I have found that food in a hedgehog house – will usually only be used as a restaurant and not as a home.
Probably because, where there is food around, they know that other hogs will come into the home and have a nibble too.
So I have found that hogs prefer there houses to be separate from their restaurants.
I had two houses last year, a little distance from my feeding station – and not once did a hog use the feeding station to have a rest in – just food, a drink and to go to the toilet sometimes.
However, after one of the houses which got constantly used last year – when I cleaned it out for the first time in April – it was very clean, they had not soiled in it whatsoever. So I think (hoglets might be different or poorly hogs), they like there homes to be safe, and without the risk of other hogs entering it, plus rats and cats, and they like to keep it clean so it’s nice for them to hibernate in it.
They will save the odd poo for the feeding station, and sometimes, when it’s pouring with rain outside, they sometimes prefer to do the odd wee in there instead.
For me (this isn’t necessary and most put a newspaper down), I put a puppy mat down, and when they do toilet in there, I can easily remove it without touching the stuff, which also means, I only need to clean it with hot water once a week, or less, as the plastic doesn’t get that mucky – usually it’s just the odd bit of wet dog food that has somehow got on the sides, and the outside of it gets muddy when it’s been very heavy rain (which isn’t a problem but it obstructs my view).
So I have the feeding station in view from my porch, and the two houses tucked away underneath some confer trees, covered with brash (hedge trimmings and sticks), which has currently got newspaper, straw and a bit of hay). I think straw is good for warmth but I think hay is good for comfort.
So this year, when I’ve finished with the straw, I might buy a bag of hay instead and stick to hay after that.
The plastic box sounds ideal for a feeding station, but I wouldn’t but straw in it, as you’d constantly need to replace it once they toilet in it, which might be daily, or weekly.
Also with feeding stations, (even if they don’t poo and wee in it), it’s best to clean it regularly anyway, whereas we don’t need to do that with the houses – as the hogs seem to like to keep them clean and dry.
Some hogs have internal parasites and lungworm, so that’s one of the reasons it’s important to get rid of it when it happens, as if the dried food goes on top of it, another hog could catch the lungworm and parasites.
