Five things not to feed hedgehogs and what to feed them instead

Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) primarily eat invertebrates, so gardens with healthy populations of beetles, worms, caterpillars, millipedes and other small creatures are perfect places for hogs to go foraging. They will eat slugs and snails, but not as many as we would like them to! Slugs can carry the parasite lungworm, which can infect hedgehogs and make them ill. They mainly eat beetles, caterpillars and earthworms.

Some supplementary food that has traditionally been given to hedgehogs isn’t good for them and they’ll also eat food left out for other animals, such as birds, which can cause them health problems. It’s therefore important to know what food is good for hedgehogs and what they shouldn’t eat before you leave supplementary food out in your garden.

Five things you shouldn’t feed to hedgehogs

Bread and milk

Although hedgehogs will eat bread, it fills them up without providing the nutrients they need to thrive. Milk should be avoided as they can’t digest it properly, which can give them an upset tummy and cause dehydration.

Mealworms or calci worms

Mealworms are not safe to feed to hedgehogs because they have high levels of phosphorus and low levels of calcium, which leads to brittle bones and can cause fractures, known as Metabolic Bone Disease. Most hedgehogs found with Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) have to be put down.

Calci worms supposedly have a more balanced ratio of nutrients, but there’s not enough evidence to say these are safe in any quantity, so it’s best to avoid them as well.

Sunflower seeds or peanuts

Sunflower seeds and peanuts should not be fed to hedgehogs as they can also cause MBD due to high levels of phosphorus. As hedgehog food mixes are not regulated, it’s important to check that you don’t buy and that contain nuts, seeds or mealworms.

Fruit

Hedgehogs will eat fruit, but they can’t digest it properly and so don’t get any nutrition from consuming it. Not only that, fruit can cause upset their tummies and get clogged in their teeth, which may lead to dehydration. Dried fruit should also be avoided, along with cereals, honey and sugar, all of which are sometimes added to so-called hedgehog food.

Meat

Don’t feed hedgehogs raw or processed meat, or any cooked meat that isn’t in the form of cat, dog or specially formulated hedgehog food. Raw meat products can contain bacteria such as salmonella, which can be dangerous, and processed meat is high in salt, so they’re much better off with balanced meat products such as wet cat food.

Five beneficial types of food for hedgehogs

Beetles and other invertebrates

The best way to help hedgehogs is to avoid using synthetic chemicals and create natural habitats such as long grass, open compost heaps, log and leaf piles, where plenty of invertebrate food can be found. The more beetles, caterpillars, worms and other invertebrates available, the more food for local hedgehogs.

Kitten biscuits

Kitten biscuits are an excellent choice as they are less likely to attract flies than wet food and they are well suited to a hedgehog’s small mouth. Make sure the biscuits are meat-based (and have meat listed as the first ingredient) rather than primarily derived from cereals.

Meaty cat or dog food

Meaty cat and dog food is another good supplementary food as it’s nutritious and readily available to buy. Check food bowls in the morning and discard any remaining wet food so flies don't lay eggs in it.

Both wet and dry cat and dog food work well as supplementary hedgehog food, but they shouldn’t be their only food source. They're fine to use as part of a balanced diet that includes natural food such as invertebrates.

Good quality meaty hedgehog food

Specialist meaty hedgehog food is generally a good choice, although it's likely to be more expensive than cat or dog food. Just be aware that hedgehog food isn’t regulated, so check that it doesn’t contain ingredients that will cause problems for hedgehogs. As with wet cat and dog food, don’t leave any wet specialist hedgehog food out the next day where flies could lay on it.

If you have problems with other animals eating the hedgehog food, you can buy or build a hedgehog feeding station. This also has the advantage of protecting the food from the weather.

Water

Hedgehogs get some of their daily fluid intake requirement from their food, but they will also drink dew and water from puddles, shallow dishes or ponds, especially in hot weather or when other water sources are frozen. Always leave out a shallow dish of water for hedgehogs to drink from, and make sure ponds have an easy access and exit route for hedgehogs. Check food and water bowls every day and make sure they’re kept clean.