Save the Hedgehog! Build a house
Did you know that Hedgehogs in Britain have declined over the past few decades.
'Hedgehogs now appear to be declining in the UK at the same rate as tigers are globally – at around 5% a year, both in rural and urban habitats.' www.hedgehogstreet.org
They need your help to survive. What can you do?
- Ensure your garden has an easy route in and out. You could cut a 12cm square in the bottom of your fence so that hedgehogs can move from garden to garden.
- Leave an area of your garden 'wild'. Hedgehogs like a habitat that is a natural as possible so they can build their homes or nests.
- Put a shallow dish out with water for them to drink from
- If you can, buy some Hedgehog food (I use this) and leave a small amount out overnight. Make sure you put the food in a location where they can feel safe. From experience I have found they like the food best when it is placed in the undergrowth or in a sheltered spot.
- Create a house for them the hibernate in. You can make a house out of wood like the one I made below or you can use other things. Check out this excellent tutorial
My Brother and I made this house ^ using scraps of wood we found from a previous DIY project. As long as you have a hole that is 12cm square then you can pretty much make it any shape you like. Just make sure you allow enough room for the Hedgehog to be able to turn around inside.
You could also make a house from an upturned plastic plant pot or a dark colour plastic storage box. Just place a brick on top to stop predators and cut a hole in the side.
Once you've made your house, place some bedding inside - Hedgehogs like straw and leaves they can use to make their nest and keep warm.
Watch and Wait...
During the summer months you're most likely to see Hedgehogs in the garden. I see them around 10pm in my garden and you'll probably hear them before you see them!
This is a Hoglet that was born around July. He is about the size of my fist.
I set a Go-Pro camera running overnight with a couple of solar lights. Here's a selection of the footage.
I love wildlife and I often use inspiration from my garden for my own designs. I think hedgehogs have great character so I decided to create a range for fellow Hedgehog fans.
If you love Hedgehogs, you can find the perfect gift here
Thanks for reading!
Alice