Feeding Hedgehogs - our Top Tips

There are lots of ways we can help our spikey nocturnal friends, whose numbers are declining at an alarming rate. There is often confusion about what we should be feeding them with. Unfortunately there are no regulations to prevent folks selling something that calls itself hedgehog food, so we are sharing some of our tips here.

BAD:

• Milk and bread - just don't, even if you did as children. Milk especially can make them very poorly.

• Cali worms and mealworms are very bad for hogs. They will eat them, and it leads to metabolic bone disease (they don't know that!) A few won't cause damage, but if they are there, they will choose them over healthy alternatives, and over time the damage done cannot be reversed.

  
  

  

  
  

• Whole or half peanuts get lodged in their upper mouth. As they don't dissolve, the hedgehog will die of starvation or suffer from infection at the roof of the mouth, and die. Broken or crushed peanuts will fill them up, and as they lack the nutritional value a hedgehog needs, they aren't good. Hedgehogs would not normally eat peanuts, but they are opportunistic creatures, so please don't give them the opportunity!

• Cereal and seeds are not suitable, and again can cause issues and malnutrition.

GOOD:

• Kitten biscuits, with a high protein content are THE BEST! However, it's really important to check there is no milk in the recipe, as hedgehogs can't tolerate it. There are lots of biscuits on the market but some of our favourites include Smilla, Morrisons, Royal Canin, Sainsbury's, Harringtons, Burgess, Encore and Purina One.

• Meaty cat and dog food, but watch out for flies in the summer (is there such a thing?). Biscuits are better for their teeth, but wet food can be given. Fish flavours are fine too, believe us they will eat it!

• Brambles, Spikes and Mr Johnson's Hedgehog foods are great, but wet, dry and moist. Just don't be fooled, there are brands out there that are actually really bad for hedgehogs. Feel free to ask us if you are not sure.

  
  

Enjoy feeding your hogs, but if you notice hedgehog fights, please do not allow them to continue as they can kill each other, or leave with injuries that cause infection and serious illness. If you have lots of hogs visiting, consider more than one feeding station, and try to get one with more than one entrance. If you don't have one, and would like to create a feeding station, have a look at this video by clicking here.