The Homes of the Other Badgers

The American badger does not dig large setts like its European cousin. Instead, it digs lots of small setts, or dens. There are two reasons for this. First, American badgers do not live in large family groups like European badgers. So each den is dug by just one animal. Second, the American badger travels over a much bigger area than the European badger, so it makes sense to have lots of dens in different places. That way, no matter how far the badger wanders, it is never far away from a den. A prairie dog. Image from the Kita Labs Icon Archive If the badger ends up in a place where it doesn't have a den, it makes a new one! There are two ways in which the badger makes new dens. It may take over an old prairie dog hole (or some other animal burrow) and make it bigger. Or it may dig a new den from scratch. Badgers can dig very quickly, so it doesn't take long to dig a new den. Most American badger dens have one hole, with a short tunnel leading to a single sleeping chamber. Some dens are bigger though - these are the nursery dens. A female badger with young must stay with them, and so she lives in the nursery den for two months or more. A nursery den may have one or two entrances, and side tunnels which are used as latrines (toilet areas). Animals which use holes dug by American badgers include prairie dogs and burrowing owls. The hog badger lives in deep burrows which it digs itself. It may also live in natural holes under rocks. The ferret badgers do not dig their own burrows. They live in burrows made by other animals. Ferret badgers have also been seen sleeping in trees! The Indonesian stink badger digs itself a very simple den. A short tunnel leads to a chamber, into which bedding material is taken. Stink badgers may also live in porcupine dens - even when the porcupine is at home! Nothing is known about the home of the Palawan stink badger. It probably digs a den like its Indonesian cousin. The Honey badger, like the American badger, has lots of dens scattered over a wide area. It digs a tunnel of one to three metres (three to nine feet) in length, with a chamber at the end. If the chamber is used as a nursery, it is lined with grass. Honey badgers also take over holes made by other animals, such as aardvarks. Holes beneath rocks, under tree roots and in old termite mounds are used too. Go back to: the top of this page Go forward to: The Food of the European Badger Go forward to: The Food of the Other Badgers © Steve Jackson 1999-2001, unless otherwise stated. Material on these pages may be copied for personal, educational or other non-commercial use, as long as the source is acknowledged.