Bread, cakes, pasta, rice. These are high carbohydrate food, and the hedgehog's natural diet is high protein, low carb. Hogs will happily snaffle up many of these foods. They will get full and feel like they don't need to forage and eat anymore when they haven't had the nutrition they need for the night.
Leave out foods like tinned dog or cat food and crushed cat or dog biscuits. Supply good quality, meaty hedgehog food from wildlife food suppliers. Never feed hedgehogs milk or bread - milk can cause diarrhoea and bread isn't very nutritious.
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.
They're also pretty keen on cooked potato, small pieces of fruit (not citrus) or even unsweetened muesli or Weetabix. If you have a problem with cats eating the food, place it under a brick shelter with a gap only big enough for the hedgehog to get through.
Starchy vegetables, such as corn, potatoes, and carrots should be avoided as well as dried vegetables. Cooked meat: High protein, low-fat canned dog or cat food, as well as cooked chicken, can be offered in small amounts to a pet hedgehog.
Besides poor calcium:phosphorus ratio grub, another big no-no is dairy. Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant. Milk and cheese will give them bad diarrhoea and can lead to serious illness as well.
Yes, Hedgehogs Can Eat Broccoli
The thicker stalks of the broccoli plant are also safe for hedgehogs to eat, although they're a little tougher and may not appeal as much to your pet. Petkeen.com recommends you avoid feeding your hedgehog raw broccoli, but boiled and steamed vegetables are completely okay.
Hedgehogs are lactose-intolerant and will have stomach problems after consuming most dairy products, though occasional plain lowfat yogurt (yogurt contains bacteria that naturally process lactose) or cottage cheese seem to be well tolerated. Sugar intake should be restricted to fruits, avoid any treat with added sugar.
The worst foods are mealworms, sunflower hearts, peanuts and oats. Eating these foods forces the hedgehogs body to make up for the lack of calcium in it's bloodstream by taking it from the bones. The bones will become weak and painful, and prone to breaks.
Cook without any oil or seasoning. Make sure that the pieces you give to your hedgehog are not too big for him or her to eat. Shred, mince or dice the meat into fine pieces. Never give raw meat.
Hedgehogs are sensitive to temperature changes. The ideal range is between 75°F and 85°F. However, they will tolerate temperatures between 72°F and 90°F. Hedgehogs can go into a hibernation-like state of inactivity when temperatures are too hot or too cold.
The following foods should be avoided when feeding hedgehogs: Bread and milk: hogs are lactose intolerant so milk can make them ill and bread has little nutritional value.
Hedgehogs need environmental temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees. Keep your hedgehog's cage away from drafts, direct sunlight, or cold areas. You may want to provide your hedgehog with a small warm spot in his cage where he can go to get warm but would also be able to get away from if he feels too warm.
Fill it with lots of hedgehog-safe food and water at sunset, ideally using a hedgehog food bowl and a hedgehog water bowl. Only put out small amounts of food as this is to supplement their diet. Clear away any uneaten food in the morning and refill the dishes each evening so the food and water is always fresh.
Essential Oils: I have been advised that oils that are considered "hot" are toxic to hedgehogs. Oils that are considered hot: Cassia, Cinnamon Bark, Clove, Hyssop, Lemongrass, Ocotea, Oregano, Peppermint, Thieves, and Thyme. These are often contained in blends.
What can I feed hedgehogs? Hedgehogs will relish any combination of meat-based wet dog or cat foods, or dry cat/kitten food. Just remember, they will be getting most of their food from insects and worms in the wild, and this food is only supplementary. Specially made hedgehog food is also widely available.
The most popular insects of hedgehogs and hedgehog owners are mealworms, wax worms, silk worms and crickets. Treats can include live, canned or freeze dried crickets, mealworms (only one or two per day), wax worms or other insects.
Insects are a favorite for hedgehogs. You can offer live bugs, which will also give your tiny buddy the chance to 'hunt' his dinner. Frozen ones are fine as well. Mealworms, wax worms, silk worms and crickets are all good options.
Water Bowls
Baby hedgehogs or hedgehogs that have difficulty using a bottle may do better with a water bowl. Some hedgehog owners prefer using glass or stainless steel bowls for drinking. Water bowls will need to be checked frequently to make sure they are clean and full.
Hedgehogs mostly eat invertebrates at ground level that are inactive. They are opportunistic omnivores though and will sometimes eat eggs, small mammals, chicks, frogs, flies and carrion.
Can hedgehogs eat rice? Yes, you can only feed your hedgehogs cooked rice, with no salt, no seasoning, no oil. Hedgehogs enjoy eating rice with a good mixture of cat or dog food, or cooked lean meat without any seasoning at all.
What should I NOT feed my pet hedgehog? Avoid lettuce and celery, which are low in nutritional value.
Cooked and fresh
They may also appreciate fresh vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, mashed potato, peas, sweetcorn, mashed swede. Some fruits are also suitable such as apple, apricot, banana, mango, melon, and strawberries.
Dark, Green and Leafy
Veterinarian-recommended hedgehog fruit and veggie mixes are based on nutritious greens. Kale, romaine or leaf lettuces and collard greens are all good choices. Iceberg lettuce has no place in a pet's diet -- it's mostly water and has very low nutrient content.