What not to feed
Never feed hedgehogs milk or bread - milk can cause diarrhoea and bread isn't very nutritious. Check the food and water bowls each day to top them up with fresh water and food, and remove any food that hasn't been eaten.
What can I feed hedgehogs? Hedgehogs will relish any combination of meat-based wet dog or cat foods, or dry cat/kitten food. Just remember, they will be getting most of their food from insects and worms in the wild, and this food is only supplementary. Specially made hedgehog food is also widely available.
"Believe it or not, hedgehogs are big fans of cat food. Leave a little saucer of cat food in your garden and hungry hedgehogs will sniff it out. As well as providing food, you can put out a shallow dish of water to ensure any visiting hedgehogs stay hydrated.
Insects and other invertebrates are the hedgehog's main natural food source. A typical diet includes: Beetles. Earwigs.
In the wild, hedgehogs eat a diverse selection of insects as well as some plant material and, very occasionally, small or baby mammals (like pinkie mice). Hedgehogs are nocturnal and usually eat at night.
Fruits: Dried fruit should be avoided, but a small amount of fresh fruit can be offered to your hedgehog as treats. Apples, bananas, berries, and melons are popular choices among hedgehogs. Vegetables: Fresh tomatoes, fresh green beans, and cooked squash are some options that your hedgehog may enjoy.
Hedgehogs are active during the night, so the best time to put out food is just after dusk, when they are starting to search for food. The Autumn and Winter months are the most important for them to find food to put on enough weight before hibernation, so always make sure you put out food at this time of year.
If you're determined to give your hedgehog some peanut butter, start by ensuring that it is smooth peanut butter only. You should also only shop for organic peanut butter that has no added ingredients, artificial or otherwise. The label should literally read: peanuts. There should be no sugar, salt, or oil.
When hedgehogs get used to their owners especially their scent, giving them a belly rub is one way of showing them affection. Hedgehogs like belly rubs as it can put them at ease and it's best to give them a belly rub after some time and not when they have just woken up.
In terms of water, hedgehogs ingest water from their prey and natural sources like dew and puddles. Ponds also provide a water source so it's important to ensure garden ponds have sloping sides or an exit ramp so 'hogs don't fall in and get stuck.
Besides poor calcium:phosphorus ratio grub, another big no-no is dairy. Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant. Milk and cheese will give them bad diarrhoea and can lead to serious illness as well.
Tea Tree oil/ Eucalyptus/Thieves - this includes: tea tree shampoo, tea tree oil, tea tree sprays and anything tea tree. Even Candles inhaled can harm your hedgehog!
Sunflower hearts and peanuts are very fatty, and hedgehogs enjoy them for this reason, so feed them only as a treat or within a balanced diet. Hedgehogs can often be seen foraging under bird feeders, and it's believed that it's the food that attracts them.
Can hedgehogs eat tuna? Yes, only if the tuna is freshed, unseasoned and no oil drizzled on it. Canned tuna that is usually drenched in oil is a strict NO for your hedgehogs. As canned tuna is being preserved with a high salt content, it might not be ideal for your hedgehog in terms of its health.
Hedgehogs mostly eat invertebrates at ground level that are inactive. They are opportunistic omnivores though and will sometimes eat eggs, small mammals, chicks, frogs, flies and carrion.
Dark, Green and Leafy
Veterinarian-recommended hedgehog fruit and veggie mixes are based on nutritious greens. Kale, romaine or leaf lettuces and collard greens are all good choices.
Yes, Hedgehogs Can Eat Broccoli
The thicker stalks of the broccoli plant are also safe for hedgehogs to eat, although they're a little tougher and may not appeal as much to your pet. Petkeen.com recommends you avoid feeding your hedgehog raw broccoli, but boiled and steamed vegetables are completely okay.
Keller says, “With appropriate care and keeping, your hedgehog will live about five years, and some even live longer than eight years.” If you have any questions about hedgehogs, contact your local veterinarian.
Each serving should consist of one cricket or large mealworm or two to three medium sized mealworms. If you elect not to feed live, dry insect food can make up 15 to 25% of your hedgehog's daily meal. To avoid overfeeding, live food and dry insect food should not be given together on the same day.
Like many pocket pets, hedgehogs love to explore mazes and tunnels. This will keep Hedgie active, and offer him mental stimulation. You can buy labyrinths, or make your own out of shoeboxes or PVC pipe. To make your pet's explorations even more fun for him, hide a snack at the end of the tunnel.
Talking to your hedgehog while holding, snuggling, bathing, and other enjoyable activities will help your hedgehog associate the sound of your voice with comfort and enjoyment. Over the years we have found the radio and music very soothing for a variety of different animals.
A relaxed hedgehog will lay down their spines. Once the spines are laying flat (not poking up in various directions like they are when your hedgehog is rolled into a ball) you can try petting them in the direction the spines lay. Avoid trying to pet your hedgehog's face initially as they don't typically like it.