There’s something so exciting about spotting a hedgehog in your own garden. They’re quiet, nocturnal little creatures, so you might only catch a glimpse of one shuffling through the grass or disappearing underneath a hedge before you even realise what you’ve seen, or maybe you just find some evidence that one has been around.
If you’re lucky enough to have hedgehogs visiting your garden, you might want to do a little more to encourage them to stay. A hedgehog house can provide somewhere sheltered for a hedgehog to rest, sleep or potentially hibernate, and making one doesn't have to be a big complicated project. We made ours out of an old boiler casing that was already in the garden, as our hedgehogs are probably used to things like that anyway.
You don't need a huge garden or lots of specialist equipment either. Sometimes, creating a wildlife-friendly garden is about making a few simple changes and giving nature a little more space to thrive and seeing what happens.
Why Do Hedgehogs Need Houses?
Hedgehogs are nocturnal, which means they're most active at night and spend much of the daytime hidden away. In the wild, they can make use of natural spaces such as piles of leaves, vegetation, log piles and other sheltered areas.
Our gardens can provide some of these spaces, but modern gardens aren't always particularly wildlife-friendly. Neat lawns, fences and cleared borders don't necessarily leave many places for a hedgehog to settle down. So, a hedgehog house gives them another option.
It provides a quiet, sheltered space away from the weather and other disturbances. You might never know whether a hedgehog has used yours, but providing the opportunity is part of making your garden more welcoming to wildlife.
And that's really the aim, isn’t it? You're creating a little safe space and letting the hedgehog decide whether it wants to use it.
How to Make a Hedgehog House
Making your own hedgehog house can be a fairly simple DIY project. You can either build one from suitable untreated timber or adapt an appropriate sturdy wooden box, provided it is safe and suitable for outdoor use. You can also buy ready-built ones quite affordably from any store with a garden section.
What you'll need
The exact materials will depend on the design you choose, but you'll generally need:
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Suitable untreated wood
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Screws and a screwdriver
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Something suitable for creating an entrance
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Natural nesting material such as dry leaves
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A way of protecting the house from rain and damp
If you're making one from scratch, you'll want to create a sturdy little shelter with an entrance that a hedgehog can comfortably get through. It can’t be too big though, because other animals will soon make use of the space, especially if there’s food around. We use bricks to create a bit of a maze in front of our entrance so cats can’t get in, as this was a problem for a while.
The important thing is that it should feel like a sheltered space rather than an open box. A roof and enclosed sides will help protect the inside from the elements.
If you're looking for exact dimensions and construction instructions, it's worth following a design from a reputable hedgehog conservation organisation rather than guessing the measurements yourself.
Make the house weatherproof
A hedgehog house needs to provide somewhere dry and protected for the hedgehog, so think carefully about how rain will reach it.
A sturdy roof and a sheltered position will help, while placing natural material over or around the house can help it blend into the garden.
You don't need to make it look perfect. In fact, a slightly hidden and natural-looking shelter is probably much more appealing to a wild hedgehog than a pristine little garden building.
Where Should You Put a Hedgehog House?
Choosing the right location can be just as important as making the house itself. We have ours in a rarely-walked wilder part of the garden where they have plenty of cover to hide and get there easily without crossing the lawn.
Look for a quiet, sheltered part of the garden where the house won't be regularly disturbed. Underneath shrubs, behind a hedge or in a quiet corner can all provide some natural cover.
Try to avoid putting it somewhere that gets lots of foot traffic or where you're regularly moving things around.
It's also worth thinking about how hedgehogs move around your garden. They don't necessarily stay in one garden, so having easy access to other parts of the garden and neighbouring gardens is useful.
This is where a hedgehog highway can make a big difference.
A small gap at the bottom of a fence can give hedgehogs a route between gardens, allowing them to explore a much larger area rather than becoming trapped in one enclosed garden.
What Should You Put Inside a Hedgehog House?
You don't need to fill a hedgehog house with lots of expensive bedding or materials.
Natural nesting materials such as dry leaves can give a hedgehog something to work with when creating its nest. Leaving some natural material around the garden can also provide additional habitat.
It's worth being cautious about putting anything inside that could become tangled around a hedgehog. Natural, loose materials are a much better option than things such as string or netting.
And remember, you don't need to make the perfect nest yourself. A hedgehog is perfectly capable of deciding what it needs and arranging its own home.
Make Your Whole Garden Hedgehog Friendly
A hedgehog house is a lovely addition, but there are plenty of other things you can do to make your garden more welcoming to hedgehogs.
Leave some wild areas
A completely manicured garden might look lovely, but wildlife benefits from having areas where things are allowed to grow naturally. Longer grass, fallen leaves, log piles and areas of vegetation can all provide places for wildlife to shelter and forage.
You don't have to let your entire garden go wild. Even one little corner can be enough.
Provide fresh water
A shallow dish of fresh water can provide an important source of drinking water for garden wildlife. Keep it somewhere accessible and refresh it regularly.
Be careful when clearing the garden
Hedgehogs are surprisingly good at hiding, particularly during the daytime.
Take extra care when moving piles of leaves, cutting long grass, clearing overgrown areas or lighting bonfires. Always check carefully before disturbing these spaces.
Think about garden ponds
Ponds can be fantastic for wildlife, but they can also present a danger if animals can't get back out.
If you have a pond, make sure there is a shallow area or another easy route out so that a hedgehog or other small animal doesn't become trapped.
Give hedgehogs somewhere to move
A hedgehog-friendly garden can go far beyond your fence line, so think about opening up access in the form of hedgehog highways.
If neighbouring gardens are accessible, hedgehogs can travel further to find food, shelter and mates. A small gap in a fence or hedge can make it much easier for them to move between gardens.
How Do You Know If a Hedgehog Is Using Your House?
This is where things get a little tricky. Hedgehogs aren't exactly going to leave you a thank-you note on the doorstep!
You might notice leaves or other nesting material being moved around, or you might spot signs of activity around the entrance. But sometimes there won't be any obvious clues at all.
A wildlife camera can be a brilliant way to find out what's happening when you're not watching.
We know this from experience. One of the most exciting things about having our own hedgehog visitor was being able to watch what happened in the garden at night using a trail camera. Seeing a little hedgehog shuffling around, completely unaware that anyone was watching, was such a lovely way to get to know the wildlife visiting our garden.
If you do discover that a hedgehog is using your house, try not to disturb it. The whole point of creating the shelter is to give wildlife somewhere peaceful to go about its business.
Do Hedgehog Houses Actually Work?
They can provide a useful shelter, but there's no guarantee that a hedgehog will move in, and that's okay!
Wild animals get to make their own decisions. You might build a beautiful hedgehog house and find that it's ignored for months, while the hedgehog decides that the pile of leaves you've left in the corner is much more appealing.
It may also be used at different times of year for different reasons.
The important thing is that you've provided another safe, sheltered option in your garden.
If you're hoping to attract hedgehogs, think about the whole garden rather than just the house. Food, water, shelter and safe routes through the garden all contribute to creating a better habitat.
A Hedgehog House Is Just the Beginning
There's something lovely about making a tiny change to your garden and knowing it could help an animal you might never even see.
You might never have a hedgehog move into the house you've made. You might have one arrive the very next night. You might discover that other wildlife finds it first.
That's part of the fun of making space for nature. You don't get to control what happens.
Our own garden hedgehog was actually one of the reasons the Tahlia Paige woodland collection came to life. Watching this little visitor shuffle around our garden at night, munching on its food and exploring through the night vision camera, was such a delight.
The hedgehog was one of the first endangered species I designed, followed by the red squirrel, who we don’t get the privilege of seeing in our gardens anymore. They're animals that feel very connected to the countryside around us, and I wanted to bring that feeling into the fabrics I create.
So whether you're making a hedgehog house, leaving a little wild corner in your garden or simply keeping an eye out for visiting wildlife, you're doing something lovely.
You never quite know who might come to visit.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hedgehog Houses
1. How do you make a hedgehog house?
A hedgehog house can be made from suitable untreated wood to create a sturdy, enclosed shelter with a suitable entrance. It should have a roof to protect it from rain and be positioned somewhere quiet and sheltered in the garden.
2. What should you put inside a hedgehog house?
Natural nesting materials such as dry leaves can be used inside a hedgehog house. You don't need to fill the house yourself, as a hedgehog can arrange the materials to create its own nest.
3. Where should I put a hedgehog house?
Place a hedgehog house in a quiet, sheltered part of the garden where it won't be regularly disturbed. Areas underneath shrubs, behind hedges or in a quiet corner can provide natural cover and protection from the weather.
4. Will a hedgehog definitely use a hedgehog house?
There is no guarantee that a hedgehog will use a particular house. Hedgehogs choose their own shelter, so they may prefer a natural area of the garden instead. Providing a hedgehog house simply gives them another safe and sheltered option.
5. How can I make my garden more hedgehog friendly?
You can make your garden more hedgehog friendly by providing shelter, leaving some natural areas, putting out fresh water, checking carefully before clearing vegetation or lighting bonfires, and providing safe routes between gardens.
6. What is a hedgehog highway?
A hedgehog highway is a small gap in a fence or hedge that allows hedgehogs to move between gardens. This gives them access to a larger area where they can find food, shelter and other resources.
7. Can I put a hedgehog house in a small garden?
Yes. A hedgehog house doesn't require a huge garden. A quiet, sheltered corner can provide a useful place for a hedgehog to rest, while other wildlife-friendly changes can make the garden more accessible and welcoming.
8. How do I know if a hedgehog is using my house?
You may notice leaves or other nesting materials being moved around the entrance, although there may not always be obvious signs. A wildlife or trail camera can also help you see whether hedgehogs are visiting the house at night.
9. What else can I do to help hedgehogs in my garden?
Alongside providing a hedgehog house, you can leave some areas of your garden natural, provide fresh water, create safe routes between gardens and take care when clearing vegetation, moving piles of leaves or lighting bonfires.
10. Do hedgehog houses really help hedgehogs?
A hedgehog house can provide an additional sheltered space for hedgehogs to use for resting or nesting. It works best as part of a wider wildlife-friendly garden where hedgehogs have access to shelter, water and safe routes through the area.
