What should my hedgehog eat

Heddgehogs forgae widely up to 2 miles a night this way they can seek out all the food and mixed nutrition they need. We'd suggest you keep a close eye on it, have you got a camera trap to see if its active at night? Can it roam? Has it got enough, and the right food? If it continues to appear during daytime for more than a few days you should contact your local hedgehog carer for specific advise. Hi, I sometimes put out oats and bread scraps for the birds and have noticed hedgehogs eating the leftovers of both.

Are either of these harmful? Hi Dave As you rightly note hedgehogs will tuck in to any left over scraps left out for the birds, they really are opportunist feeders! Bread and oats do not make up a part of a hedgehogs natural diet but a few equally won't do the any harm.

A problem can occur however if hedgehogs feed to much on bird food scraps, along with bread etc. You can read our article on metabolic bone disease for details but simply speaking to much of the wrong food ie bird food, can result in bone defects and even death. You can help avoid such an event by either putting out some good quality hedgehog food or meaty dog food which will tempt them away from the bird food and give them the protein and calcium they need.

Otherwise you might consider only putting out oats and bread for the birds during the day while the hedgehogs are sleeping. Your email address will not be published. By clicking subscribe you agree to receive free emails from Ark Wildlife.

You can amend your preferences or unsubscribe at any time. Search Search. Tags: Hedgehogs How To's Mammals. Related Products Dried Calcium Worms. Related Product Categories Hedgehog Food. Paul Ravenscroft says:. Ark Wildlife says:. Simon says:. Paul Finn says:. Maggie says:. Gary says:.

Alex says:. Nicola says:. Samantha Ellis says:. Peter from Little Clacton says:. Susie says:. S J says:. Dave says:. You could use a piece of piping, or build a shelter out of bricks and paving stones or get some inspriation from a nifty solution by Hedgehog Champions below. Find more tips for keeping cats away here. Hedgehogs are solitary animals generally. By putting food out, you are more likely to attract several hedgehogs. As they share food from the same feeding station, its possible that they could spread disease between one another.

Cooked vegetables are great foods your hedgehog can eat to get a little variety in their diet. Skins can be a choking hazard! Hedgehogs enjoy some meat from time to time, and the ones listed below are great options. They are low in fat and high in protein which is perfect for a hedgie.

The same thing goes for wild insects as well. Feed insects are much higher in fat than the insects your hedgie would naturally be snacking on in the wild. This means if you want to give your hedgehog an insect or two as a snack, make it a very occasional snack. Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant more on that below but there are a couple of dairy products that they can actually eat. You certainly have a lot to choose from!

The foods below are either toxic to your hedgie or will cause them to have an upset stomach nobody wants that. As you can see there are a lot of food options you can consider when feeding your pet hedgehog. This makes providing them with a well-balanced diet simple and stress-free once you get the hang of it. There are also some great threads on the Hedgehog Central forums about this topic as well. Hedgehog World. C Care. Blue Buffalo Freedom Grain Free Natural Food A recipe with delicious, real chicken as the first ingredient Includes natural fiber sources to promote healthy digestion and carefully balanced calories Features the finest natural ingredients enhanced with vitamins and minerals.

Ethel Minton. Next arcticle —. You May Also Like. Read More 4 minute read. Pet hedgehogs are becoming more and more popular around the world. Despite this, there are still a lot…. Read More 7 minute read. Chitin is found in the hard exoskeleton of insects and is primarily a protein source but also provides some fiber.

Chitin is a necessary component to a hedgehog's diet but it isn't the only thing a hedgehog needs from its food, so various items should be fed in addition to insects. Hedgehogs are prone to obesity, so it is of utmost importance to monitor how much you are feeding it. The hedgehog or cat kibble should make up the majority of the daily diet, and even though a hedgehog is very active at night and burns a lot of energy, you'll want to control how much kibble it gets.

Each day, one to two tablespoons of kibble should be offered to an adult hedgehog in addition to a teaspoon of fruits and vegetables and some insects. Larger and very active hedgehogs may need more food, but your hedgehog's weight should be monitored with the use of a baby scale. If there is more than a 10 percent weight gain you should cut back on how much food is offered. A hedgehog may eat more at night when it is most active and running on its wheel, so don't worry if you don't see it eating much during the day.

Any uneaten food should be disposed of the next day to avoid spoilage and fresh water should always be available.