Hedgehogs
What To Feed A Hedgehog?
What do hedgehogs eat? Almost anything! There are many things that you can feed a pet hedgehog as they are omnivorous, and just like humans will eat fruits, vegetables, fungus, and meat. However, hedgehogs are lactose-intolerant and although they will happily eat cheese, milk, and other dairy products, you shouldn't feed these things to your pet hedgehog because it will get sick.
Hedgehogs that are kept as pets are sedentary and prone to obesity, so you should make sure that their diet is low in fat and high in protein. For everyday feeding you can give your hedgehog many different types of dry food - it doesn't matter if the product is sold as hedgehog food, cat food, or dog food. As long it meets the nutritional requirements for hedgehogs (high protein, low fat) it's fine. Most hedgehog owners use cat food - at the bottom of this page you'll find a list of acceptable cat foods for hedgehogs.
Since hedgehogs are insectivores, they will need to have insects as a regular part of their diet. The most common insects that are fed to hedgehogs are crickets and mealworms. Another common treat are silkworms, but you should avoid feeding your hedgehog superworms as they have teeth and can bite the animal's mouth or even its stomach. You can feed insects to your hedgehog alive, dead, freeze-dried, or any other way you can come up with. Live insects are better for the hedgehog, but there are some hedgehogs that will only eat dead ones. It just depends on your hedgehog and what it prefers.
For an adult hedgehog, feeding them 2-3 mealworms or crickets every few days will be enough. For young hedgehogs, 1 mealworm or cricket every 4 days or so is plenty. If you're going to feed your hedgehog mealworms, I recommend buying smaller ones because they will be easier for it to eat.
Hedgehogs can also eat many different types of human food. Make sure that the food is safe for a hedgehog to eat before you give it to them - If you aren't sure, don't feed it to them.
Here is a list of some acceptable treats:
Vegetables (usually given cooked): Carrots, Sweet Potato, Raddish, Turnip, Green Pepper, Asparagus, Corn (unseasoned), Broccoli, Peas
Meats: (all of the following meats should be UNSEASONED) Chicken, Turkey, Beef, Lamb, Pork, Salmon, Tuna
Fruits: Bananas, Cranberries, Kiwi, Watermelon, Pears, Apple, Strawberries, Cantaloupe, Papaya, Mango, Peaches, Pumpkin, Squash, Honeydew, Raspberries, Blackberries, Plums, Peeled Blueberries (the skin can present a choking hazard)
Other: Hard-boiled eggs, Baby food, Cottage cheese, Yogurt
Foods to avoid:
Fruits: Grapes, Raisins, Avocados, Oranges, Lemons, Lime, Grapefruit, Pineapple
Vegetables: Onions, Lettuce, Garlic, Chives, Tomato
NEVER feed your hedgehog Chocolate, Caffeine, Nuts, or Seeds. Acidic foods like tomatoes and oranges aren't good for hedgehogs.
List and Breakdown of Most Readily Available Dry Cat Foods that are High Protein / Low fat Formulas, Suitable for African Hedgehog Diets:
These Products use Two Meat sources as their primary ingredients:Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul Light
Innova Reduced Fat Cat
These products use Two Meat and One Meat Meal as their primary ingredients:
Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul Senior
Innova Senior Cat Food Dry
These products use One Meat and Two Meat Meals as their primary ingredients:
Blue Buffalo Longevity for Mature Cats
Castor & Pollux Natural Ultramix Indoor
These products use One Meat and One Meat Meal as their primary ingredients:
Artemis Fresh Mix Senior Formula
Authority Indoor Formula Dry Cat Food
Authority Adult Weight Management Dry Cat Food
Authority Hairball Control/Weight Management Formula Cat Food
Blue Spa Select Weight Control Formula
Blue Longevity for Mature Cats
by Nature Organics Chicken Formula Dry Cat Food
Diamond Naturals Indoor Cat Formula Dry Cat Food
Evolve Senior/Lite Formula
Fromm Mature Gold Dry Cat Food
Natural Planet Organics Dry Cat Food
Newman's Own Organics Advanced Active or Senior Formula
Performatrin Ultra Salmon and Olive Oil
Premium Edge Adult Cat Chicken, Salmon & Vegetables Hairball Management
Premium Edge Adult Cat "Healthy Weight" Weight Reduction & Control Formula
Professional Light Cat Hairball Control Formula
Professional Adult Cat Complete Formula Dry Cat Food
Solid Gold Katz-N-Flocken
Wellness Healthy Weight Feline Recipe
Wellness Indoor Health
These Products use One Meat source as their primary ingredient:
California Natural Herring & Sweet Potato
Castor and Pollux Organix Feline Adult Indoor formula
Now! Grain Free Turkey With Duck Senior & Weight Management
PetGuard Organic Mature Cat Food
Pet Promise Daily Health
Pet Promise Healthy Weight and Aging
Purina ONE Natural Blends Adult Cat Chicken & Oat Meal Formula
Purina ONE Natural Blends Adult Cat Salmon & Brown Rice Formula
Royal Canin Feline Nutrition Indoor 27
Royal Canin Feline Care Nutrition Oral Sensitive 30
Wysong Anergen Canine/Feline Diet with Lamb & Rice Dry Food
These products use One Meat Meal as their primary ingredient:
Eagle Pack Indoor Multi Cat
Eagle Pack Adult Cat Hairball Formula
Felidae Platinum Diet Formula
Lick Your Chops Senior Dry Cat Maintenance Formula
Natural Balance Reduced Calorie Formula
Nutro Natural Choice Complete Care Indoor Adult
Nutro Natural Choice Complete Care Indoor Senior Cat
Nutro Natural Choice Complete Care Senior Cat Food
Nutro Natural Choice Complete Care Weight Management
Natural Life Feline Adult Formula
Regal Lean Bites Dry Cat Food
Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Adult Fit 32
Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Indoor Intense Hairball 34
Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Indoor Beauty 35
Royal Canin Feline Selective 35/30
Royal Canin Feline Nutrition Indoor Light 37
Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Siamese 38
Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Indoor Light 40
Sensible Choice Reduced Calorie Chicken Meal & Rice Cat Food
These foods are added to the list by popular demand of Hedgehogs:
And are exceptions to the list by having the first ingredient Peas
Natural Balance Green Pea and Duck
Natural Balance Green Pea and Chicken
Natural Balance Green Pea and Salmon
Products using Meat by products, Grains, or Vegetables as their primary ingredient are not listed. All products listed are 100% natural. All products listed report less than 15% Fat (min.) content. Always check all ingredients carefully in these or any commercially prepared foods.
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