Are Mealworms Bad For Hedgehogs?

There is so much misinformation floating around about hedgies! A website visitor recently asked, “Are mealworms bad for hedgehogs?” You wouldn't think that something hedgies love so much could be bad for them. They gobble them up like they're candy! Quilly sets the record straight in this episode.

Hey there hedgie fans!

John from Wales in the United Kingdom wrote me on my website because he was concerned.
He had been feeding mealworms to the wild hedgehogs that visit his yard. And then he read articles on the internet that said mealworms are bad for hedgehogs.

That’s a really caring thing to do so thank you for taking care of my friends across the pond!

Mealworms are yummy and great as a treat!

Unfortunately, they are high in phosphorous which can deplete us hedgehogs of calcium we need for bone density. Yet phosphorous is needed to optimize the calcium. I know it’s confusing!

Other feeder insects have high phosphorous levels too, so it's a good idea to reserve insects as a treat only.
You can use them to supplement their main food, which should be cat kibble (which I believe in John’s country is called cat biscuits).

If mealworms and other insects are gut-loaded with calcium, it makes a better and more nutritious treat.
Since these are wild hedgehogs, they are most likely getting plenty of insects on their own except during times of scarcity.

The best ratio of Calcium to Phosphorous is 2:1 in order to maintain good bone health.

My official recommendation for hedgehogs as pets, is to provide a balanced diet, which includes insects.
Since you're feeding wild hedgehogs and have no way of monitoring their intake, I believe you should find a good, balanced cat food to feed them.

You can find the recommended nutritional guidelines in the Best Hedgehog Food List found on my site.

If you want to give occasional supplemental treats, please review the nutritional information on insects that was just published. There’s even a downloadable guide!

And don’t forget to factor in the insect nutrients along with the cat food to try to maintain a balanced diet. You should try to keep the Calcium-to-Phosphorous ratio at 2:1 in what you offer.

Anything given in excess can be bad. Even water. If a person over-drinks water and it dilutes their electrolytes, they can quickly have a medical emergency on their hands. Of course it takes a great deal of water to do that!
My point is that anything taken or eaten in excess can be cause harm. Balance is the key thing to remember if you want to help my friends.

I hope that helps John! Thank you for asking.

And if Quiliver happens to come by, tell him Quilly from America said hello!

If you have any hedgehog care questions, let me know below or on my website!

If you’d like to learn more about us hedgehogs, please comment, like, and subscribe to my channel so you’ll know when there’s another Ask Quilly video!

Until next time, Bye for now!

If you want to learn more hedgehogs and you can't find it on our site, you can ask it in the comments below or on our contact page.

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Along with good balanced nutrition, regular veterinary care helps increase the longevity of your hedgie! We've partnered with a company that saves 25% off all veterinary treatment through participating veterinarians: https://heavenlyhedgies.com/save-money-at-the-vet Even pre-existing conditions!