Hi WilliamC – I’m wondering if I should do the same as you and make my entrance smaller.
What happened is that I bought a plastic storage box, much like yours in your photo – similar size and height – and cut out a 13cm by 13cm square hole (as recommended by Hegdgehog Street) but couldn’t find any duct tape in my nearby stores, so ended up cutting some wood, into a nice neat square, nailing it together, which fitted snuggly inside the hole and secured it by drilling holes it into the box and securing it with garden string – and the cats didn’t go in, but did try as I’d find white cat hairs stuck to the wood.
Because I used wood around the edges, it reduced the hole to 4 by 4 inch. I didn’t need to use tunnels and bricks to make things more complicated for the cats.
But then I got nervous and thought I’d better follow advice on Hedgehog Street – took the wood off, found some duct tape and taped the edges – so now the hole is back to 5 inch by 5 inch – and have had to create a tunnel using bricks, with a wooden top, with a heavy stone on the top – but a cat still can squeeze it’s way in – even though I put a bend in the tunnel – so cat has to turn 90 degrees twice. But it’s not working.
However, I’ve been told and have watched a youtube video of Hedgehogs flattening themselves to fit in really small holes, and there is a Hedgehog rescue hospital in my area that advice to make holes in fences 4 inch by 4 inch – so what should I do, do you think I should go back to put the wooden square back in – but also use the tunnel (I like the tunnel as the slugs and snails are using it as a shelter – so makes a nice tasty entrance for the Hogs – I put a bit of Spikes hedgehog food in the tunnel so snails and slugs can eat that and eat less of the food in the hedgehog bowls inside, plus it keeps them off my plants)
Or do you think I should shave a bit off the wood, so it’s 4.5 by 4.5 inch – or do you think I should just buy a new box – and make the hole smaller by 0.5 inch and use duct tape as I am a the moment?
What would you do in my situation?
