How to Make a Hedgehog House

Biodiversity around you

How to make a hedgehog house

In this video, you will learn how to make a housefor hedgehogs. This will shelter them from bad weather and allow them to hibernate from the end of autumn to the beginning of spring.

For this example, you will need:

a wooden crate, such as a wine crate, a shovel, some straw and some dead leaves

At the foot of a wall or a hedge, dig a hole of about 7cm (3") in depth and 20cm (8") in diameter.

Turn the crate upside down and place it over the hole.

Now cover the whole thing with a layer of straw of around 15cm (6"), then lay down the leaves beneath the crate

The hedgehog will be able to find the entrance to its new home by itself.

You should put the shelter in a quiet place, with the entrance facing South-East, safe from prevailing winds.

To welcome hedgehogs into your garden, you could also build them a house using a wooden plank and some thick logs. Arrange these to create a hollow measuring around 25cm (10") wide, 45cm (18") long and 20cm (8") tall.