What to Feed Wild Hedgehogs
Our motto: Keep it Simple…
It’s important to remember that hedgehogs are wild animals, any food we provide is additional to their wild diet. As such it does not need to be varied, exciting, or a ‘treat’ for them, our motto is keep it simple, and nutritious.
We recommend feeding cat or kitten biscuits or wet cat/dog food alongside a shallow dish of water. Yes it really is that simple!
You can get hedgehog-specific foods but sadly these are not regulated and vary in quality. If you want to buy a hedgehog-specific food the main things to look for are high protein, low wheat and low sugar content. One of our favourite brands is Brambles.
The main foods to avoid include:
Bread and milk - hedgehogs are lactose intolerant, just a dish of water is fine!
Meal worms and sunflower hearts - these are thought to be linked with the development of metabolic bone disease and contain little to no nutrition for hedgehogs.
Peanuts - again very little nutrition for hedgehogs but also, we have seen multiple cases of hogs getting peanuts wedged in the roof of their mouth causing obstructions and infections.
Feeding Stations
Feeding stations are a great way of stopping cats accessing food put out for hedgehogs. If you want to purchase a feeding station we would recommend checking out Green Feathers as they have a double entrance design that is amazing! Alternatively you can quite easily make your own - check out the video which shows an upturned stacker box with a 13 x 13cm slot cut out on one side. Here bricks are used inside and outside which deter cats, whilst the hedgehogs are very happy to weave in and out.
Feeding wild hedgehog: your questions answered…
Can I feed fish flavoured cat food?
YES, there is no nutritional difference between fish flavours and other flavours, while some hedgehogs do not find fish flavours very palatable, they are in no way harmful. At Prickles and Paws we mix all different flavours together which stops them becoming fussy on flavours.
Can I feed cat or dog food in gravy to hedgehogs?
Yes, nutritionally there will be no difference between those in gravy, jelly or loaf form. Hedgehogs’ wild diet is very varied and can even include carrion, so any stomach upsets are very unlikely to be caused by the gravy or jelly in tinned foods.
They love meal worms, surely a few can’t hurt?
A few can hurt. Hedgehogs can roam between one and two miles a night visiting multiple gardens. The small amount you put out may also be available in other gardens and a small amount from each equals a very unbalanced diet likely leading to the development of metabolic bone disease. If you stop feeding meal worms it may take them a while to start eating other food you put out for them, but it is very important for their health to not feed meal worms.
Will it harm the hedgehog eating food fallen from bird feeders?
Small amounts of foods which are high in phosphorous foods scavenged from under bird tables and feeders are unlikely to cause significant health issues when the hedgehogs have a naturally-balanced wild diet. However, if the fallen peanuts and sunflower hearts can be reduced this is beneficial as hedgehogs can roam between one and two miles a night visiting multiple gardens so it is important to consider what food your neighbours may be putting out.