The Best Hedgehog Food List

Preparing the best hedgehog food list for your beloved hedgie is important but can be stressful. In fact, searching for the right ingredients on the backs of food bags can even turn your hair grey. Kibble made specifically for hedgehogs is not recommended because if you take a look at the ingredients, it is full of fillers and lacks whole ingredients. Below we will get into more detail about which is the best good to feed your hedgehog and why. Yes, live feeder insects are on the list! So we hope you don't mind the wigglies!

Hedgehogs are opportunistic carnivores that mainly eat their cat kibble and insects. They are lactose intolerant, so feeding them dairy can harm their digestive system and give them painful gas. Also, even though they find and munch on berries in the wild, their digestive systems do not benefit from directly eating fruits and vegetables because of their lack of cecum. However, they do benefit if the insects being fed to them has ingested fruits and veggies. This is a process called gut-loading their worms. Gut loading worms, means purchasing pet store bought feeder insects and feeding them fresh veggies, fruits 24 hours before feeding them live to your hedgehog. Speaking of insects though, you want to avoid feeding anything that is not balanced in calcium and phosphorus – so be careful of mealworms, crickets, and hornworms. We only know of one worm that is balanced in Ca:P, and that's the black soldier fly larvae – a nutritious calci worm. If you want to find out exactly why we say that about calcium and phosphorus – give this article on metabolic bone disease a read.

Hedgehogs should avoid ingesting or anointing with anything acidic because it causes upset stomach, mouth sores, and ulcers. The items to strike off your hedgehog's food list includes, but is not limited to:

• Oranges
• Lemons
• Grapefruit
• Grapes
• Tomatoes
• All forms of Sugar – Especially Fructose
• Raisins
• Advocado
• Cocoa
• Candy

Nuts are choking hazards and not so healthy on the Ca:P scale, same goes for sunflower seeds. Human seasoned food is dangerous if it contains onions, garlic, and tons of salt. Simply boiling some chicken or cooking up some egg white as a treat will do just fine and make sure to skip the seasoning. If you're needing something tasty to feed your hedgehog, a nice calci worm will do the trick, or maybe even a tiny taste of pumpkin every once in a while.

Can Hedgehogs Have Fish?

Be warned, irregular odor in their stool is a common side effect of digesting fish. As mentioned above, hedgehogs thrive with protein rich foods, and fish is extremely high in protein and other essential nutrients so maybe the smell isn't such a bad thing IF there is a balanced calcium to phosphorus ratio! Before feeding anything, check the nutritional labels before, and remember, you are looking for a balanced ratio of Ca:P that is 1:1 or 2:1. If it has zero phosphorus or calcium in it, like snow crab, then a little of that should be fine if they'll eat it as a treat. It is high in protein after all.

Taking at look at whether or not hedgehogs can have shrimp, it has a 1:0 ratio which makes us nervous about raising calcium levels in the blood without the phosphorus to balance it out. It's up to you, just check for the calcium phosphorus, and salt content first as well as making sure there are no choking hazards.

Fruits and Vegetables for Hedgies

Hedgehogs do not have a cecum which is the part of the body that digests cellulose. Since they can't digest the fruits and vegetables, they're not fully benefiting from these. We do not recommend them to be included in your hedgehog food list. We suggest that you only offer fruits and veggies to the insects they will be digesting through gut loading. That way, the insects gain nutritional value, and provide the hedgie with what they are missing out on by not being able to process plant cells without a cecum. So, don't worry if your hedgehog won't touch fruits or vegetables, as they are not a mandatory part of the hedgehog's food list.

Your Hedgie is Lactose Intolerant

Hedgehogs, like other animals, are lactose intolerant. A cup of milk to drink is never okay, and don't try ice cream either. Dairy just cannot be broken down inside their bellies and will result in discomfort for your hedgehog, so avoid this on your hedgehog food list. If you are looking for a milk that is safe, we adore goats milk. It's usually purchased from your local pet store in the freezer isle, and can be kept refrigerated for up to 14 days. It's beneficial because it's beneficial to their skin, their gut health, and bone health! It's to use when you need to supplement their diets or when they need a good dose of probiotics or if they're not eating normally or gaining weight.

Hedgehogs love meaty protein based diets. In this section, you will learn fun treats to fully optimize nutrition and quality of life. We'll go over the best kibble to feed your hedgehog, and the different types of food you can add to their kibble for increased nutritional value.

Most hedgies are adventurous with their appetites, while others are picky. Usually this depends on whether or not the hedgehog's breeder introduced only one type of kibble. Also, a hedgehog can become stubborn and only prefer a specific source of nutrition. If this happens, you will need to adapt your hedgehog food list to maintain balanced nutrition.

Hedgehogs Smile When Given Insects

All feeder insects are normally a heavenly hedgie's choice. In the wild they are optimistic carnivores and eat whatever they can get, and if they can get a jumping worm – most – hedgehogs will have a fun time chasing it and hunting it. Not every hedgehog will do something with insects though,so don't feel alarmed if your hedgehog has no interest in its feeder insects. The best choice is a calci worm to feed them, so check out black soldier fly larvaes. They can be gut loaded with some yummy broccoli or carrots and potato 24 hours before feeding them to your hedgehog!

Meat like boiled chicken, egg whites, and beef tripe are excellent choices to offer hedgehogs as well. Some professional hedgehog owners have experimented with raw meat added to dry kibble without adverse health and behaviors. As always, what you choose to feed from our suggested hedgehog food list is reserved for your best judgement, and maybe a discussion with your vet is a good idea too!

Which Type of Kibble is Best?

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Heavenly Hedgies is an Amazon Associate. We have partnered with them and other reputable merchants when they sell something that we feel will benefit our readers. By purchasing through our links, we may earn a small commission on sales, that helps us continue to provide informative and educational information for hedgie lovers. And the best part is that there is no additional cost to you. Thank you for being a loyal and supportive reader here at Heavenly Hedgies.

Hedgehogs should be eating cat food kibble. Our favorite is the above American Journey Duck Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food. We like it because it has a nearly perfect 1:1 calcium to phosphorus ratio meaning healthy bones and heart and liver function. It also contains whole chicken, zero fillers, and a ton of beneficial vitamins and minerals! The kibbles are tiny enough for a hedgehog's tiny mouth and tasty enough for their big appetite. At the time of this writing, there were many different types of hedgehog-specific food. But in our opinion, none of them are what a hedgehog actually requires. The “for hedgehog foods” we investigated contain wood based shavings to give the food longer shelf-life, and manufacturers add unnecessary blood meal or corn to make the kibble stick together; you definitely want to avoid hedgehog-specific kibble.

All that lack of quality is not necessary and can be harmful items if included on your hedgehog food list. Once again, you should avoid pet foods labeled “for hedgehogs”, unfortunately. We will dive deeper into that topic in a separate post, at a later date. For now, just know that hedgehog-specific kibble is the equivalent to humans eating junk food every day. That kind of diet can cause immune system deficiencies, organ damage, and lower quality of life.

Cat Food For Your Hedgehog

Not all cat food is created equally and the ingredients have to make sense nutritionally before adding to your hedgehog food list. Some are made with corn, some with grain, and some with other low quality ingredients and fillers. Many pet owners are unaware of this which make us at Heavenly Hedgies concerned they are allowed on the market. You are looking for the ingredients list to have a whole meat listed first, and maybe a second meet after that. The ingredients first on the list have more of that content inside the bag, whereas the further down the list, the less of that product is in the kibble. We know there are warnings against peas in hedgehog food because of the high level of phosphorus and other little nutritional value, but that seems to be impossible to find lately – so stick with an ingredient list that has peas listed further down.

Be Cautious When Picking Hedgie Kibble

Grain-free foods are not the best types of foods to be looking for; unless you are including them yourself in their food mix. You need to add high quality nutrient rich grains to their kibble. Hedgehogs can absorb and utilize the nutrients throughout their bodies, aiding with digestion and nutrient absorption. Such food with high quality ingredients will cost a bit more. However, the slightly higher price is worth it in the long-run

Hedgehogs only eat 1-2 tablespoons per day. Even though the food list will cost a bit more when you choose higher quality food, it will last longer and so will the lifespan of your hedgie. If you portion properly, you will only have to purchase hedgehog food twice a year.

One of the most important factors when choosing a dried cat food for your hedgehog is protein and fat content. Depending on your hedgehog's needs, please use your best judgement based on whether your hedgie needs to lose, sustain, or gain weight and muscle. The discovered sensitivity of their little adorable bellies also plays a major factor in what you can and cannot use from your hedgehog food list. Over time, you will become an expert in your hedgehog's eating habits. Down the road, you may discover allergies causing their skin to become dry or even cause quill loss. An allergy test can certainly be conducted on hedgehogs to pin-point the causes!

Optimal Protein and Fiber Percentage In Hedgie Food

Traditionally, the recommended protein content has been below 35%, but optimally within the 30% to 33% range. The higher the protein the greater the risk of kidney and liver damage, causing a ton of potential consequences for their mental and physical health. Most notably is fatty liver disease. For hedgehogs that need to take in more fat and calories, never increase the protein – always keep this the same. For fiber, it is an important factor in food and most of it should come from their insects, so try to find a cat food that has 3.5%-10% fiber. The closer you can attain a 1:1 calcium to phosphorous ratio, the more leeway you have in these percentages.

Recommended Fat Percentage in Hedgie Food

Hedgies need a low fat food diet, depending on whether they are over weight or gain weight easily. For the average hedgehog food list, the golden range for fat ratio is 10%-13%. This range gives you a comfortable scale to find food that will meet your hedgehogs needs. You will have to experiment with your hedgehog to determine which food helps or doesn't. Your ultimate goal when feeding your hedgehog is to make sure they eventually even out their weight and stay consistent with that number.

Baby Hoglets and Under-Weight Hedgies

Baby hedgehogs and underweight hedgehogs sometimes need over 15% fat content, you may have to switch foods until you find the best one. You can always mix two foods together as well to make the perfect combination using a tbs of each! Sometimes, wet cat food may be added into the mix 3 – 4 times per week. The best source of fats will come from the feeder insects such as butter worms, meal worms, horn worms, and dubia roaches!

Most Recommended Dry Food To Feed Your Hedgehog

Protein is dangerous if it is too high, so we recommend American Journey Duck Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food cat food. This brand closely meets the points we mentioned above for your hedgehog to thrive. It is whole chicken-based food with whole ingredients and nothing your hedgehog doesn't need. There is no perfect formula, but this is the closest we have found at the time of this writing. Manufacturers can and do change formulas, so please confirm that it is nutritionally sound when you buy it.

1 – 2 tablespoons of this food per day is normal for a healthy hedgehog. You can feed your hedgehog more or less if that is your hedgehogs preference. They are known to be self regulating feeders, but we still recommend you portion their feedings. This is okay to do even if he appears to be hungry all the time or if he is very skinny and has appetite issues. Again, hedgehogs who struggle to keep weight on need the same amount of protein as a healthy hedgie. The protein level needs to stay the same, but the fat content can be increased from 13% to a maximum of 15% (or higher is directly by veterinarian).

Feeding mixes are beneficial as they offer variety. Cat foods are recalled or their ingredients are changed every so often. So, if you are only feeding one food that could be recalled or changed, you will have an issue feeding your hedgie. They know when their food changes and can even go on feeding strikes. Fast dietary changes can also cause intestinal distress leading to diarrhea. In turn, this will bring down their mental and physical state. A mix has to always meet your hedgehog's needs for protein and fat, so be mindful of the nutritional properties and combined nutritional percentages of all the items you add. Some other interesting ideas to add to kibble are:

• Boiled Chicken
• Egg Whites
• Raw Meat Cuts (meant for pets like beef tripe)

Safe Treats	Unsafe Treats
Unseasoned Boiled Meat	Citrus and Acid
Phoenix Worms/ Black Soldier Fly Larvae	Fruits and Vegetables
Hedgehog Tacos	Nuts and Seeds
Wet Cat Food	Grapes and Raisins
Beef Tripe	Avocado
Scrambled Egg Whites	Onions and Garlic
Pumpkin Puree	Chocolate and Candy
Petshop Feeder Insects (See Full List Here)	Unknown Source of Feeder Insects

To summarize, your hedgie needs a wholesome diet balanced in calcium and phosphorus. Stay away from acidic, and seasoned food, only giving your hedgie “junk food” minimally or none at all. Their main source of nutrtion and minerals should come from a high quality cat food with minimal fillers and from their insects – which to this date we are only confident in feeding the phoenix fly worm daily.

Hedgies need a diet consistent in protein and low in fat, as close as possible to our recommended amount of 33% protein and 13% fat. We recommended you use something like American Journey Duck Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food rather than food made for hedgehogs. Mixing other nutritionally structured items to their dry cat food is recommended and promotes a wide variety of options to meet your hedgehogs heightened sense of taste and smell.

Always be careful not to give more than we suggested for protein, and always watch out for food choking hazards. The safety of your hedgehog is our number one priority and we encourage you to speak with your veterinarian with any concerns you may have.

If you have any questions about your hedgehog food list or want more information about anything related to our hedgie diet information, please contact us here.