{"id":1088,"date":"2020-02-24T19:40:26","date_gmt":"2020-02-24T19:40:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gardendad.co.uk\/?p=1088"},"modified":"2020-02-24T23:04:49","modified_gmt":"2020-02-24T23:04:49","slug":"best-hedgehog-house-reviews","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gardendad.co.uk\/best-hedgehog-house-reviews\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are The Best Hedgehog Houses On The UK Market?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Did you know that there\u2019s a harmless critter threatening to go extinct in your very own backyard? Hedgehog numbers have been declining at an incredibly alarming rate in the UK. Some estimates done about 60 years ago show a healthy hedgehog population of over 30 million strong. Compare that with today\u2019s meagre 1 million and its clear the species is headed for a habitatless extinction.<\/p>\n
Any disruption to the natural chain affects us too. So how do we play our part? Simple; by making your own backyard or garden hedgehog friendly. This includes giving the minihogs access, leaving out some food and water, as well as allowing bits of your garden to grow wild. But perhaps the most important step of all is to provide them with a place to call home.<\/p>\n
Hedgehogs need a nice, warm, and safe place to hibernate during the winter, plus a shady roof to escape the heat of summer. This increases their chances of survival tenfold, especially if the house has some security features against predators like tunnels. Of course, there are some aspects to consider when buying a hedgehog house.<\/p>\n
The first is the material. Wildlife charities all over the UK recommend going with wooden houses because they\u2019re both natural and safer for the animals. Wood makes great insulation against the cold.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll also have to consider the cost depending on how much you are willing to spend. We\u2019d also advice going for a hedgehog house with a tunnel as well as several internal sections which make it even more difficult for larger predators to get a paw\/claw in.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve tested dozens of different hedgehog houses and done all the hard yards to find the best one. My family and I put the houses through rigorous weather condition tests, impact and durability experiments, and even pitted predators as large as dogs against the homes.<\/p>\n
Below is a list of the Top 5 houses which not only survived, but seemed to attract the largest numbers of hedgehogs.<\/p>\n