Acceptable Treats
Unseasoned Meats - Beef, Chicken, Duck, Lamb, Turkey, or Fish
(These items should be baked, broiled, browned, or roasted)
Fruits - Apples, Bananas, Berries to include Blackberries, Blueberries, and Strawberries, Cantaloupe, Cherries, Cranberries, Honeydew, Kiwi, Papaya, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Pumpkin and Squash, and Watermelon
Vegetables - Asparagus, Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots, Celery, Corn, Cucumbers, Green Beans, Peas, Spinach and other Leafy Greens, Sweet Potatoes, Turnips, Zucchini
Eggs - Scrambled or Boiled
Baby Food - Any Flavor is fine
Wet Cat Food - Choose One without by-products or preservatives, and feed in moderation
Cottage Cheese/Other Dairy - Hedgehogs and lactose intolerant, but some enjoy these things in very small amounts
Insects - Store bought mealworms, crickets, waxworms, etc
Unacceptable Treats
Anything Citrus - Oranges, Lemons, Limes, Grapefruit, Pineapple
Dried Fruits - These are often choked on and can get caught in the
roof of the hedgehogs mouth or stuck in their teeth
Raisins - Grapes and Raisins are toxic even in very small amounts
Avacados - Toxicity unknown
Onions, Garlic, Chives - These contain poisonous sulfur compounds
that are dangerous and it is easier just to avoid feeding them
Human Junk Food - High in fat, salt, preservatives, and many other
things that are bad for hedgehogs
Chocolate - Same as above (see junk food)
Peanuts and other Legumes - These can get caught in the roof of their
mouth and can easily be choked on
Pits and Seeds - These can be toxic (depending on the fruit) and are a
very big choking hazard. "Hedgehogs are not rodents, they are not made to gnaw open seeds"
Lunch Meat - Should not be fed as it is very processed, and often
smoked, salted, or preserved, and very high in fat
Some Key Points to Remember
- Make sure every treat is unsalted and unseasoned. Vegetables should be fresh or steamed.
- Make sure that whatever treat you offer is cut into pea-sized pieces. If they are too large, they can be a choking hazard or get stuck in the roof of your hedgehogs mouth.
- Do not overfeed fruits or vegetables as they are very watery and can cause stomach upsets and loose poop.
- It is best to try only one new treat at a time to avoid stomach upset.
- If you offer too many things at once, you won?t be able to tell what is was or is that is causing the problem.
- A lot of hedgehogs are not very open to trying new foods. Keep offering the treat for several nights, or wait a while and try again. Sometimes what they refused one night they will devour the next.
- Try putting the treat in his food dish with his normal cat food.
- Remember that some hedgehogs will just refuse to try new things. As long as he is getting a good mix of quality cat food, you don't need to worry.
A lot of hedgies are not very open to trying new foods. Keep offering the treat for several nights, or wait a while and try again. Sometimes what they refused one night they will devour the next. Try putting the treat in his food dish with his normal kibble. Warming up the treat a bit can also make it smell more appetizing. Remember that some hedgies will just refuse to try new things. As long as he is getting a good mix of high quality foods you shouldn?t need to worry.
It
is best to try only one new treat at a time. It is very important to avoid stomach upsets (which are common with new foods) and to be able to narrow down what it was that your hedgehog ate and had problems with. If you offer too many things at once, you won?t be able to tell what is causing the problem.
A lot of hedgehogs are not very open to trying new foods. Keep offering the treat for several nights, or wait a while and try again. Sometimes what they refused one night they will devour the next. Try putting the treat in his food dish with his normal cat food. Remember that some hedgehogs will just refuse to try new things. As long as he is getting a good mix of high quality foods you don't need to worry.A lot of hedgies are not very open to trying new foods. Keep offering the treat for several nights, or wait a while and try again. Sometimes what they refused one night they will devour the next. Try putting the treat in his food dish with his normal kibble. Warming up the treat a bit can also make it smell more appetizing. Remember that some hedgies will just refuse to try new things. As long as he is getting a good mix of high quality foods you shouldn?t need to worry.