Yes, you put dry, natural materials like dead leaves, straw (especially barley straw), or hay inside a hedgehog house to create cozy, insulating bedding, often leaving a supply outside for them to collect and fill it themselves. Avoid using anything synthetic or that might get damp, and never put food or water inside the nesting box, as that attracts predators; instead, place food and water in a separate, protected feeding station nearby.
Hedgehogs will make their own nests from materials in the surrounding environment so the best thing to do is ensure there are plenty of leaves near to the box. You can also put bedding inside the box to give them a head start, such as leaves, straw or hay.
Hedgehogs will not usually eat and sleep in the same place so it's best not to offer food inside the home (except perhaps to tempt them in initially).
81% of survey respondents found that hedgehogs used their artificial houses for summer day nesting. 59% reported use for hibernation. And crucially, 28% confirmed usage for breeding.
The principles are the same as when you buy a hedgehog house: you need to create an entrance hole, a corridor to protect them from predators (which can be internal or external), and it needs to be secure. There are no set rules about exactly how you achieve these criteria: hedgehogs aren't very fussy!
Whether you make your own or buy one, fill the chamber of your hedgehog home with a layer of dead, dry leaves. Hedgehogs prefer small leaves such as birch, oak, hawthorn or hazel. Then screw the roof to the box so that you can remove it in future to clean the box out.
This decline is partly due to a loss of natural habitat, which provides both shelter and food for hedgehogs. Fencing, pesticides, garden hazards (like ponds, strimmers and netting) and development and construction also have an impact. And of course, cars are a major threat to hedgehogs, killing thousands each year.
A recycled newspaper bedding (Carefresh or similar product) should be used as a substrate for your hedgehog. Make the bedding several inches thick as hedgehogs like to burrow. The bedding should be replaced at least weekly, and changed more often as needed.
Hedgehogs are solitary animals in the wild, so they may be shy and wary of people. Building trust with a pet hedgehog takes time, patience, and a gentle approach. If you get a hedgehog when it's young and slowly acclimate it to being handled, they can be playful, but they may never become cuddly.
Signs of stress
Many hedgehogs are busy and want to try to explore but a stressed hedgehog will be much more persistent and not easily distracted. The stressed hedgehog may also twitch or shake its head nervously. It is almost as if the hedgehog is saying “Sensory overload. I can't take it anymore.”
Only solid bottom cages are suitable for hedgehogs, any wire bottom cages could trap their legs or rip off toenails. Provide a soft bedding free of dust, such as recycled paper pellets or if you use wood shavings use only kiln dried pine or aspen. Do not use cedar shavings as they could irritate your hedgehog's lungs.
Hedgehogs mainly eat creepy crawlies
The majority of their diet is made up of invertebrates (or creepy crawlies). We know what they eat from scientific studies that have analysed hedgehog poo or looked in the stomachs of hedgehogs killed on roads.
If you're wondering what smells attract hedgehogs, they're not all that different to us: they love the smell of food, whether that's insects, slugs and snails, or recommended foods.
I have switched to soft barley straw as I have seen this recommended by more hedgehog rescues. It is important to point out that other straws are far too spiky and hard. This can injure our UK hogs. Hay, on the other hand, is softer and preferred by others, but it can quickly go damp and mouldy in our wet winters.
Bedding / Cage Liners
Choose safe, absorbent, and easy-to-clean bedding. Carefresh Complete Bedding or a Fleece Tray Liner are both excellent options. Avoid loose threads or unsafe materials that can tangle around toes.
What I did was just make sure her bin is in proper temperature, and she had ample of food and water enough to last for two days straight. Hedgehogs usually sleep all day and are awake for a few hours only so yours will be a-okay but that doesn't mean the bin will be squeaky clean when you get back!
Hedgehogs often comfort their owners with cuddles, licks, and offer their paws or cuddly bellies for rubs. Their defences completely drop if they are able to form a close connection with their hedgie parents.
Although hedgehogs do bite, their tiny teeth are unlikely to cause you very much pain. The force of a hedgehog bite is typically linked to what your pet is feeling. An angry hedgehog could cause a bite that hurts a bit.
Hedgehogs can make an ideal companion for someone who is looking for a low-maintenance yet entertaining house pet. Typically, hedgehogs only need to see the vet once a year for a check-up, which helps save you time and money on vet visits.
It's a good idea to put out food for hedgehogs all year round. In spring, it will be a boost for those emerging from hibernation, while in late summer and autumn it will help them build up those all-important fat reserves to survive the colder months.
For a hedgehog house in your garden, choose natural nesting materials like leaves, hay or straw. If you are looking for bedding for an indoor hedgehog care box, hay and straw are still fine, but you could also use other small animal bedding, like wood shaving bedding of fleece.
Hedgehogs require daily handling in order to socialize them. It is best to handle your hedgehog with bare hands instead of blankets or gloves so they will be better acclimated to your touch. If your hedgehog has its spines erect, use your hands as scoops on either side and gently scoop him up from the bottom.
During extreme muscle exertion, the 'purse-string' muscle can fold up over the pelvis and get stuck: the pop-off syndrome (Bexton, 2019). The muscle goes into a spasm, which leaves the hedgehog unable to roll up and causes the pelvis and hind legs to remain visible. This is very dangerous for the animal.
Not all hedgehogs instantly use the litter pan but don't give up because with a little coaching on your part it may be persuaded. Place droppings inside the pan to help clue in the hedgehog where it should go. Litter box training hedgehogs is very similar to cats.
Since hedgehogs can carry Salmonella bacteria, with or without signs of disease, sensible hygiene precautions are advised as a routine measure when handling these animals (see Prevention below). People with salmonellosis most typically develop signs of gastroenteritis.