|
Hedgehog Houses
All a hedgehog needs for the winter is an undisturbed area away from the winter elements. Even a pile of leaves and twigs in the corner of the garden would be tempting to a homeless hedgehog.
For more salubrious accomodation try the following. Make the box from untreated timber and make sure the entrance tunnel is 10 centimetres square, no more – otherwise dogs, cats and foxes can get in. The ventilation pipe should be covered with chicken wire inside the 'house' so that leaves and twigs cannot get inside.
Below is the design recomended by The British Hedgehog Preservation Society.
The design we favour is demonstrated below.
House from the front showing doorway
Inside of hog house showing internal corridor and bedroom.
However you choose to build your hog house there are a few points you must bear in mind,
· The hedgehog house needs to be water tight.
· Ducksback by cuprinol is the only wood preservitive known not to harm animals and I would only use on the outside and floor of your house.
· It is a good idea for the roof felt to be cut bigger than the roof to allow water to run off.
· Line the bedroom with a thick layer of newspaper
· For bedding use a mixture of straw and hay, don’t pack to tightly or your hedgehog won’t get in.
· Sit your house in a quiet corner of your garden.
· Resist the temptation to check to see if your house is occupied, you are likely to scare off any new resident! Placing a twig across the corridor just inside the door may indicate a visitor if it has moved in the morning.
If building a hedgehog house is too much for you the following sites have them available to buy:
RSPB Shop
Wild about nature
Garden4less
|
