Hedgehogs diet?

[Who me ?]

I;ve got a small one n my garden, child of what I think is an old mum, we've had around for a lot of time , possibly a grandson/ great gradson of of one that s been around for a lot of years. . I've noticed a reduction in slugs/snails in years past, but do Hogs like fruit as m Garden is heavy i fruit ,especially raspberries at his time of year. It's welcome to keep pests down,

[elanfan]

Don’t think slugs are a particularly health food for them due worms and parasites etc. they like kitten food sachets and cat biscuits (daughter is a VCA and volunteers for hedgehog helpline. No milk just water.

Fantastic things if I just knew how to post a video I’ve got a great one.

[otolith]

Important part of their natural diet, though they do carry parasites. You have to bear in mind that these are wild animals, and some parasite load is not unusual in wild animals.

[BIRMA]

The dry hedgehog food I've bought had dried banana and cranberry's in it.

[Silvanus]

BIRMA said:

The dry hedgehog food I've bought had dried banana and cranberry's in it.

Quite a lot of the hedgehog foods on the market are terrible for hedgehogs, its worth checking the contents are suitable. Dried fruit isn't actually recommended normally. Their natural diet is predominantly insectivorous, eating mostly worms, slugs snails, worms and all sorts of other bugs like woodlice, caterpillars and spiders. They will also take eggs and chicks of ground nesting birds and scavenge carcasses of dead animals. They will eat some fresh fruits and vegetables but its not a large part of their diet.

Wet food, and soaked dry cat and dog food is ideal for feeding. Leftover cooked meat is also good, but both can attract rats and cats so little and often is best. Good quality hedgehog food is good but can be expensive. Excessive mealworm or too much fat is bad. Its worth buying a covered feeding station specially designed for hogs.

[Mr Pointy]

Many hedgehog rescue places use dried cat food & in particular kitten food as the pieces are smaller & more easily eaten: the cheap Tesco or Sainsbury's stuff is fine. The dried food is easier to handle & clean up that wet cat food, although they will take that of course.

Many of the special hedgehog foods are terrible & avoid anything with sugar, honey or mealworms in it.

[GetCarter]

Here ya go

https://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/feeding/

Never bread or milk.

[BIRMA]

Silvanus said:

BIRMA said:

The dry hedgehog food I've bought had dried banana and cranberry's in it.

Quite a lot of the hedgehog foods on the market are terrible for hedgehogs, its worth checking the contents are suitable. Dried fruit isn't actually recommended normally. Their natural diet is predominantly insectivorous, eating mostly worms, slugs snails, worms and all sorts of other bugs like woodlice, caterpillars and spiders. They will also take eggs and chicks of ground nesting birds and scavenge carcasses of dead animals. They will eat some fresh fruits and vegetables but its not a large part of their diet.

Wet food, and soaked dry cat and dog food is ideal for feeding. Leftover cooked meat is also good, but both can attract rats and cats so little and often is best. Good quality hedgehog food is good but can be expensive. Excessive mealworm or too much fat is bad. Its worth buying a covered feeding station specially designed for hogs.

I agree, but I have raised 6 abandoned hoglets in my garden and their subsequent generations ever since, I provide plenty of fresh water and did start the babies off on cat food but have since fed the dry mixture. Coming up for three years now and they are thriving.

[Silvanus]

BIRMA said:

Silvanus said:

BIRMA said:

The dry hedgehog food I've bought had dried banana and cranberry's in it.

Quite a lot of the hedgehog foods on the market are terrible for hedgehogs, its worth checking the contents are suitable. Dried fruit isn't actually recommended normally. Their natural diet is predominantly insectivorous, eating mostly worms, slugs snails, worms and all sorts of other bugs like woodlice, caterpillars and spiders. They will also take eggs and chicks of ground nesting birds and scavenge carcasses of dead animals. They will eat some fresh fruits and vegetables but its not a large part of their diet.

Wet food, and soaked dry cat and dog food is ideal for feeding. Leftover cooked meat is also good, but both can attract rats and cats so little and often is best. Good quality hedgehog food is good but can be expensive. Excessive mealworm or too much fat is bad. Its worth buying a covered feeding station specially designed for hogs.

I agree, but I have raised 6 abandoned hoglets in my garden and their subsequent generations ever since, I provide plenty of fresh water and did start the babies off on cat food but have since fed the dry mixture. Coming up for three years now and they are thriving.

Kitten food is great, nice high meat content and a good size if using dried. Do you soak your dry food first is specifically feeding hogs or do you put yours out dry?

[BIRMA]

Silvanus said:

BIRMA said:

Silvanus said:

BIRMA said:

The dry hedgehog food I've bought had dried banana and cranberry's in it.

Quite a lot of the hedgehog foods on the market are terrible for hedgehogs, its worth checking the contents are suitable. Dried fruit isn't actually recommended normally. Their natural diet is predominantly insectivorous, eating mostly worms, slugs snails, worms and all sorts of other bugs like woodlice, caterpillars and spiders. They will also take eggs and chicks of ground nesting birds and scavenge carcasses of dead animals. They will eat some fresh fruits and vegetables but its not a large part of their diet.

Wet food, and soaked dry cat and dog food is ideal for feeding. Leftover cooked meat is also good, but both can attract rats and cats so little and often is best. Good quality hedgehog food is good but can be expensive. Excessive mealworm or too much fat is bad. Its worth buying a covered feeding station specially designed for hogs.

I agree, but I have raised 6 abandoned hoglets in my garden and their subsequent generations ever since, I provide plenty of fresh water and did start the babies off on cat food but have since fed the dry mixture. Coming up for three years now and they are thriving.

Kitten food is great, nice high meat content and a good size if using dried. Do you soak your dry food first is specifically feeding hogs or do you put yours out dry?

If I see babies about I put out some cat food as well as the dried food. I have sunk a large flan dish into the feeding area which attracts a lot of worms and other insects around it so also provides some natural foraging. I do not soak the dried food but have yet to find any left in the mornings.

As you can see no manners whatsoever.

[Silvanus]

The theory behind the soaking is to stop them expanding in their stomach, doesn't seem to affect yours, so probably no need.