EDWINA RELATED ACTIVITES

In this update, we will show you how we built Edwina's winter hibernation home.  We basically surfed the net and found ideas from various rescue sites, but didn't really follow any set building plans.   We could provide you with dimensions if you need or want to construct one, but I won't bore you with all of that detail here.

First, we purchased a 5 meter length of pine - totally untreated and unfinished...that is important since treated lumber is not good due to the chemicals embedded into the wood. 

Here are some pictures showing the construction process....

	Here is Juergen working on a part of the house.  Here everything is assembled except the tunnel entrance and the top.  We need to make the top removeable so we can clean it out from time to time.
Another angle to show the front entrance.
	This shows the inside of the house with the tunnel in place.  We sanded the complete inside so it wouldn't be rough on her feet...I know, I know...I am possessed!
Here Juergen is attaching some strips to allow the top to be removeable.
	Here is the finished product...It isn't the Taj Mahal, but maybe for Edwina it will be.  As you can see, the tunnel tips a bit forward and acts as a protected ramp for her to crawl into the box.  We still want to place a small piece of plastic piping out the back for an air source.  Just a small diameter length with an elbow attached outside and pointed downwards.  That should help to keep the air circulated for her. When we place it in our garden, we will cover it with plastic and place it in a protected area where the wind will not enter the tunnel.  Then we will cover the box with leaves, twigs, and garden debris to make it look a little more attractive to her. I want to place some straw outside the tunnel to make it handy for her to take inside later to make her nest.
	Not to worry!  He is faking the pain!  We had fun putting it all together.
Here is the finished house outside in our courtyard.  We plan on letting her browse around in the courtyard for another few days so she gets use to the house and makes it her own.  I am still supplementing her food, but have cut the portions down a bit to encourage her to hunt for bugs and such. She is up to 751 grams now.  I don't want to allow her to lose weight, so will keep up these additional feedings for a while.

Yesterday when we went to buy the wood, I was so saddened to see another hedgehog had been hit on the street before our house.  That makes 2 in 3 months.  This is the biggest worry for me now.  The only thing we can do is to make the garden as attractive as possible for her, provide shelter, additional feedings, etc., and hope that she doesn't go wandering in the night out on the street.  The rest is up to Edwina. 

So...hopefully in one week, we will release her.  Keep visiting the site for more updates.  We are noticing more and more people are visiting our site and we think this is so wonderful!  Thanks for your encouraging and kind words!