Worried about my hedgehog house

[Knewmee]

I recently bought a hedgehog house for the garden from amazon. It is a wooden one, divided into two, with a lift off lid. I put some hay into it, smoothed across the floor. I hadn’t really expected an occupant. But a day or so later, all the hay had been bundled into a corner, in a large ball. And other things had been brought in- leaves, twigs, etc, and added to the hay ball.

So, excited by this apparent success, I put in some more loose handfuls of hay ....and some more. Until my son said - Mum! The hedgehog has to breathe! So I took some hay out (without touching the ball in the corner, which moves occasionally- I think there is something in it). I also put hay around the walls, to about an inch.

It is so cold tonight: I’m worried that the hedgehog may now have too little hay (and freeze to death) or too much (risk of suffocation). I’d say the hay bundle now makes up about a third- loosely packed- of the inner chamber.

Has anyone got experience of what should be in a hedgehog house, and how much they need to keep warm? (I don’t think it is hibernating, as yesterday’s food was eaten.)

Hey, they don’t hibernate until November or even early December. As long as there is enough hay for it to bed down into it should be fine, the wood will insulate it from some of the cold. You want it to have enough room and its body heat will warm up the compartment as it’s in there. Sounds like you’re doing a great job and it’s happy in there as it is!

Thank you for the reassurance! I need to stop worrying about my guest.....

Definitely stop worrying, you are doing more than enough by supplying him with accommodation and food. Hedgehogs are resilient little things, he'll be absolutely fine in there.

He or she is likely to be much cosier than if he was insulated by a few leaves outside so I’m sure they’ll be absolutely fine :-) thank you for caring!

Aww, would love to see a picture!

Well done that's great news you have a prickly friend. I would say as hard as it is the best thing to do now is feed ( the right foods) and supply a dish of water but leave well alone. Why don't you get a wildlife camera. I have one for £40 you can get one so you can safely check on from a distance. Thank you for caring.

Romsey hedgehog lady gave a talk my aunt went to (this lady rehabs about 75 hedgehogs every winter) and said dry chicken flavoured cat biscuits are best for adult HHs, for youngsters wet chicken flavoured cat food (from tins or pouches) best. Don’t feed seeds, nuts or mealworms as these actually leach calcium from their bones and teeth and can mean they struggle to reproduce or their babies are weak!!

Hi OP, where did you site the house as i would like to get one too, just unsure where to put it. I've seen at most 4 hedgehogs in one go in my garden so i know it's visited :-)

I have a hoglet in my hedgehog house which came from a wildlife rescue centre and I’m feeding him up for the winter.

He eats dried cat biscuits and wet cat food ( non fish ). He seems quite happy with the budget stuff from Lidl.

Amazing! We just bought one too- I think it said to 'site the entrance facing south' which seemed awfully specific.....

do you find that slugs have gone in?? I live in constant fear of unexpected slugs, but maybe hedgehogs will gobble them up?

@0lga Awwwwwwwww, what a little sweetie.

We have a hedgehog snoozing under our rhubarb patch, I did worry about the cold but we put the night camera near it and he/she emerged about 8:30 and trotted off, probably to the hedgehog feeding station up the garden. We also have a wooden hut from Amazon which they sometimes snooze in between feeding.

How is your hedgehog, OP? Survived the rain ok?!