Whether you're caring for a hedgehog pet or one in your garden, feeding your spiky friend with the right food is essential for their well-being. Don't even think about feeding them bread and milk - these can be very upsetting for their digestive system. Being omnivores, hedgehogs need a balanced diet consisting of protein, healthy fats and fibre.
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In the past, cat food was often used to feed hedgehogs, but today there is specialised food available formulated with ideal nutritional ingredients for these animals. In addition to commercial food for hedgehogs, fresh fruits and vegetables can also be provided for these spiky pocket pets.
Benefits of Feeding Your Hedgehog Specialised Food
Feeding your pet with specialised hedgehog food has several benefits, especially when compared to alternatives like cat food. Cat food is developed for cats and hedgehogs are not even distantly related to them - they are different species with very different anatomy and metabolism.
Hedgehog-specific food, on the other hand, is formulated to meet the unique dietary needs of these animals, providing them the right blend of protein, fibre and healthy fats. They contain an optimised protein-to-fat ratio (usually around 30-35% protein and 10-15% fat) that helps maintain their energy levels and weight without excess fat.
These foods also generally include high-fibre ingredients, such as chitin from insect exoskeletons, that help with digestion and imitate their natural diets. Some cat foods are too rich and difficult for hedgehogs to digest. Not to mention that cat food can be too large for their small mouths.
But like with all pet foods, not all food for hedgehogs are created equal, so you need to know what to look for to choose a quality one. First, you'll want the food to contain high-quality protein. This means real meat like chicken, turkey or insect protein like mealworms or crickets. There should be at least 30 to 35% protein.
The food should also have a moderate fat content - 10 to 15% fat is ideal. Hedgehogs are prone to obesity, so avoid foods with fat content higher than that. Essential nutrients to look for include taurine for heart health, calcium and phosphorus for strong bones and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for healthy skin and coat. A small amount of fibre from insects or chitin is beneficial. Stay away from foods with lots of fillers, such as grain, corn or soy.
What Else Can Hedgehogs Be Fed?
Whatever specialised food you choose, it can be combined with small amounts of chopped fruits or vegetables. In addition to adding variety to your hedgie's meals, it will also contribute to the dietary requirements of your pet.
Fruits
Combine a small amount of fresh fruit with your hedgie's food. Hedgies tend to like bananas, apples, berries and melons. Dried fruit should be avoided.
Vegetables
Some popular options among hedgehogs include fresh green beans, fresh tomatoes and cooked squash. Starch vegetables including potatoes, corn and carrots, as well as dried vegetables, should be avoided.
Cooked Meat
Cooked meat, such as chicken and turkey, can be offered in small amounts. Make sure to cut the meat into small pieces to ensure your spiky pal can eat it easily and to prevent choking risk.
Cooked Eggs
Small amounts of scrambled or hard-boiled eggs can be a nice protein-rich treat to offer your pet once in a while.
Mealworms
Hedgehogs benefit from eating live or freeze-dried mealworms, which contain chitin. Live worms are also an excellent form of mental stimulation because they move about and require hedgehogs to work a little harder to grab their food.
Waxworms
Live waxworms contain more fat but less chitin than mealworms, thus you should use them as a snack for your pet.
Crickets
Crickets, which are available live or freeze-dried, give both physical and cerebral stimulation to hedgehogs. Gut-loading crickets, like other insects, should be done before feeding them to your pet to ensure they are nutrient-dense.
Invertebrates
A hedgehog's natural diet includes a range of invertebrates such as beetles, earwigs, caterpillars, earthworms, millipedes, and fly larvae, which you should include in your pet's meals to provide diversity and nutrition.
What to Avoid?
In addition to milk, there are other foods that are toxic to hedgehogs. There are also foods that don't provide enough protein or that contain excess nutrients, which could result in imbalances or deficiencies. These foods include raw meat, processed meat, raw eggs, bread, avocado, celery, lettuce, nuts, seeds, peanuts, dried fruits, dried vegetables, starchy vegetables, hard raw vegetables and human food such as salty or sugary snacks.
When in doubt about what to give to a hedgehog, consult with an expert.
How Much and When to Feed Your Hedgehog?
For an adult hedgehog, you can feed one to two tablespoons of food per day, mixed with 1 tablespoon of fruits and vegetables. Larger and very active hedgehogs may be fed more than that.
In general, it's recommended to give food according to their weight. You can monitor your pet's weight with the help of a home scale and adjust feeding accordingly. If there is more than a 10% weight gain, cut back on the amount of food offered.
As mentioned above, hedgehogs are prone to obesity, so you must monitor how much your pet is eating. Don't worry if you don't see your spiky friend eating much during the day; hedgehogs tend to eat more during the night when they are most active. Discard uneaten food the next day to prevent spoiling.
Always Provide Fresh Water
Water is essential for a hedgehog’s overall health and well-being, so make sure that there is always fresh water available.
Water bowls are often preferred because they allow natural drinking behaviour but they need to be cleaned daily to prevent bacteria buildup. Some individuals choose to use water bottles, but these can sometimes malfunction, leading to dehydration.
As for the best bowls to use, they include sturdy, heavy and shallow bowls. Hedgehogs tend to lean on the edges of bowls, so a heavy one helps prevent tipping while a shallow design makes it easier for them to reach their water and food. While specialised hedgehog feeding bowls are available, repurposed shallow bowls may work just fine.
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