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What does a hedgehog eat, and how to make it a shelter?

How can you watch out for this discreet little animal who can live up to a decade but usually doesn’t make it past three on average? Killed by cars, a lack of food in winter, and especially pesticides, hedgehogs are moving closer and closer to towns, even venturing into our gardens.

What does a hedgehog eat?

Hérissons en train de se nourrir
© slowmotiongli - stock.adobe.com

Hedgehogs are small, insectivorous mammals. They are particularly fond of slugs and earthworms, which are readily available sources of protein. They also eat small insects.

In winter, hedgehogs are often short of food (particularly due to the use of pesticides). Although they are still mainly woodland dwellers, hedgehogs are venturing into the vicinity of towns and cities and even into our gardens, attracted by the abundance of prey.

How to make a hedgehog shelter

There are two ways to build a hedgehog shelter.

Make a "tipi" shelter

To make this shelter, you will need a plank of wood (untreated, without paint or varnish...) at least 20mm thick, and a few stones and dead leaves.

Against a wall protected from wind and rain, lean the plank of wood diagonally against the wall and secure it with a stone. Under the plank, add a generous carpet of dead leaves.

Make a log shelter

For this shelter, you will need 5 or 6 logs of roughly the same size and a handful of dead leaves.

Lay 2 logs parallel to each other on the ground, then 3 or 4 more across the top, and protect the little cabin as much as possible from the wind, rain and traffic or passersby. Then arrange the interior, or let the animal do it itself by leaving a few dead leaves around. Don't aim too small: a female can give birth to 6 young. Your guest, whose preferred territory is the forest, will appreciate being able to move around in a larger space.

Abri à hérisson — Abri pour hérisson "tipi"
© MNHN - V. Briand

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