How to make a Hedgehog feeder

As the weather starts to get colder, hedgehogs begin to prepare themselves for winter by feeding and looking for suitable places to hibenate. Feeding before winter is vital for their survival during harsh weather and building a hedgehog feeder is the perfect way for you to help them! 

What you will need:                                                                                      

• A storage box 12″ wide by 18″ long (or bigger)
• An electric hand drill
• A Stanley knife
• Tape
• Newspaper
• Bowl
• 1 Brick/rock

Adult supervision is required throughout this task.

When to make it: Autumn months

Time: Approximately 30 minutes to make.

What to feed them…

Tinned cat, dog, puppy or kitten food. Do not give Fish flavours

Hedgehog food either tinned or dry which is also available from good pet shops

Any cooked meat leftovers like chicken or mince, chopped into small pieces. 

Lots of Water.

DO NOT give salty foods or bread and milk. They cannot digest the bread and cow’s milk gives hedgehog’s an upset stomach. 

In winter or cold weather use biscuits, peanuts, cheese etc.  instead of tinned meat which freezes quickly

Step 1

Get a plastic storage box about 12″ wide by 18″ long (or bigger) and mark out a small entrance hole.

Step 2 

Using a hand drill make holes about 1cm apart the whole way around your marked out square. This will make it easier to cut out. (Make sure an adult does this step!) 

Step 3

Using a Stanley knife join up each hole until the square pops out from the box, creating the entrance to your hedgehog feeder! (Make sure an adult does this step!)

Step 4

To avoid any sharp edges which could harm wildlife, tape around the cut-out area. 

Step 5

Next, place a bowl of food into the box (see the list of food above for ideas on what to feed a hedgehog), putting it at the far side of the box will prevent foxes or cats from reaching in for food. As hedgehogs can be messy eaters use old newspaper to line the floor of the box and place the lid on top. 

Step 6

Now your feeder is complete, place it under a bush or in a covered area of your garden for hedgehogs to enjoy! We suggest placing a brick on top of the lid to prevent it coming off. You can also add in some bedding of leaves or hay to create a sleeping area for them on colder nights!