• Don’t line it with newspaper as this tends to go soggy.

You can also watch my video on where to place the hedgehog box. This will give you the best chance of attracting a resident. Research indicates that how the box is sited is very important.

You can also join me on a visit to my York wildlife garden to see where I site my hedgehog boxes and ask me everything you would like to know about how to help hedgehogs. Find out about upcoming events here.

UPDATE Spring 2018. I would recommend going ahead with the felt roof covering or placing a sheet of plastic over the house before covering it with natural materials. I have found that the recent very wet weather has managed to penetrate the hedgehog boxes made without these precautions….

Good luck and please share your photos when you’ve completed your project.

I run a hedgehog rescue in York. My work is entirely self funded.  If you have found my advice helpful, you can find out more about my work here and also how to support it.

I also make handmade silver jewellery inspired by nature and wildlife to support my work – please check out my online shop at www.littlesilverhedgehog.etsy.com.