![]() In the spring and summer, a hedgehog will build a loosely constructed nest out of leaves, grass, moss, twigs, and similar plant materials. This is due to the different weather conditions, and the fact that a hibernating hedgehog requires a very different nest for winter conditions. There may be some overlap in construction (as daytime nests are similar to nests for hedgehog babies ) but this is essentially the case.īroadly speaking, hedgehog nests can be divided into those used in the spring and summer months, and those used during the winter hibernation period. What Does A Hedgehog Nest Look LikeĪ hedgehog’s nest is constructed generally for three purposes: to sleep in during the day, as a place to raise young, and as a place for hibernation. A hedgehog may line its nest with dried grass or leaves, for example, something artificial nest builders are encouraged to do. It is here that they search for food (mostly invertebrates) and look for plant materials to build their nests.īecause the hedgehog population has suffered a severe decline in the UK in recent decades (down from an estimated 30 million in the 1950s to around 1 million today), people have attempted to help hedgehogs through artificial nests.Īlthough artificial nests are constructed out of different materials (brick, wood, plastic) than natural hedgehog nests, some of the building principles are the same. Hedgehogs like to inhabit environments with plenty of plant cover, whether it is in the underbrush, near hedges, trees, bushes, shrubs, or in gardens. The hedgehog will also take to a nest during its breeding and hibernation periods, although these nests are somewhat different from their daily habitats. In the daytime, the hedgehog will take refuge in a nest to sleep - and at night, will come out to forage, build nests, mate, and feed. It also is a hibernating animal, resting in a reduced metabolic state from November to March. The European Hedgehog (we will refer to it as the “hedgehog”) is a nocturnal creature that has a fairly large range - about 10 to 20 hectares - and can travel 2 to 3 kilometers at night searching for food. This hedgehog is likely the largest species of hedgehog, weighing 2.4 to 4.4 pounds and reaching 10 inches in length (or more). ![]() There are seventeen known species of hedgehogs worldwide - and they are native to the continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa (they are an introduced species to New Zealand, and are kept as pets elsewhere).įor our purposes, we will only discuss the nesting habits of the European Hedgehog ( ERINACEUS EUROPAEUS), an animal that is found in much of Europe and in Great Britain. Hedgehogs are members of the family ERINACEIDAE (subfamily ERINACEINAE).
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