Setting up a Hedgehog House
There are fewer hedgehogs present in our wildlife every year. Our urban gardens restrict their movement and foraging options. Tidy lawns and driveways mean less shelter for hedgehogs. Providing a safe place for them to nest is a great way to encourage hedgehog into your garden – and they are easy to build.
We have various houses in stock that hedgehogs will be proud to call their own. All you need to do is prepare for your little guests.
The best place to put the house is in a quiet corner of the garden where they won’t be disturbed. Placing it near a wall, hedge, or the boundary of the garden would encourage movement through the area. Sheltered areas would ensure the hedgehogs are protected when they forage.
Cover the house with sticks or a natural covering and ensure the entrance is not facing north or north east to avoid the winter winds. Leave plenty of leaves and twigs around the house so the hedgehogs can build their nests – try to resist lining their homes for them as they prefer to do it themselves.
Leave the house untouched until spring when you may want to clean the house to prevent pests. Only do this when the house is unoccupied; you can check by placing a small obstruction in the entrance and see if it have been moved over a few days.
For food, mostly they will forage for themselves. If you would like to assist in their feeding, we do sell hedgehog food in our garden centre that would be suitable. We recommend feeding them away from their house and instead place food in areas they would usually forage.
Providing a safe environment for hedgehogs will allow for your local hedgehog population to grow and thrive.
We have various houses in stock that hedgehogs will be proud to call their own. All you need to do is prepare for your little guests.
The best place to put the house is in a quiet corner of the garden where they won’t be disturbed. Placing it near a wall, hedge, or the boundary of the garden would encourage movement through the area. Sheltered areas would ensure the hedgehogs are protected when they forage.
Cover the house with sticks or a natural covering and ensure the entrance is not facing north or north east to avoid the winter winds. Leave plenty of leaves and twigs around the house so the hedgehogs can build their nests – try to resist lining their homes for them as they prefer to do it themselves.
Leave the house untouched until spring when you may want to clean the house to prevent pests. Only do this when the house is unoccupied; you can check by placing a small obstruction in the entrance and see if it have been moved over a few days.
For food, mostly they will forage for themselves. If you would like to assist in their feeding, we do sell hedgehog food in our garden centre that would be suitable. We recommend feeding them away from their house and instead place food in areas they would usually forage.
Providing a safe environment for hedgehogs will allow for your local hedgehog population to grow and thrive.