Last updated on March 21st, 2022
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Many people love attracting wildlife to their gardens and will go out of their way to attract specific animals that are natural predators for common pests, especially slugs. One such animal, which is great for our gardens and in much need of our help, are hedgehogs. But what foods can you put in your garden to attract them and more importantly help the hedgehogs? In other words what foods are safe for hedgehogs?
Well, first and foremost, proprietary hedgehog biscuits can be found for wild hedgehogs, however, many of us already have some of the food they can eat in our homes. You can use high-quality dog or cat biscuits if you cannot find hedgehog biscuits specifically, but you can buy hedgehog biscuits from Amazon.co.uk here (link opens in a new window). It is of course always recommended that you have a bowl of fresh water that is shallow, but never use milk, and is offered in a separate dish next to the food. Cooked, meat-heavy dog or cat food is a suitable alternative, however, never fish meat or fish flavoured biscuits.
A quick summary of what to feed hedgehogs
- Provide fresh drinking water in a shallow dish.
- Feed any wet meat-based cat or dog food, such as those in tins and pouches.
- Specialised hedgehog food or biscuits sold online or at local retailers.
- Kitten biscuits that are chicken flavour, NOT fish flavour.
- Sunflower seeds and hearts.
- Nuts.
- Suet pellets with insects (usually sold as bird food).
- DO NOT FEED – Bread, milk or any fish flavoured food
Learn how to attract hedgehogs into your garden in this article.
What can hedgehogs eat?
Realistically there are different items that hedgehogs can eat and different things that hedgehogs would naturally eat in the wild. Hedgehogs are insectivores which means they eat insects primarily but they are able to digest other foods. Insect and animal proteins specifically are best for hedgehogs but hedgehogs, of course, need fibre. Normally in the wild, they would get fibre from the snail shells and insect bodies they consume. To that end, you don’t want to give them any overly processed foods.
Don’t want to give them excessively fatty foods or overfeed them.
When putting food out for wild hedgehogs in your garden be mindful of the fact that hedgehogs are nocturnal, which means they can process vitamins without the use of sunlight, whereas humans need sunlight to produce things like vitamin D. To that end any extra additives in certain pet foods might have high levels of things like vitamin D or vitamin A. As hedgehogs can metabolise fat very quickly, and gain weight equally as quickly, you don’t want to give them excessively fatty foods or overfeed them.
Limit mealworms as they can cause health issues
You want to avoid just feeding mealworms to hedgehogs and they should only be fed in small quantities along with other food because they don’t offer much feed value but they will gorge on them as most people do with chocolate. The problem here is that wild mealworms have a great number of amino acids and proteins that would otherwise be beneficial for the diet of an insectivore, they don’t have good calcium levels and more importantly, hedgehogs are addicted to them.
If you offer mealworms hedgehogs will eat those exclusively and will forgo all other more beneficial and important foods. Long-term this results in malnutrition, illness and disease.
What do hedgehogs eat in the wild?
Again, hedgehogs are insectivorous which means they eat insects. You might see them in the wild foraging for things like fallen fruit or berries. They are able to digest these items but it’s not a critical part of their diet. You also shouldn’t give them things like dried fruit or raisins because there is a great deal of sugar in there compared to fresh fruits that they would eat in the wild, and dried fruit doesn’t attract them nearly as much as other foods.
Hedgehogs need a place to sleep and hibernate over winter, read our guide here on some of the best hedgehog houses (opens in a new window)
Hedgehogs might accidentally ingest things like greens in the wild while they are eating worms or other invertebrates but vegetables are not a natural part of their diet, so if you are trying to find something to feed the local hedgehogs, you can rule out vegetables.
Hedgehogs typically eat things like worms, beetles, slugs and bugs, but they will also eat seeds. So you can put out things like sunflower seeds or peanuts as long as they are balanced with other foods. You might notice local hedgehogs foraging underneath your bird feeder because they certainly do enjoy sunflower hearts and peanuts, however, you have to be mindful of the high levels of fat included in such foods and try to put out different foods for the hedgehog to better balance its nutritional intake if you are providing food.
FAQs
Hedgehogs are chiefly insectivores, often travelling a mile or more by night in search of food. Their diet includes beetles, caterpillars and earthworms, alongside fruit, birds' eggs and the odd small animal. Such a wide-ranging menu ensures a hedgehog's natural diet is perfectly balanced to suit its nutritional needs.
Why should you not feed mealworms to hedgehogs? ›
Never feed mealworms to hedgehogs!!
Mealworms are high in phosphorus and low in calcium. Mealworms cause Metabolic Bone Disease. This leads to the body drawing calcium from bones into the blood stream to balance out the low calcium levels. This movement of calcium leads to brittle bones and fractures and splaying.
What should you never feed a hedgehog? ›
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.
What is the best food to feed hedgehogs? ›
Use wet cat or dog food, or specialist badger food. Provide some fruits, such as apples, plums or pears, and nuts, such as unsalted peanuts or brazils. Leave out root vegetables like carrots, along with some cooked potato.
How many mealworms should a hedgehog eat a day? ›
Each serving should consist of one cricket or large mealworm or two to three medium sized mealworms. If you elect not to feed live, dry insect food can make up 15 to 25% of your hedgehog's daily meal.
Are coffee grounds harmful to hedgehogs? ›
Slug pellets can actually kill your friendly neighbourhood hogs so it's best to steer clear of these wherever possible. There are many natural, non-toxic alternatives you can use instead, like coffee grounds or egg shells.
Can you feed hedgehogs peanut butter? ›
But it's also fun to give your pet treats on occasion, so perhaps you're wondering if peanut butter is okay to give your hedgie. Peanut butter isn't the best choice of a treat for hedgehogs. The sticky texture and the high-fat content make peanut butter a treat that should be avoided or only given sparingly.
What food is toxic to hedgehogs? ›
Do not feed avocados, as they are toxic to your hedgehog. Do not feed raw meats or raw eggs to your hedgehog. Hedgehogs are not able to digest milk. Consumption of milk and milk-based foods may lead to diarrhea.
What smell do hedgehogs hate? ›
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.
Can hedgehogs eat scrambled eggs? ›
Eggs are particularly popular as scrambled eggs with hedgehogs: the fried egg is roasted in the pan – of course without spices, but with a little fat – until it is fixed. Of course you can also feed hard-boiled eggs, but some hedgehogs sort egg whites, which is not possible with scrambled eggs.
Hedgehogs mainly eat creepy crawlies
The majority of their diet is made up of invertebrates (or creepy crawlies).
Can hedgehogs have bananas? ›
Fruits: Dried fruit should be avoided, but a small amount of fresh fruit can be offered to your hedgehog as a treat. 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.
Can hedgehogs eat dry dog food? ›
Dog food tends to have more ingredients than cat food, along with lower levels of protein, vitamins, and minerals. As such, dog food may be preferable to cat food when feeding hedgehogs (omnivorous insectivores) due to the closer digestive anatomy of the two species.
What do zoos feed hedgehogs? ›
Hedgehogs at the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park eat a well-balanced diet of vegetables, cat kibble, pellets made for insectivores, crickets, and mealworms. Hedgehogs are active at night. They dig, chew, and forage through the darkest hours.
Do hedgehogs eat watermelon? ›
For fruits, you can offer bananas, blueberries, cantaloupe, honeydew, mango, papaya, pineapple, strawberries, raspberries, apple, and watermelon. Some safe veggies include asparagus, bell pepper, cucumber, green beans, zucchini, and radishes. You can also offer small amounts of corn and peas on occasion.
What do hedgehogs drink? ›
What do hedgehogs drink? Don't forget to put out a shallow dish of water which can be a lifeline for hedgehogs, especially during a hot, dry summer. Contrary to popular belief, hogs are lactose intolerant and milk can make them ill, so please only offer them water.
What bedding should hedgehogs avoid? ›
The cage substrate should be soft and absorbent. Recycled newspaper bedding is a good choice; other acceptable bedding options include aspen shavings, alfalfa pellets, and hay. Rough, dusty, or scented substrates are not recommended. Pieces of string or loose fibers of cloth can entrap hedgehog digits and limbs.
What are the best worms to feed hedgehogs? ›
Mealworms and crickets are among their favourites. They can also eat beetles, waxworms, millipedes, grasshoppers, hornworms and maggots. You have three options when feeding pygmy hedgehogs insects: live insects, freeze-dried insects and canned insects.
Can hedgehogs have freeze-dried mealworms? ›
Fresh, canned, or freeze-dried mealworms, waxworms, and crickets are appropriate as limited treats though in moderation as many feed insects are high in fat. Hedgehog caretakers should avoid bait-shop or wild caught insects, which may be contaminated with insecticides.
Are mealworms or calci worms good for hedgehogs? ›
calci worms contain around 50 times more calcium than dried mealworms, which makes them perfect for hedgehogs which need the calcium for bone development. Calci worms are also fairly high in protein, albeit not as much as mealworms - they do though contain more fat than mealworms.
