Regrettably, the number of hedgehogs in Britain has been in decline for over two decades. 2020 saw hedgehogs become classed as vulnerable to extinction for the first time, as large-scale agriculture replaces hedgerows and trees with crops.
This is combined with the use of pesticides killing off the hedgehog’s natural diet of slugs, worms and insects, an increase in road construction and a lack of wild gardens to further damage the hedgehog population.
Without a safe place to shelter and a reliable food source, hedgehogs are unable to hibernate through the colder months. Clearing out a space for a hedgehog house in your garden can provide a secure habitat where hedgehogs are able to sleep, nest and hibernate without the threat of predators.
And, while it’s possible to make hedgehog houses yourself, not everyone has the time or resources to do so.
Many of the best hedgehog houses have also been especially designed to be insulated throughout the winter, ventilated in the summer and are made with materials that are not always readily available in our local gardening centre or hardware store.
All of the hedgehog houses below should last numerous years due to weatherproofing and have helpful features such as removable roofs to make them easy to clean.
Want to encourage more wildlife? We’ve also rounded up the best bat boxes to help bats roost and hibernate in your garden.
Choosing the right hedgehog house can be difficult as prices can vary considerably and wildlife homes can come in a range of shapes and sizes.
The materials from which the hedgehog houses are built can also differ. This can affect how sturdy the habitat will be, how resilient it is to adverse weather and how long it will last.
For example, brushwood hedgehog houses do tend to be cheaper than the solid wood options but are likely to degrade within three or four years. You will then need to spend more money on additional brushwood to patch up the hedgehog house.
These are some features to bear in mind:
Adding a hedgehog house to your garden can be a great way of providing a safe habitat for hedgehogs to sleep, nest and hibernate.
Here is our selection of the best hedgehog houses on the market right now.
Designed in collaboration with the Dutch Hedgehog Protection Society, the Egelstichting, this hedgehog house offers a removable lid, tunnel entrance and 60cm wide chamber. Made from Eco-Plate — an environmentally-friendly material made from recycled car seats – the house is also weather-resistant.
Price: £49.99
Buy CJ Wildlfe Eco-Plate Hedgehog House at Garden Bird
Used by the Hedgehog Preservation Society, the Hogilo’s lid swivels to provide easy access for cleaning or monitoring any hedgehogs that may be sheltering. Constructed from plywood, the Wildlife World’s Hedgehog House is finished with recycled agricultural plastic. The battened feet keep the house raised to prevent rot.
Price: £54.62
Buy Wildlife World Hogilo Hedgehog Home at Amazon
Handmade in the UK, this hedgehog house features a narrow tunnel entrance, large chamber and a weatherproof lockable lid. The house itself is made from solid wood, which has been treated with an antifungal and antibacterial coating.
Price: £65.00
Buy Riverside Woodcraft Hedgehog House at Amazon
With a narrow tunnel entrance, the Deluxe Hedgehog House should keep its inhabitants safe from larger predators. The removable panel at the back of the house allows for easy cleaning and all interior wood is left untreated.
Price: £120
Buy Deluxe Hedgehog House at Not On The High Street
Along with a pitched, waterproof roof, the Garden Life Hedgehog House is built with wood that has been pre-treated with a hedgehog-safe varnish to protect it against the British weather. The internal chamber is concealed from the entrance. A Hedgehog Care Guide is included with advice on how best to care for your hedgehogs and keep them safe and happy.
Price: £29.99
Buy Garden Life Hedgehog House at Thompson & Morgan
This hedgehog house from The Hutch Company is hand-built from sustainably-sourced timber and treated with an anti-bacterial coating. Other features include Airtec 1500 heat reflecting ground insulation to make it comfortable for hedgehogs looking to hibernate and a full removable roof that has a locking system to keep it firmly in place.
Price: £67.99
Buy The Hutch Company Hedgehog Heat Reflecting Hibernation House at Amazon
April and October are the two best months to put out a hedgehog house. Either side of their hibernation season.
By April hedgehogs will be out of hibernation but are still to produce hoglets and October is before hibernation but when most litters have been weaned.
These are also good months to do any cleaning out and this should be done every year.
If there’s an unusually cold winter, the length of hibernation can be extended and you may need to wait a few weeks for temperatures to rise before putting out a new hedgehog house. This particularly applies to cleaning an already established house so as not to disturb hibernating inhabitants.
The hedgehog house should be put in the most secluded area of the garden – behind the shed works well – and covered in soil and leaves. Any location should be out of direct sunlight and out of wind and rain.
Hedgehogs will typically build their nests from materials that are nearby so ensuring there are plenty of leaves close to the hedgehog house is helpful. You may want to consider placing dry leaves, straw or hay inside the main chamber of the hedgehog house. This will give them a head start when it comes to building a nest.
While you may want to tempt hedgehogs into their new home with food, it’s not advised that you continue to do this. Hedgehogs don’t like to eat in the same place they sleep and food can also attract predators. Consider building a separate feeding station instead.
For more advice on how to make your garden a hedgehog haven, take a look at our guide on the ways to help hedgehogs.
This Product Guide was last updated in April 2022. We apologise if anything has changed in price or availability.
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