Hoglets should be fed with a milk substitute such as Esbilac which contains all the fats, vitamins and minerals they need. Under no circumstances should you give them cow's formula which will kill them. Goat's milk with Goat's colostrum may be used for a short period of time if nothing else is available.
Hedgehogs will drink water from natural sources such as puddles, but leaving out a shallow dish of fresh, plain water is the best way to ensure they stay hydrated all year round.
Tips for leaving out food and water:
Never feed hedgehogs milk or bread - milk can cause diarrhoea and bread isn't very nutritious. Check the food and water bowls each day to top them up with fresh water and food, and remove any food that hasn't been eaten.
How long do juvenile hedgehogs stay with their mum? Hedgehog mums will feed their babies for up to eight weeks and then will leave them to fend for themselves. If the nest is disturbed during these first few weeks, then the mum may abandon or eat her babies, so you really do need to leave them well alone.
Only offer them fresh water to drink.
Essential for all the baby hoglets that need hand feeding. This puppy milk is the nearest substitute to Mother's milk we can find for the young hedgehogs that are too small or too weak to feed themselves.
Fruits: Dried fruit should be avoided, but a small amount of fresh fruit can be offered to your hedgehog as treats. Apples, bananas, berries, and melons are popular choices among hedgehogs. Vegetables: Fresh tomatoes, fresh green beans, and cooked squash are some options that your hedgehog may enjoy.
Hoglets should be fed with a milk substitute such as Esbilac which contains all the fats, vitamins and minerals they need. Under no circumstances should you give them cow's formula which will kill them. Goat's milk with Goat's colostrum may be used for a short period of time if nothing else is available.
How to feed a baby hedgehog with syringe. Hold the syringe in one hand and the hoglet in the other. For tiny new borns, hold them in your palm on an angle so they are sort of on their backs, with your thumb under their chin. Bring the syringe's nipple tip right to their mouth if they are still too young to see it.
Baby hedgies are cute, but shouldn't be handled
Since a mother hedgehog that thinks its nest is in danger may abandon or kill off the litter, it's advised to wait until babies are at least 15 days old before handling.
Our hedgehogs love Whiskas kitten food, it's a firm favourite as the tasty pieces are small enough for the young hoglets.
Tea Tree oil/ Eucalyptus/Thieves - this includes: tea tree shampoo, tea tree oil, tea tree sprays and anything tea tree. Even Candles inhaled can harm your hedgehog!
If you're determined to give your hedgehog some peanut butter, start by ensuring that it is smooth peanut butter only. You should also only shop for organic peanut butter that has no added ingredients, artificial or otherwise. The label should literally read: peanuts. There should be no sugar, salt, or oil.
Grapes and avocados are toxic to hedgehogs. While some people give crushed peanuts to their hedgies, nuts and raisins are generally considered a choking hazard as they get stuck on the roof of their mouth. Avoid giving your pet hedgehog insects you've caught yourself as they might have digested toxins.
Hedgehogs mainly eat creepy crawlies
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.
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.
The hoglets will need to be in a quiet, calm atmosphere and handled only when necessary. The hoglets must be kept in a warm room. They should be placed in a small cardboard box or similar container, lined with a towel. For bedding use more old (but not threadbare) towels.
As mentioned earlier, the addition of hard-shelled live insects such as crickets and mealworms or dry insect food to provide chitin fiber should also be a part of your hedgehog's rations. Live insects can be fed three to four times per week.
What should I NOT feed my pet hedgehog? Avoid lettuce and celery, which are low in nutritional value.
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.
Don't feed them the following:
Processed meats, such as ham and bacon - it has a very high salt content. Oats. Milk - Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant. Bread.
Can hedgehogs eat tuna? Yes, only if the tuna is freshed, unseasoned and no oil drizzled on it. Canned tuna that is usually drenched in oil is a strict NO for your hedgehogs. As canned tuna is being preserved with a high salt content, it might not be ideal for your hedgehog in terms of its health.
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.