BUILD PROJECT · HEDGEHOG PROTECTION · CAMERA TECHNOLOGY

The Hedgehog Sleeping House

In spring 2020, I came up with the idea of building my own hedgehog house with a camera. The inspiration came from a pair of hedgehogs visiting the feeding area and the hope of perhaps being able to offer a female a protected place for her young.

Building instructions · Hedgehog protection · DIY

This hedgehog sleeping house combines a protected entrance passage, a draught-free vestibule and a spacious sleeping area. The footprint is 73 × 40 cm, and the roof slopes from 39 cm on the right to 24 cm on the left. With timber cut to size at a DIY store, the house can be built in an afternoon.

73 × 40 cm footprint4–6 hours build time3 protected areas

Build Your Own Hedgehog Sleeping House

The detailed instructions include a materials list, cutting dimensions, the exact positions of all openings and every assembly step.

The House at a Glance

The outside dimensions of the house are 73 × 40 cm. The left outer wall is 24 cm high and the right wall 39 cm, creating the roof slope. The house is built from untreated timber: 18 mm for the walls and flap, 28 mm for the floor and 12 mm phenolic-coated plywood for the lid.

A – Entrance passageProtection against cats and rats with a 12 × 15 cm arched entrance, an angled passage and a heavy swinging flap.

B – VestibuleA buffer between the passage and sleeping area. It keeps draughts and cold away from the nest.

C – Sleeping areaInside dimensions approx. 32.3 × 36.4 cm. This is where the nest made from paper, dry leaves or straw is placed.

The hedgehog’s route: through the entrance at the front left, along the passage to the right, through the swinging flap into the vestibule and from there through the opening in the partition wall into the sleeping area.

The Hedgehog’s Route

The passage wall separates the entrance passage from the vestibule. Only after passing through the flap at the end of the passage and the opening in the partition wall does the hedgehog reach the sleeping area. The narrow passage with its bend makes access difficult for cats, while the heavy flap provides an additional obstacle for mice and rats.

Roof Slope and Interior Walls

The front and rear walls are trapezoidal. The lid rests on their sloping upper edges. The passage wall and partition wall stand on the floor and reach up to the lid; the passage wall follows the roof slope.

Materials and Tools

Important: All timber remains untreated on the inside. The sleeping area should not be exposed to wood preservatives or paint.

Materials

18 mm untreated spruce or pine for walls and flap, approx. 1.1 m² including waste
28 mm laminated spruce board for the floor: 69.4 × 36.4 cm
12 mm phenolic-coated plywood for the lid: 80 × 53 cm
Continuous hinge approx. 70 cm, with suitable short screws
2 hinges approx. 30 mm for the swinging flap
1 cabin hook to secure the lid
approx. 50 wood screws, 4 × 45 mm
optional: waterproof D3 wood glue

Tools

Jigsaw
Cordless drill/driver
3 mm and 10 mm wood drill bits
Countersink bit
120-grit sandpaper
Tape measure, square, pencil
Clamps
Brush + edge-sealing paint

Tip: If the DIY store cuts the panels precisely to the cutting list, the main jobs left at home are cutting the openings, sanding and assembly.

Cutting List

The floor is smaller than the outside dimensions by the thickness of the walls. The outer walls surround it on all sides so that rainwater can run down the outside instead of entering over an exposed floor edge. The interior walls stand on the 28 mm floor and are therefore lower than the outer wall height at the same point.

Note on camera equipment: The dimensions shown here are for the hedgehog sleeping house without camera equipment. If you want to install a camera inside the house, increase the height dimensions of the relevant parts in the plan by approximately 10 cm. This creates enough space above the sleeping area for the camera and its mounting.

No.	Part	Qty.	Dimensions	Work required
1	Floor	1	69.4 × 36.4 cm	28 mm thick; fits inside between the outer walls
2	Front wall	1	73.0 cm long; 24.0 cm high left / 39.0 cm right	Trapezoid; 12 × 15 cm entrance with rounded top
3	Rear wall	1	73.0 cm long; 24.0 cm high left / 39.0 cm right	Trapezoid with sloping upper edge
4a	Left side wall	1	36.4 × 24.0 cm	3 ventilation holes Ø 10 mm in the rear half
4b	Right side wall	1	36.4 × 39.0 cm	3 ventilation holes Ø 10 mm
5	Partition wall	1	36.4 × 28.8 cm	11 × 14 cm opening; stands on the floor
6	Passage wall	1	35.3 cm long; 21.6 cm high left / 28.8 cm right	Trapezoid; 13 × 17 cm flap opening
7	Lid	1	80.0 × 53.0 cm	12 mm phenolic-coated plywood; seal cut edges
8	Flap	1	12.0 × 15.0 cm	18 mm timber; its weight makes entry harder for mice and rats

Position of the openings

Entrance in front wall: 12 × 15 cm with a 6 cm radius rounded top; lower edge 2.8 cm above the bottom of the wall; left edge 5.8 cm from the outside edge.
Flap opening in passage wall: 13 × 17 cm; right edge 3 cm from the end of the passage wall.
Opening in partition wall: 11 × 14 cm; 3 cm from the rear edge, positioned in the vestibule.
Ventilation: three Ø 10 mm holes in each side wall, 3 cm below the upper edge; on the left side only in the rear half.

Step by Step

Pre-drill every screw hole with a 3 mm bit and countersink it. This prevents the timber from splitting at the edges. Adding glue as well makes the box tighter and more stable.

Cut and sand the parts. Cut all parts according to the cutting list, ease the edges with 120-grit sandpaper and label the parts. For the front and rear walls, mark 24 cm on the left and 39 cm on the right, join the points and cut along the slope. The passage wall also gets a sloping upper edge: 21.6 cm on the left and 28.8 cm on the right.

Cut the openings. Mark the entrance, flap opening and partition opening. The flap and partition openings start at the lower edge. For the enclosed entrance, drill a 10 mm starter hole, mark the rounded top and cut it out. Sand all cut edges thoroughly.

Drill the ventilation holes. Drill three Ø 10 mm holes in each side wall about 3 cm below the upper edge; on the left wall, place them only in the rear half where the vestibule will be.

Screw the side walls to the floor. Lay the floor flat. Position the 24 cm side wall on the left and the 39 cm wall on the right, flush with the underside of the floor, then screw each wall into the floor edge from the outside with three screws.

Attach the front and rear walls. Position both walls outside the long floor edges and the ends of the side walls, flush at the bottom and with the lower side on the left. The entrance must be at the front left. Screw into the floor edge about every 15 cm and also into both side walls.

Install the partition wall. Position it so that exactly 32.3 cm remain clear between the partition and the inside of the right side wall; the opening is at the rear. Screw it through the front wall, rear wall and floor.

Fit the flap. Attach two small hinges to the top edge of the 12 × 15 cm flap and fix them directly above the opening on the side of the passage wall facing the vestibule. The flap must swing freely in both directions and return to the vertical position by itself.

Install the passage wall. Fit it parallel to the front wall with a clear distance of 16 cm, running from the left side wall to the partition. The flap opening is on the right, at the end of the passage. Screw it to the side wall, partition and floor.

Make the lid. Cut the 12 mm phenolic-coated plywood to 80 × 53 cm, with the smooth film surface facing upward. Seal the exposed cut edges twice with edge-sealing paint or acrylic paint.

Attach the lid. Allow an overhang of 10 cm at the front, 3 cm at the rear and about 2.7 cm on each side. Attach the continuous hinge to the outside of the rear wall just below the sloping upper edge and to the underside of the lid. Fit a cabin hook at the side as a storm restraint.

Protect the outside (optional). The outside surfaces can be treated with non-toxic linseed oil or a biocide-free wood stain. Leave the inside untreated and allow the house to air for a few days before placing it outside.

Setting Up, Furnishing and Care

A quiet, shady position under a hedge or shrub, with the entrance facing away from the prevailing weather, is especially important if the house is to be accepted by hedgehogs.

Setting up

quiet, semi-shaded corner under a hedge or shrub
ideally face the entrance east or south-east
place the house on two bricks or paving stones
loosely arrange leaves and twigs around the house

Furnishing

leave the vestibule empty
put crumpled newspaper, dry leaves or straw in the sleeping area
do not use hay because it absorbs moisture
if necessary, prop the flap open at first until the hedgehogs accept the house

Care

do not open or disturb the house during hibernation, roughly November to March
empty the entire house once a year in late summer
clean with hot water only, without detergents

My Hedgehog House in Practice

My original hedgehog house was built in 2020 and was additionally equipped with camera technology. The photos show several stages of the build and the finished house in its sheltered location. The new building instructions above are deliberately designed so that the house can also be built completely without camera equipment.

Camera view from inside the hedgehog house — Camera view from inside the house

Finished hedgehog sleeping house — The finished hedgehog house

Hedgehog sleeping house in a sheltered location — Set up in a sheltered location

Prefer to have all dimensions on paper?

The complete building instructions with drawings, cutting list and all 11 steps are available as a five-page PDF.

Questions About the Building Instructions?

If anything is unclear while you are building the house, or if you would like to share your own experience with a hedgehog sleeping house, you can leave your question or comment here. I will reply directly below your comment so that the answer can also help other people building the house.

Note: Comments and questions are moderated for security reasons and will only appear on the page after I have approved them.