Thinking of getting a hedgehog! That’s good news! Before you bring your new pointy friend home, make sure you have a good selection of food on hand.
Insects!
The basis of a healthy diet for hedgehogs should be insects and other invertebrates. In the wild, hedgehogs would have feasted on a variety of tasty insects, beetles, and worms. Are you feeling apprehensive? Do not be. It is not necessary to go outside and dig in the dirt for insects. 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 are known to die after eating contaminated insects.
The best source of nutritious insects is your local pet store or online supplier. Look for beetles, crickets, and mealworms. Don’t you like bugs? No problem. Place your bug container in the freezer. This will kill the insects and keep them fresh and preserved. Just be sure to let them thaw before serving.
Each meal should include six insects.
Protein!
In addition to insects, you will 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 very high in fat and additives. You can easily provide your hedgehog with excellent protein sources by providing cooked shrimp, skinless chicken breast, or turkey breast cut into small pieces. 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 food. How can you determine the quality? 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 food with a lot of chemicals, added sugar, or fats.
Fresh food!
Hedgehogs love fruits and vegetables cut into small pieces. Good foods include apples, asparagus, bananas, carrots, greens, sweet peppers. Foods to avoid are peas and corn, as they contain too much sugar and phosphorous. Finally, these foods should be avoided entirely as they are not safe for hedgehogs!
- Avocados
- Chocolate
- Grapes and raisins: will cause organ failure.
- Milk and dairy products – Hedgehogs cannot digest these foods. Stomach problems and diarrhea will follow.
- Nuts and seeds: Many hedgehogs get nuts and seeds stuck on the roof of the mouth. Some have also been known to accidentally gouge their eyes trying to pry a nut or seed out of its shells.