Here is a step-by-step guide to building a hedgehog home.
Use a plastic box with lid approximately 30cm wide x 40cm deep x 30cm high.
Use pipe approximately 6 inch in diameter and cut to approximately 30cm long.
Cut a hole in the front of the plastic box to fit the pipe. Make the hole slightly higher so there will be a gradual slope to the ground when the pipe is in place. Remove any sharp edges using sandpaper.
Cut another 1-2 inch diameter hole in the side of the plastic box.
Using a piece of plastic plumbing pipe push this through the 1-2 inch diameter hole leaving a length of about 30cm pipe outside of the box. Attach an elbow joint to the end and point this towards the ground. This will act as a ventilation pipe.
Push pipe into hole in box
The hedgehog home can now be moved to its desired location ready for the final dressing.
Use a layer of soil, straw and dry leaves to create a bed inside of the house.
Then cover the outside with twigs, soil and leaves.
It should be placed in a quiet part of your garden preferably against a bank, wall or fence. Make sure the entrance to the house does not face North or North East, to avoid cold winter winds. It may become the winter home to some lucky hedgehog. In the spring it may be used by a female hedgehog to give birth in and raise her hoglets.
Provide a shallow dish of fresh water and food such as meat based pet food or unsweetened museli moistened with water for your hedgehog to eat. We stock Spike Hedgehog food at the surgery so if you want to leave them a really tasty treat made especially for them, then pop in a buy a bag. We would also love to see any photographs you take of your spikey visitors. You could send them to us at our facebook page.
We hope you enjoy a welcome new visitor to your garden very soon.
