Crafts

How to build a hedgehog house

Get ahead and build a hedgehog house – somewhere safe and warm, where these lovely animals can curl up and sleep over winter. 

Before you get started

What you will need

  • 20 to 30 old bricks
  • A couple of paving slabs or tiles – one small, one larger 
  • Tape measure, to check entrance size
  • Soil, logs and leaves collected from your garden
  • Gardening gloves

Method

Instructions

Create the shape of the house in bricks

In a shady, quiet spot, create the shape of the house in bricks. Include an entrance ‘tunnel’ at the front (make this around 13cm wide so the hedgehog can get inside but other animals can’t).

Overlap bricks to make walls stronger

Add another layer of bricks. Overlap the bricks to make the walls stronger.

Add a third layer of bricks

Add a third layer of bricks to the main house. Be careful not to leave any gaps – it needs to be cosy.

Cover the top of the tunnel

Use the smaller paving slab – or two or three bricks crossways – to cover the top of the tunnel.

Get a grown up to help you add the heavy paving slab ‘roof’ to keep out predators like foxes and badgers. Watch your fingers!

Cover the top and sides with leaves

Cover the top and sides with soil, logs and leaves. This keeps the house warm and attracts yummy insects.

Use leaves for bedding

Add a pile of leaves nearby ­– a hog can use them for bedding.

TOP TIP

To find out if your house is being used, try an old spy trick. Put a small twig across the entrance – if it’s moved, someone’s been there!

Is your garden hedgehog friendly?

Hogs love to roam. They can cover up to 3km every night, so make them a ‘hedgehog highway’. Cut a 13cm x 13cm hole at the bottom of each fence and they might pay you a visit!