Thinking of getting a hedgehog! That’s good news! Before you bring home your new spiky friend, make sure you have a good selection of food on hand.
insects!
The basis of a healthy hedgehog diet should be insects and other invertebrates. In the wild, hedgehogs would have feasted wildly on a variety of tasty bugs, beetles, and worms! Do you feel apprehensive? don’t be. You don’t need to go out and dig in the dirt for bugs. This could actually be very damaging to your hedgie’s health, as many insects in the natural world have been extensively exposed to toxic pesticides. In fact, hedgehogs have been known to die after eating contaminated insects.
The best source for nutritious insects is your local pet store or online supplier. Look for beetles, crickets, and mealworms. You don’t like insects? No problem. Put your bug container in the freezer. This will kill the bugs and keep them fresh and preserved. Just be sure to let them thaw before serving.
Each meal must include six insects.
Protein!
In addition to insects, you’ll want to feed your hedgehog a variety of lean proteins. For this reason, you’ll actually want to avoid commercial hedgehog food and lower-quality cat food, as both products tend to be high in fat and additives. You can easily provide your hedgehog with excellent sources of protein by providing cooked shrimp, skinless chicken breast, or finely chopped turkey breast. Just make sure the meat you serve is cooked, not raw.
If you want to feed your hedgehog prepared food, look for high-quality wet and dry cat foods. How can quality be determined? Read the labels! Look for foods that are familiar to you, such as “chicken breast.” Don’t settle for vague terms like “poultry” as this implies a lower food grade. Also avoid any foods with lots of added chemicals, sugar, or fat.
Fresh food!
Hedgehogs enjoy fruits and vegetables cut into small pieces. Good foods include apples, asparagus, bananas, carrots, greens, sweet peppers. Foods to avoid include peas and corn, as they contain too much sugar and phosphorus. Finally, these foods should be completely avoided as they are not safe for hedgehogs!
- Lawyers
- Chocolate
- Grapes and Raisins – Will cause organ failure.
- Milk and milk products: Hedgehogs cannot digest these foods. Stomach problems and diarrhea will follow.
- Nuts and seeds: Many hedgehogs get nuts and seeds stuck in their palate. Some have also been known to accidentally gouge out their eyes trying to pry a nut or seed out of their shells.
