Hedgehogs enjoy insect-based treats like live or dried mealworms, waxworms, and crickets, as well as small amounts of cooked meats (chicken, turkey), hard-boiled eggs, and some fruits and vegetables like berries, bananas, or steamed greens; however, moderation is key, and you should avoid dairy, nuts, chocolate, grapes, onions, and raw meat/eggs.
The treats you can give hedgehogs include insects, fruits, vegetables, and small amounts of cooked meats. Always introduce new foods gradually to ensure they are well-tolerated and to maintain a balanced diet for your pet.
In the wild, hedgehogs eat insects, worms and molluscs such as slugs. If you're putting out food for hedgehogs, several commercial brands of hedgehog food, both in the form of dry kibble and as canned meat are available. Canned pet food, either dog or cat food, is also suitable.
Provide some fruits, such as apples, plums or pears, and nuts, such as unsalted peanuts or brazils. Leave out root vegetables like carrots, along with some cooked potato. If food isn't eaten overnight, remove anything that will go off and replace it with fresh offerings in the evening.
Despite their preference for limited physical affection, once your pet hedgehog has adapted to being handled and settled into its environment, you can gently stroke their quills and allow them to climb up your arms and explore various areas under supervision.
Hedgehogs are known to be very communicative when it comes to their needs, and often make a low purring sound when they are happy or content.
Hedgehogs have prickly quills along their back to protect them from predators. They are shy animals and will roll up into a tight ball and hide their face if they are frightened. Always approach a hedgehog slowly and handle them with a small towel so you don't prick yourself on one of their quills.
Do not feed avocados, as they are toxic to your hedgehog. Do not feed raw meats or raw eggs to your hedgehog. Hedgehogs are not able to digest milk. Consumption of milk and milk-based foods may lead to diarrhea.
Hedgehogs can be wonderful pets, and when they bond with you, the connection can feel truly wonderful. Unlike many small animals, hedgehogs can form meaningful bonds with their owners—but it's important to understand that this process takes time and patience. Hedgehogs are not domesticated animals.
What not to feed hedgehogs The following foods should be avoided when feeding hedgehogs:-
Leaving food and fresh water out in the garden each night will encourage visiting hedgehogs to return regularly. Try tinned meaty cat or dog food and crushed cat or dog biscuits. Place the food and water in shallow bowls so they can access them easily. Refresh daily, disposing of food if it's not been eaten.
The British Hedgehog Society recommends that in captivity adults should be fed a meat- based tinned dog or cat food mixed with unsweetened cereal (Weetabix, oats or bran). Complete dry cat biscuits are good for the teeth.
The most important invertebrates in their diet are worms, beetles, slugs, caterpillars, earwigs and millipedes. As well as these, they also eat a wide range of other insects. More infrequently, they will take advantage of carrion, frogs, baby rodents, baby birds, birds' eggs and fallen fruit.
Only solid bottom cages are suitable for hedgehogs, any wire bottom cages could trap their legs or rip off toenails. Provide a soft bedding free of dust, such as recycled paper pellets or if you use wood shavings use only kiln dried pine or aspen. Do not use cedar shavings as they could irritate your hedgehog's lungs.
Treats can include live, canned or freeze dried crickets, mealworms (only one or two per day), wax worms or other insects. We prefer to use pet-quality, farm raised insects to wild caught insects because of the risk of parasite infection, insecticide exposure or other toxins in wild caught bugs.
Besides pet food, hedgehogs enjoy eating insects and fresh fruits and vegetables, so their diet can have a good amount of variety.
It's different for every hedgehog but there are various small signs. Some do purr like a cat when they're content but a lot of them aren't that vocal. Sometimes the purring is more like a soft vibration, without the sound.
Although hedgehogs do bite, their tiny teeth are unlikely to cause you very much pain. The force of a hedgehog bite is typically linked to what your pet is feeling. An angry hedgehog could cause a bite that hurts a bit.
As pets, hedgehogs can recognize and remember their owners' scent and voice, making them a loyal and affectionate companion. They can also quickly learn routines and habits, such as when it's time to eat or play.
While hedgehogs don't emit a stinky odor naturally, they're very capable of smelling bad in the right (or wrong) circumstances. Fortunately, the factors that influence this are all things that you control as the owner. That means, for the most part, if your hedgehog smells bad it's on you!
When a hedgehog is at ease, its quills lie flat and relaxed. This is the ideal time to hold a hedgehog without concerns about the quills pricking you. The quills naturally lie flat along the back and sides, pointing towards the tail, so as long as you don't stroke against the grain, you should be safe from any pokes.
Many people get confused about how often they should bathe their hedgehogs. Your vet should be the ultimate authority here. That said, in general, about once a month is good. Don't bathe your pet too often: this could dry out his skin!
Hedgehogs often comfort their owners with cuddles, licks, and offer their paws or cuddly bellies for rubs. Their defences completely drop if they are able to form a close connection with their hedgie parents.
Hedgehogs love bugs. Bugs love tiny openings and cave like structures. Toilet paper rolls have small openings and are cave like structures. It is instinct to look for food, when food is bugs, where it would be logical to assume to find food.