Hedgehog Houses
*** click to enlarge the pictures***
If you have hedgehogs in your garden, please look after
them well. You are one of the very few lucky ones to still enjoy the
presence of these endangered animals
 |
 |
|
Wildlife World are the biggest manufacturer for
high quality hedgehog
houses. They make 5 types, available from good pet stores,
garden centres and many online stores
All styles of houses are beautifully
designed and crafted, classy and a real asset to your garden.
Useful for hedgehogs, aesthetically pleasing for us.
If you don't like to order online, You can also order direct by phone from
Ark Wildlife Who stock the entire wildlife world
range. Phone: 0800 085 4865
Please say you were referred by Epping Forest Hedgehog
Rescue if phoning or visiting |
The
original Hedgehog House (HH1) is constructed from durable
timber/oak/larch/birch with double layered roof for
waterproofing and insulation and oak floor. The entrance
tunnel provides protection from domestic cats and dogs,
foxes and badgers. There is a hinged inspection door at the
back for cleaning and inspection of sick or rescued
hedgehogs. The house comes complete with vent pipe and
instructions. The new, improved version has a much bigger
back door to make it easier to clean out and more friendly
to use.
Size:
195x385x430
Buy this house online from:
Ark Wildlife Ecotopia Amazon.co.uk
|
 |
The larger Hedgehog Habitat (HH4) provides
a safe home for hedgehogs in the garden and is suitable
for hibernation, breeding and summer shelter. Heavy
construction from durable FSC timbers gives strength and
longevity. The raised timber floor keeps damp out. Its
robust, all-screwed construction withstands crushing/strimming. A specially constructed internal tunnel
allows the hedgehog in but deters predators. The removable
roof is double skinned for insulation and weather
protection, allowing easy cleaning and inspection of sick or rescued hedgehogs.
It is a perfect safe place for a mum to have her babies in
the summer.
Size:
270x420x480
Buy this house online from: Ecotopia
Note: this house appears to have been withdrawn by the
manufacturers so will only be available for a limited time
|
 |
|
The
Wildlife World Hogitat (HH5) is designed to be an attractive
natural home and safe retreat for hedgehogs. It features a
sturdy, rust-proofed steel frame, a waterproofed roof with
an attractive natural finish, and a predator defence tunnel.
Specifically designed to blend into the garden setting, the Hogitat has an attractive natural appearance that will
comfortably nestle into any garden environment.
Principally natural materials and appearance. Economic yet
effective safe retreat for hedgehogs, or small mammals.
Size: 250x430x500
Buy this house online from:
Ark Wildlife
Ecotopia
RecycleWorks
Amazon.co.uk
|

|
|
Wildlife World also sell a purpose-built
hedgehog feeding
station (HHF). It is a
perfect size for 2 bowls of food and allows a large hedgehog to
eat easily. It has a maze-like entrance to prevent cats and foxes etc
stealing the food. Hedgehogs can be messy eaters, so put plenty of newspaper on the floor
of the box
It will be available from all good pet shops, garden centres and online
stores that also sell the rest of their range.
Please encourage your pet shop or garden centre to order it from them.
It is an ideal size to also use as a hedgehog house, so is a dual
purpose design
Buy from Ecotopia
Buy from
Ark Wildlife
|
 |
|
The Hedgehog Care Home 'Hogilo'
hedgehog house is a purpose built
nesting box and habitat for
hedgehogs which can be used as a
sheltered hedgehog feeder instead,
if preferred. It is an ideal house
for injured or rescue hogs due to
the design of the house, which
allows for easy inspection and
cleaning.
Features include:
• Manufactured from durable FSC
timber and Recycled Plastic
• Wooden interior for
'breathability' and condensation
prevention
• Lid & sides made from recycled
agricultural waste
• Lid easily swivels over to expose
large inspection and cleaning hatch
• Lid incorporates wooden 'plug' to
insulate hatch aperture
• Overhanging roof and porch
• Raised battened feet to prevent
rot
• Predator-resistant entrance
• Can be used as a safe feeding
lounge
Buy from
Ark Wildlife
|
 |
|
Now you have hedgehogs living in your garden. Why not
help more of them and have more houses?
|
Other purpose-built hedgehog houses can
also be purchased online or by phone from:
You can also buy from good pet shops
and many garden centres
Any of the
houses you buy need to be covered in roofing felt to protect from the
weather and prevent leaks. Please don't rely on the small amounts that
the manufacturers put on.
Where to put the house

The ideal place for the house is under a hedge, large
shrub or similar concealed place to make it as natural as possible.
Never put it in direct sunlight. Behind a shed or in a quiet shady
corner is fine if you haven't got any bushes or shrubs.
Put
a couple of slabs under the hedge to protect the box from the damp
ground and keep it fairly level (cost about 90p each from your local DIY
store), then put a rubber doormat with holes to allow drainage on top of
the slabs, with the box sitting on the mat, this allows rain water to
run away under the box without any danger of the box getting flooded.
*** click to enlarge the pictures***
Fill it ¾ full with hay and your hedgehog will soon take
up residence. It may take a few weeks for the hedgehog to adopt the box,
but rest assured it soon will. Often during the summer the box will be
used by a mother to have babies or as a temporary shelter for the odd
night or two and then during the winter a hedgehog will take up
permanent residence and hibernate safely & successfully..
When you first put it down, check after the first rain
storm that there are no leaks, we found that what we thought was a
waterproof house wasn't, the felt had slipped when I placed it. If the
felt tears or cracks then just place another sheet over the existing
one, a couple of layers make for good insulation.
It is a very good idea to keep a spare sheet of felt or
tarpaulin and a bag of hay around for emergencies .
Please try to put a box or other shelter down early in
the year so the hedgehog can get used to it and knows it's there,
especially if
there is bad weather before hibernation time.
Once the house is being used, it just needs a quick
clean clean out twice a year, in March/April when the hedgehog wakes up
from hibernation & again in September/October before the hibernation.
Just take out all the old hay and give it a quick wipe around with a
safe disinfectant (one you would use on your food preparation surfaces
or one sold especially for animal use) DO NOT USE BLEACH,
then refill with hay.
If you have hedgehogs visiting your garden & can't build
or buy
a proper house then any shelter is better than none. A good quick
alternative is to lean a piece of plywood or board against the shed
wall or similar sheltered place at 45º angle, put another piece raised
on bricks underneath it as a floor and place a tarpaulin or piece of
roofing felt over to make it waterproof, leaving just a small entrance at
one
end. Fill with hay and hope that a hedgehog will use it.
How to build a hedgehog House in a couple of hours
A quick and easy way is to buy a box similar to that
shown below (House A) from one of the big DIY stores like B&Q , who do
self assembly Pine Storage boxes for between £10 & £15 depending on size
Just assemble it, cut an approximately 5" square hole in
a corner of one of the sides and cover the entire box with a sheet of
roofing felt or plastic sheet/tarpaulin, (however tarpaulin being
lighter weight will need to be very securely held down) leaving a raised
gap around the hole, like an awning so the hedgehog can get in, but the
water can't. Put a couple of bricks on the box roof on top of the felt
to prevent it slipping off or being blown away.
If you build a tunnel entrance as is shown in house C
below, then drape the felt all over with just a gap for hedgie to get
in.
If you can't build a tunnel entrance, just place a brick
each side of the entrance to support the felt/tarpaulin so it makes a
little awning/porch.

|
|