As the nights draw in and the first proper frosts arrive, hedgehogs across Britain are looking for somewhere dry, quiet and safe to see out the winter. A single hog may travel a surprising distance through the darkness — along hedgerows, through gaps under fences, across lawns — before settling on a nest site. In a tidy modern garden, with decking, gravel and close-mown grass, those sites are in short supply. Building a simple wooden hedgehog house is one of the most rewarding things you can do for wildlife this autumn, and it takes an afternoon.

Why Hedgehogs Need a Helping Hand in Winter

Hedgehogs hibernate from roughly November to March, though the timing shifts with the weather. In a mild spell, a hog may wake, wander a little and go back to sleep, so the shelter needs to stay dry and stable throughout. A good nest is insulated, waterproof and undisturbed, and it buffers the animal against the worst of the cold.

Natural nest sites — holes under hedgeroots, hollows beneath log piles, gaps under sheds — are increasingly rare. Those that remain are often too damp or too exposed. A well-placed house gives a hedgehog a reliable alternative, and it can also serve as a summer nursery for a breeding female, so it earns its keep all year round.

Choosing the Right Spot

Position matters as much as the build. Hedgehogs are creatures of edges, so tuck the house into a boundary or a shrubby corner rather than placing it out in the open.

• Choose a quiet corner of the garden away from the busiest paths, doors and patio furniture.
• Face the entrance south or south-east, so it catches warmth but avoids the prevailing wind and driving rain.
• Set it beneath or beside a hedge, a deciduous shrub or a log pile — cover overhead helps it feel secure.
• Raise it on two bricks or a slate to keep the floor clear of standing water.
• Avoid anywhere a dog, cat or badger regularly patrols. Badgers in particular will prise open a flimsy house.
• Leave a clear run to the entrance. Hedgehogs will happily use a gap under a fence, so a small hole cut into a boundary panel is worth the effort.

Building the House

You do not need to be a joiner. A basic box with a tunnel entrance suits hedgehogs perfectly, and reclaimed timber works beautifully.

• Use untreated wood — 15mm exterior plywood or old boards are ideal. Avoid anything painted, stained or pressure-treated with preservative.
• Aim for an internal floor of around 30cm by 30cm and walls about 20–25cm high.
• Build a tunnel entrance roughly 12–15cm long and 10cm square or round. This is the crucial detail: it stops cats, foxes and badgers reaching inside, while a hedgehog strolls straight through.
• Screw the panels together rather than nailing them, and fit a hinged roof with a sturdy catch. The hinge lets you clean the house out in spring; the catch keeps it shut through winter.
• Give the roof a generous overhang and cover it with roofing felt, or simply weigh a slate on top.
• Drill a couple of small ventilation holes high in the sides — damp air needs a way out.

Bedding and Camouflage

Once built, half-fill the house with a loose handful of dry leaves. Oak, beech and ash are excellent; they stay springy and drain well. Avoid hay and straw, which hold moisture and quickly turn mouldy, and skip shredded paper for the same reason.

A hedgehog will usually top up the nest itself, dragging in leaves and grass stems until only a small plug of material shows at the tunnel mouth. Help it along by piling dry leaves around the outside of the house and over the roof, then scattering a little bark mulch or compost nearby. Camouflage makes the box look like part of the garden rather than a new piece of furniture, and it adds another layer of insulation. Never block the entrance, though — a clear doorway is essential.

Winter Care: Leave It Alone

From the moment a hog moves in, the best thing you can do is nothing at all. Resist the urge to lift the lid. Waking a hibernating hedgehog burns through its fat reserves, and it may not have enough left to see it through to spring.

• Do not check inside between November and March unless you genuinely suspect an injured animal.
• Look for signs from a distance instead: leaves dragged into the tunnel, a neat nest plug, droppings nearby.
• Keep a shallow dish of fresh water out in mild spells. Never put out bread or milk — both cause serious digestive problems.
• If a hedgehog is active in very cold weather, offer meat-based cat or dog food, or specialist hedgehog food.
• Clean the house properly in spring, once the occupant has left, then leave it in place for the summer.

Sort the Rest of the Garden Too

A house is only part of the picture, and a few simple precautions make the whole garden safer. Check long grass with a strimmer before cutting, and always turn a compost heap or lift a woodpile with a fork before disturbing it — both are favourite nesting spots. Move bonfire material on the day you plan to light it, never the night before. Keep slug pellets off the ground, cover open drains and water butts, and leave a shallow ramp or shelf in garden ponds so anything that falls in can climb out.

Do all that, and a quiet corner of your garden becomes a genuine winter refuge — a small wooden box, a heap of leaves, and one very grateful hedgehog sleeping soundly until spring.