What do hedgehogs eat and how to feed them?

Hedgehogs are very smart animals, in children's cartoons they are often portrayed carrying mushrooms, apples or berries on their needles. Some fauna lovers contain dwarf decorative hedgehogs at home. It cannot be said that they are unpretentious, therefore it is very important to know how to care for them, and most importantly, how to properly feed them, so that they live a full and healthy life.

Next, we will take a closer look at the diet of hedgehogs in nature, find out how they can be fed at home, and also consider the basic rules for their feeding and prohibited products.

Hedgehogs can live not only in forests, but also in the steppe and desert areas. Depending on the specific habitat, their diet varies. Often, hedgehogs can be found in households, in garden plots and in summer cottages.

Immediately it is worth noting that hedgehogs are real predators, even despite their seemingly harmless and cute appearance. They feed not only on vegetation (although it is mainly on it, because it is not always easy for them to catch the same lizard). We can safely say that they are omnivores. Hedgehogs do not disdain to feast bugs, grasshoppers, spiders, wood lice, snails and worms, they often catch snakes, mice, and sometimes rats. That is why hedgehogs are so useful in summer cottages.

If the hedgehogs find a land-based nest of birds, then most likely they will also ruin it to eat eggs and baby chicks. Hedgehogs really eat wild berries and fruits, because they are easy to get. Many experts call hedgehogs orderlies of the forest, since they often eat corpses of animals and birds, clearing the territory of carrion.Before hibernation, animals must accumulate enough fat to survive the cold, and therefore they just need to look for any food while awake.

Today, home-made pygmy hedgehogs are not uncommon; many people increasingly make thorny decorative friends, but not everyone knows how and what to feed them properly at home. Next, we consider in more detail the diet of hedgehogs living with humans.

People are unlikely to hunt mice or frogs on their own to bring their hedgehog, although he will still need meat. That is why experts recommend mandatory inclusion in the diet of animals meat of beef, chicken or turkey and various offal. It is advisable to give them raw meat, in no case not fried. You can give boiled, but it’s better still just scalded with boiling water. Of course, that meat should not contain any additives like seasoning and salt. Smoked products should not be given to animals.

Often, those who keep hedgehogs at home breed special worms for them. Animals, of course, love such a treat, but raising worms is a rather painstaking task, therefore not everyone spoils their wards. Sometimes the owners look for earthworms, for example, after a shower, and sometimes they buy them in appropriate places.

Allowed to feed the hedgehogs raw or boiled chicken eggs, and quail. But it is recommended to give them no more than one egg per week.

Recently, in pet stores you can find specially designed food for hedgehogs. It is produced by various manufacturers. It is fully balanced and includes vitamins and minerals necessary for the normal functioning of the hedgehog at home. You can argue endlessly about what is best to feed the animal: self-prepared food or ready-made, as both options have their pros and cons, it all depends on the preferences of the owners.

Usually, dry food is given to animals no more than 40 grams per day (it all depends on weight), but you should not forget that the animal will need meat. A dry diet cannot completely replace fresh meat, fruits and vegetables.

Hedgehogs should be given fruits or berries daily. Such animals do not eat much, and therefore slices of treats, for example, pears or apples, will be enough for them. Any citrus fruit is contraindicated for hedgehogs. Hosts often replace fruit treats with baby food, but there is one caveat. It is possible to feed animals with such a treat only if it does not contain starch and sugar.

In the summer, the ward can be pampered, treated with caterpillars or snails. In the spring you can give animals May beetles.

If a dead mouse or bird was found, you should not give it in this form to a hedgehog. In extreme cases, such a “find” is recommended to be thoroughly boiled, otherwise the animal may become ill. Sometimes it’s not worth giving such “treats” at all, because the same mouse can be poisoned; this is especially common in summer cottages, where rodents are often poisoned.

If there was an idea to feed a hedgehog that wanders around the summer cottage, then you should read the stop list of products that are contraindicated for this animal in advance. This list is also useful to those who keep such animals as pets.

Almost all people first of all run to the refrigerator to get milk to treat the animal, but it is believed that hedgehogs are the most difficult to digest. Many veterinarians even consider milk to be poisonous for such animals.

Also banned following products.

• Any sweets, chocolates and other sweets. It is believed that they can lead to a disease such as diabetes.
• Any products with dyes, thickeners and preservatives.
• Grapes, raisins and all kinds of dried fruits, especially with bones, are also not recommended for hedgehogs, as they can get stuck in the throat of animals.
• Avocados, pineapples and other exotic fruits can also be dangerous for hedgehogs, animals can poison them, because it is unlikely that hedgehog can find avocados or sweet lychees in the forest. If there is no reliable information on whether it is possible to give the animal any specific exotic fruit, it is best not to take risks.
• Vegetable oils, any fast food, meat buns, chips, crackers with additives are under a special ban, dry food for dogs or cats, onions, garlic.

If domestic hedgehogs freely walk around the apartment or house, then it is worthwhile to be very careful about the dishes from which they eat. It should not be plastic. Many animals gnaw through it easily, which in the future can lead to poisoning and even death. Such animals often bite the wires, which can also lead to the death of pets.

If you are raising hedgehogs at home, it should be noted that in the first months of life they live with their mother and feed on her milk. In this case, you should take care of its complete diet so that the kids receive all the nutrients through milk. It also happens that people pick up a hedgehog without a mother and do not know how to feed them on their own.

Let's consider this moment in more detail.

• You need to feed babies aged 1.5 to 2 months several times a day, optimally - 2 (morning and evening). But pregnant hedgehogs are usually fed up to 4 times a day. They are also shown vitamins, but it is advisable to consult a veterinarian on this matter.
• Today in big cities you can find ready-made baby formula for little hedgehogs, which is quite possible to feed babies. Mixtures for kittens can also be used. In extreme cases, they can be given goat milk. There is also information that small hedgehogs like dog milk, but it is very difficult to get it.
• Only a born hedgehog should be pipetted or a small syringe. If they begin to spit out a mixture or milk, then experts recommend pouring food into them, closing the spout. The first three weeks of life, complementary foods are carried out in 2-3 ml of milk or a finished mixture every 2-4 hours. For the fourth week, you can try to put a saucer with milk, by this time the hedgehogs should already have learned to move and eat on their own.
• Starting from the fifth week, the hedgehog can begin to feed with specialized dry food and try to put them drinking water. After 7 weeks, the hedgehog should be weaned from milk, transferring to water, insects, fruits and food. They should be fed twice a day, preferably at the same time.

Adults living in the house are advised to isolate personal food bowls. After each meal, they should be washed. It is advisable to train animals in a specific place. They should not be fed from the same bowl with cats or dogs, otherwise they may become infected with any infection.

You should not overfeed the hedgehogs, this can negatively affect their health. So, a large hedgehog (up to 1 kg) per day requires approximately 100-150 grams of feed. Portions are usually increased for pregnant hedgehogs; for them, eating more is the norm. The main part of the food is best left for the evening, since the hedgehogs are nocturnal animals. Most likely, in the evening they will rustle in search of goodies.

It is undesirable to sharply change the diet of decorative or dwarf African domestic hedgehogs. If there is a desire to transfer them to finished food, then this should be done smoothly, otherwise they may refuse to eat or they may begin to have health problems.

If you want to feed wild hedgehogs in the country, then they should also highlight a separate bowl where you can put the products allowed for hedgehogs. But it’s best to give them fruits, such as chopped apples or pears — they probably won’t harm street guests.

In general, feeding a hedgehog is a simple matter, if you follow all the recommendations and do not give the animals forbidden foods. Properly eating hedgehogs are usually active, but those who have problems with the diet can behave very lethargic. Animals are also lethargic before the hibernation period. It is important to feed the hedgehog correctly until the end of October, after which they go into hibernation throughout the winter. But if the animal is lethargic and it is not connected with a future dream, it is best to get a consultation with a veterinarian, perhaps the hedgehog is sick.

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