Erecting a hedgehog friendly shed.

Mods I deliberately did not post this in the hedgehog thread because I thought that it would get lost there and is more appropriate here in projects, but please move it if you disagree.

My shed is over 50 years old, has 5 cm high rafters under the base, and I have sat these on house bricks spaced about 25 cm apart on a concrete base. I have moved house 4 times, the first time, unbeknown to me, there was a nest under it, presumably a hedgehog nest, the next 2 times, nothing, now for the last 20 years or so it has had a hedgehog nest under it, see pic. Presumably the scratches were made by the hoglets.

Around November/December time I leave a pile of leaves nearby for hibernating.

Last year my neighbour had seen 2 hedgehogs coming from my garden and one afternoon I saw one walking behind the shed looking like the back end of a bus, so perhaps it was pregnant as it appeared to be about 22 cm wide!

 

They used to nest under my shed but they dont seem to be around anymore.
There are too many fences and foxes.

 

A long while ago I saw a film on tv of a hedgehog climbing over a fence, although the BHPS says hedgehogs don’t climb fences so maybe that was an oddity.

 

Harry the Hedgehog in our garden.
I never thought this would happen as the garden is fenced in but there was one small gap.
We had a few unusual black poo’s on the side of the pond ,still not convinced we put out some cat food …..that disappeared………could have been a cat…….
Until we put the outside light on one night ,and there he was.
Well I guess he will be very lonely unless there is another one which I doubt ,the best hope that its a she and she is pregnant.