Do you have a hedgehog in the garden and would you like to help it through the winter? Then the right food and a warm hedgehog house will help.

In winter, the hedgehog can suffer from cold temperatures. If you want to help the animal, you can provide dry cat food in a bowl. The construction of a simple hedgehog house from a few wooden boards and some leaves is an ideal sleeping place for the winter.

Feed the hedgehog

The hedgehog is very useful in the garden. It usually feeds on pests that attack plants in your garden or negatively affect the garden. Therefore, you should be happy about the hedgehog in the garden. The hedgehog eats snails, for example, and other pests are also on its menu.

However, when the temperatures get a little colder, the hedgehog becomes weaker and may no longer be able to find enough food. As an animal-friendly garden owner, you can provide the food yourself. However, the hedgehog is very frugal and not very choosy. If you have a cat in the household, you can provide a bowl of dry cat food. But there is also special hedgehog food that you can buy and provide. The hedgehog also likes to eat wheat bran or some oatmeal. However, you should avoid providing the hedgehog with milk. Hedgehogs cannot tolerate lactose and can even die as a result of diarrhea.

If you want to give the hedgehog a warm place, building a hedgehog house is a simple option. Here you will find instructions on how to build a cozy home for the hedgehog.

1) Find a suitable place

Before you start building a small house, you should find a suitable place for the house. The finished hedgehog house requires a floor space of about 30 x 30 centimeters. In order for the hedgehog to feel comfortable, it needs a lot of rest and some shade. Therefore, a place in the corner of the garden is best for the little house.

In order to protect the house from the weather, it is advisable to place the entrance on the side that is not exposed to the weather. So no rain can penetrate and the hedgehog is a little more protected. In addition, water must not collect in the house when it rains. A small elevation ensures that the water runs off the edge and does not form puddles in the house.

Some sand or gravel can be placed under the house for further protection. This layer provides good insulation against wet and cold.

2) The construction of the house of wood

Once the right location has been found, all you have to do is build the house yourself. No extensive materials are required for this. A few wooden boards, screws, and a roof panel are enough for a cozy house.

The hedgehog feels most comfortable when the house is divided into different areas. An entrance area protects the actual sleeping area. The front door should be large enough that the hedgehog can easily enter the house, but cats or dogs cannot get in. A small flap presents another obstacle for other rodents.

The food for the hedgehog can be stored in a small pantry. Dry cat food or special dry food for hedgehogs can be placed in a bowl. Since the hedgehog could also do its business there, a layer of newspaper helps to clean this room.

A small bedroom gives the hedgehog enough peace and security. There the hedgehogs can overwinter and recover. They like to build their nest out of crumpled newspapers. This can be placed in the sleeping area so that the hedgehog can use this material.

3) Design the lid

Once the basic walls of the hedgehog house are in place, only the flap needs to be attached. A movable roof hatch should be attached so that you can reach inside the house later. This allows you to refill the feed regularly. You can also clean the hedgehog house in this way.

For the roof, you can take a simple wooden panel and attach it with a hinge. So you can open the roof to one side.

To enhance the look of the hedgehog house, you can staple red cardboard to the roof. This makes the hedgehog house not only practical but also looks very nice. You can also paint the house in color for a nicer color scheme. It is important to ensure that the paint is environmentally friendly. A label with the blue angel indicates environmental compatibility.

4) Spread foliage

The hedgehog does not only like to use newspaper as a material to create a cozy home. Leaves are taken by the hedgehog in nature to build the nest. It is therefore helpful if you scatter some leaves around the house. The hedgehog can use this to independently build its nest in the house.

In these simple steps, you can easily make a hedgehog house yourself. In winter, however, you should not disturb the hedgehog. He goes into hibernation and only wakes up in spring. If the hedgehog has cubs, you should keep other animals away from the house and leave the hedgehog alone as well.