What to feed a hedgehog at home. Feeding a hedgehog at home: what to feed a hedgehog

Before you decide to take home a prickly pet, find out how to keep and what to feed your hedgehog. These prickly little ones are carnivorous mammals, but they won’t refuse a piece of juicy fruit. We'll tell you how to create a menu for a hedgehog in this article.

What to feed your pet hedgehog?

What to feed a pet hedgehog from a nursery

Not long ago, hedgehogs began to be bred as pets. These animals turned out to be very easy to tame, sociable and relatively unpretentious in keeping: you will need a special cage and a running wheel.

It is important to familiarize yourself with the peculiarities of their nutrition in advance. Unprepared people think that apples or mushrooms are enough, or ask whether it is possible to feed a hedgehog with milk. In reality, everything is completely different.

In the wild, the basis of the diet of prickly animals is:

• insects;
• slugs;
• snails;
• mice;
• raw eggs;
• sometimes fruits and herbs for digestion.

The owner’s task is to provide the pet with proper and balanced nutrition in accordance with its natural needs.

The following types of food can be given at home:

• low-fat raw minced meat, after dousing it with boiling water;
• a mixture of bran, grated carrots and boiled unsalted meat;
• pieces of vegetables and fruits;
• lean boiled fish;
• cat food;
• live insects and slugs;
• insect powder;
• specialized food for domestic hedgehogs.

What to feed a hedgehog in winter? They usually hibernate and do not eat during this time. Never feed your pet from your table. Human food can be dangerous and lead to the death of your pet. The same applies to milk - it is contraindicated for adults. Offer water and diluted juices to drink.

What to feed a hedgehog at home if it previously lived in the forest

The only option to take a prickly pet from the forest is if you find a weakened or wounded animal. Or these are babies left without a mother. Be sure to show the found animals to a specialist.

For as long as I can remember, I have always loved hedgehogs. Cartoon and fairy-tale images depicted cute animals with the same apple or mushroom on their prickly back and a kind, kind face. Well, how can you not fall in love?

My love quickly transferred to real animals: in the summer, my family and friends, hearing panting in the bushes, ran there and brought me a prickly lump. Yes, I was glad to touch even the thorns, although very often the animals turned around and allowed me to stroke my belly, looking at me with curiosity.

Sometimes hedgehogs came to our garden or garden, and once even a pregnant female came. She lived in the garden for a couple of weeks and left - apparently it was time for the little hedgehogs to be born. How I regretted that I couldn’t see the tiny hedgehogs!

Time passed, and I began to think that I would like to be able to tickle the soft belly and touch the prickly back of the hedgehog at any moment. Simply put, I wanted such a pet for myself. But is it possible to take a forest animal home? Can a city apartment replace the bosom of nature? Of course not. So I sighed and continued to timidly dream.

I would have dreamed of it further, but somehow - by accident or not - I found out that for quite a long time there have been decorative breeds of hedgehogs that can live in captivity and, in fact, were bred for this purpose. My dream has come true! My husband couldn’t resist my pleading eyes (and constant breaths of “I want a hedgehog”) and... That’s how Busya appeared in our house.

Busya is a female African pygmy white-bellied hedgehog; she has large ears, white fur on her belly, light spines and small dimensions when compared with the familiar forest hedgehogs. To be honest, she almost completely changed my understanding of hedgehogs. Much turned out to be completely different from what was previously thought. And, perhaps, I should talk about some things and refute a couple of myths, so that if you suddenly also want to have such a pet, you can be fully armed.

Myth #1:“Hedgehogs should be given milk/hedgehogs love milk.”

No, no and no again! This is a gross mistake, which, however, concerns not only hedgehogs. Any adult mammal does not need milk (especially the milk of another animal!), lactose is simply not digestible in adults. Yes, it may well be that you have already given the hedgehog milk, and he even drank it. But... some people even have cats who eat chips. In general, please don’t give milk to hedgehogs!

Myth #2:"Hedgehogs eat apples and mushrooms (and what else was there in the cartoons?) and they carry them on thorns."

The rich imagination of Soviet writers and animators endowed hedgehogs with thriftiness and a love for fruits, vegetables and mushrooms. In fact, hedgehogs do not intentionally string anything onto their spines. And even more so - apples and mushrooms. If only because hedgehogs are predatory, and to be more precise, insectivorous animals. That is, for their food in nature, they primarily look for beetles and worms.

Myth #3:"Hedgehogs always hibernate."

Even in the wild, it may happen that a hedgehog does not gain the required weight by winter and simply cannot hibernate. But decorative breeds simply do not need this - just as there is no need to “sleep through” winter and cold. Moreover, if suddenly your pet, a dwarf white-bellied hedgehog like mine, suddenly decided to “take a good nap,” this is a reason to contact a veterinarian.

Myth #4:"Hedgehogs are very friendly, cute and smiling."

We owe this myth not only to cartoons and fairy tales, but also to the Internet - pictures and photographs with kind, kind faces spreading into smiles are everywhere. Why, even in the description of the breed you can often find references to the friendly nature of the prickly animals. So, either I have a “defective copy,” as we sometimes laugh, or friendliness is an individual quality of individuals, just like in people. To my Busya, as they say, “don’t put your finger in your mouth.” In the most literal sense.

Myth #5:"Hedgehogs are slow."

These are the pipes! Hedgehogs move very quickly. I turned away for a second or two, and the animal was already at the other end of the apartment.

To be honest, hedgehogs are quite unpretentious in their care; nothing complicated or supernatural is required from the owner. First of all, a hedgehog needs a cage. Big. In general, the more, the better, since the animal needs space. You cannot keep more than one pet in one cage. The bottom should be covered with sawdust or wood filler. Not resinous! Well, of course, you need to change the filler in a timely manner. I usually try to remove solid waste every day or two, and once a week or a week and a half I completely change the filler and wash the cage tray.

In the same cage there should be a wheel - for games and maintaining physical activity. It must be yes. My Busya rejected the wheel, it just annoyed her, so now she doesn’t have it. There should also be a drinking bowl with fresh water, which goes without saying, and a bowl of food. You can put pebbles - for grinding down the claws, hay and some rag scraps. And there should also be a house. Ideally, of course, it’s wooden, but for us it’s a shoe box with a cut-out “entrance.”

In addition to playing with the wheel (again, if the pet accepts this wheel), the animal should walk - make a promenade around the apartment. Otherwise, you will have a hard time at night: the hedgehog will ask to leave the cage - scratching, gnawing it and making all sorts of noise. But, interestingly, when going for a walk, pretty soon the hedgehog will hide in a secluded corner and fall asleep there. Moreover, it can squeeze even into fairly narrow cracks! For example, my Buska can fit under the door! Sometimes she walks with us like this for several days, and she really doesn’t like it when she is returned to the cage, and she immediately expresses her dissatisfaction: she scratches, scratches, gnaws... Thus, she has already managed to break her tooth once.

To be honest, I would have kept her “free grazing” if not for one “but”: hedgehogs are not particularly clean. Where he shits, he goes there. And it sits in the most secluded corners, try to clean everything out of there. Hedgehogs also need to have their claws trimmed. Although they should wear down naturally, this does not always happen. And, of course, your pet needs to be bathed periodically. Although, I think you won't forget about it, because hedgehogs are, hmm... fragrant guys. Not in the best sense of the word. But not fatal - I even survived being pregnant :-)

Separately about nutrition: I already wrote above that hedgehogs are insectivores and even predators. In the wild, they feed on insects and small animals. Therefore, the basis of their diet should be bugs/worms/cockroaches and other similar living creatures. But in city conditions this is not always feasible, so in this case you need to give meat (just not fatty meat!). Chicken, for example. We buy proven minced chicken, sometimes we make it ourselves, or we just give it chicken fillet. You can also give meat baby food or high-quality (!!!) cat food. From time to time you need to give fruits and vegetables, however, my Busya is not always happy about such a treat. As soon as we have the opportunity, we immediately buy her bugs or cockroaches (brrr!).

If we talk about behavior and character... then I risk tears. When we were just studying the nuances of keeping a hedgehog in the house, we read a lot about how the animals are very friendly, know the owner and trust him, allowing him to pet him and scratch his belly. My Busya also knows where “her people are”: she doesn’t curl up into a ball, she drops her needles if we pick her up... But she’s very harmful! He loves to bite, and bites very painfully - he can bite through a finger until it bleeds. He snorts and puffs, constantly demanding to be let out of the cage and not be touched again. In general, although she is domestic, she often behaves worse than wild ones. And this makes me very upset.

But I don't regret anything! Even so harmful and prickly in every sense, she is the embodiment of my dream. As a child, I couldn’t even imagine that someday there would be a hedgehog running around in my apartment. However, I must warn everyone: if you are planning to get yourself such a pet, think ten times. And then ten more.

Much more could be said, but I don’t want to turn this article into Talmud. So if you have any questions, ask! I will be happy to answer.

A hedgehog or a whole family of hedgehogs is a real joy for gardeners. Not only in terms of observing animals. Hedgehogs are assistants in the country in the fight against plant pests: snails, caterpillars, insects and their larvae.

You can make friends with hedgehogs and feed them little by little. It is important to know the products that are suitable for forest dwellers and which will be harmful to them.

Why do hedgehogs come to people

Hedgehogs enter garden plots in search of prey. They are predators and hunt at night. It is in the evening that a hedgehog can catch the eye of a gardener. During the night, the forest animal collects and eats about two to three dozen insects and their larvae, worms, and slugs.

As a true forest predator, the hedgehog is best suited to protein foods. Some herbal products can be given as supplements.

Authorized Products

• insects: grasshoppers, crickets, cockroaches;
• mealworms, larvae, garden snails, slugs;
• lean pieces of boiled chicken, turkey, rabbit, duck or veal;
• boiled offal: liver, heart, stomach, tongue, lungs;
• fresh vegetables: carrots, zucchini, cucumber, asparagus, spinach, green beans;
• berries: raspberries, cranberries, blueberries, wild strawberries, blueberries;
• fruits: apple, apricot, pear, banana, watermelon, kiwi.

Prohibited Products

Hedgehogs do not like table food. When cooking meat and offal, it is prohibited to add salt and other seasonings. Some foods are dangerous and not suitable for hedgehogs.

Foods that should not be given to hedgehogs:

• milk, dairy products;
• dried fruits;
• nuts, seeds;
• bread, sausages, sweets;
• citrus fruits, pineapple, avocado, grapes.

Small hedgehogs can be fed canned meat purees for baby food. They should not contain additives from potatoes, corn, salt, or sugar. They eat well raw quail eggs and wet food from bags made for kittens.

Some ready-made dry cat and dog foods are also suitable for hedgehogs and hedgehogs to eat. It is necessary to check that the food is of the super premium class, and that the pieces are small, non-greasy and easy to chew.

Can hedgehogs have milk?

Previously, when asked what to feed a hedgehog, the first thing that came to mind was milk. But recent research by zoologists has proven that milk is not suitable for forest animals.

Hedgehogs will readily lap up milk as it is a protein-rich product. But it is poorly absorbed in the body and can even cause severe digestive upset and diarrhea. Milk and its derivatives are a dangerous product for hedgehogs.

What kind of fish can you give to a hedgehog?

Hedgehogs eat fish with pleasure, but it is not worth making it their main food. With constant consumption of fish, hedgehogs develop anemia and vitamin deficiency. Fish is fed only as an additional product.

Fish suitable for hedgehogs include horse mackerel and mackerel. Less useful for them are hake, pollock, haddock and river species. Fish for hedgehogs is boiled or cooked in a double boiler without salt or seasonings.

Precautions for feeding hedgehogs

The dishes in which food is served to hedgehogs should be washed regularly with laundry soap. Hands should be washed thoroughly after handling a hedgehog.

For safety reasons, it is necessary to control the interaction of children with wild animals. It is necessary to explain that it is better not to pick up hedgehogs, much less bring them to your face. It is interesting and sufficient to observe the animals at a short distance.

Most of us are accustomed to close proximity to feathered and four-legged friends. People willingly share shelter with parrots and canaries, cats and dogs, ferrets and decorative rodents.

There is also a place next to humans for hedgehogs - prickly little and agile forest inhabitants who, with proper care, care and affection, can become wonderful pets. But first things first, and speaking about how to keep a hedgehog at home, first of all, you should find out where hedgehogs come from in the homes of modern animal lovers.

Question of acquisition

Catch hedgehog in a forest or park - it’s a simple matter. These funny animals fall into the hands of people thanks to their instinctive defensive strategy - not to run away, but to curl up in a ball and expose their needles. This can scare off a forest predator, but not a person... However, is it worth keeping a hedgehog caught in this way at home?

Another, less extreme way to acquire a hedgehog is to purchase from a breeder. Nowadays, in large cities of Russia there are entire societies of hedgehog lovers. By purchasing a hedgehog from domesticated parents, the buyer can obtain a guarantee from the seller about the good health of the animal, its positive heredity and human orientation. Hedgehogs, unlike most other wild animals, adapt quite easily to life in captivity and quickly get used to people. Therefore, already the first generation of hedgehogs born from domesticated parents will know and trust the person.

You should absolutely not be fooled by cheap offers from sellers at Poultry Markets. Hedgehogs purchased there often turn out to be terminally ill and potentially dangerous to people and other pets.

So, the hedgehog is home. What will he need first? A refuge, of course. It is not recommended to let the new tenant freely explore the apartment. A hedgehog can get entangled in wires, climb into places where it cannot get out, injure itself, or damage valuables. Therefore, it is best to put the hedgehog in a cage, preferably a metal or wooden one with a retractable tray. The option of an aquarium can only be temporary, since the microclimate behind solid glass is detrimental to hedgehogs.

You can put straw or sawdust in the cage, and there should also be plastic bowls with food and pneumatic drinkers. Hedgehogs do not feed on mushrooms and apples, but on meat and insects. Hedgehogs are carnivores. Therefore, the bulk of their diet should be raw, chopped meat.

In nature, hedgehogs also readily eat snails, caterpillars, all kinds of beetles and earthworms, so after a walk in the forest it is quite possible to pamper your pet with its natural food. A good replacement for it can be, for example, bloodworms. Some people are ready to feed their pets and mice, although there is no great need for this, since at home hedgehogs get everything they need from insects, meat, boiled liver, and fresh fish. By getting a pet hedgehog, its owner can simultaneously acquire useful contacts and organize the process of supplying crickets and cockroaches for his pet.

However, a hedgehog won’t refuse a carrot or an apple either, and rumors about hedgehogs’ passionate love for milk are by no means exaggerated. Bread soaked in milk can also be given to hedgehogs. It is advisable to clean the cage and feeding area daily to avoid dirt and unpleasant odors.

Anyone who has decided to keep a hedgehog in their home should know a few facts about the life of these cute, but not the easiest animals to keep at home:

Hedgehogs are predators, as mentioned above. Proper nutrition is the key to health and long life.

Hedgehogs are loners. If you have more than one hedgehog at home, they should be placed in separate cages. The exception is young animals and opposite-sex pairs during the breeding season.

Hedgehogs reproduce in the spring, soon after emerging from hibernation, but in captivity it is not so easy to get offspring from them. To do this, you need to wisely choose the appropriate period and bring different-sex individuals together. Hedgehogs are polygamous, and “breaking up a relationship” does not cause stress for them.

Hibernation is one of the most important points that the owner of a common hedgehog and other types of hedgehogs should remember. Hedgehogs go into hibernation in the fall after they have accumulated sufficient fat reserves. Therefore, during this period the hedgehog must be fed intensively. The arrival of hibernation time (approximately the end of October - beginning of November) is characterized by periods of lethargy and numbness, having noticed which, the owner must provide his pet with a secluded place where the air temperature does not exceed 5 degrees Celsius (for example, on a loggia, in a barn, in an attic or in the garage).
By piling up a pile of dry leaves, straw, hay, sawdust and rags, you can make a hedgehog’s nest in which he will sleep until spring. In warm weather, hedgehogs do not hibernate, but this has a detrimental effect on their health and by spring, animals that have not hibernated often die. Hibernation is the most mysterious adaptive manifestation in hedgehogs, which in extreme conditions can last over 200 days!

The hedgehog is a nocturnal resident, and, unlike, for example, cats, they do not adapt to the regime of their owners. While the owners are sleeping soundly, the hedgehog is busy with its own business, and this is another reason not to let the hedgehog run freely around the house. At least at night.

The hedgehog is a small creature that we are used to seeing only in the forest. Now there is an opportunity to settle him in your apartment. He is easy to care for, but knowing a few rules for keeping a hedgehog at home is simply necessary.

Placing a hedgehog in an apartment

Hedgehogs are easily domesticated and get used to people. But this does not mean that they can be easily caught in a forest or park. It can bite and cause infection. Many people are interested in the issue of domesticating hedgehogs. Buying a small hedgehog is not that difficult. If his parents lived with people, he will quickly get used to a home environment.

The hedgehog is placed in a cage or box no smaller than 70 cm in size. The aquarium is unsuitable for living. The cage must be filled with straw, sawdust, torn paper or sand. Place a running wheel and a water tank inside the cage. It is better to place a bowl of food during feeding.

You can let the hedgehog choose his own place to live. But there is a risk that he will crawl under the sofa or get lost in the wires. The life biorhythms of hedgehogs are different from human ones. They become active at the time when people fall asleep. Therefore, seeing a hedgehog if it is not in a cage will be problematic.

Hedgehogs are susceptible to low temperatures. There is no cure for colds or pneumonia. When choosing a place for your new pet, consider these factors. The cage must be placed away from drafts.

Hedgehog care

To properly care for a hedgehog at home, you need to know several of their features. To avoid an unpleasant odor, the cage should be cleaned every morning, replacing the bedding. The feeder is also washed daily under hot water. After cleaning the cage and toilet, it is advisable to treat them with deodorant “for cats”. The drinking bowl is replenished as needed. Once every few months, the cage and feeder are treated with boiling water. For preventative purposes, all cell crevices should be lubricated with kerosene.

Hedgehogs love to walk around the apartment. But they should not be left unattended. They are very curious. They can make a new bedding for their cage from a carpet or blanket. They are also attracted to all objects with odors. They love to lick them. Don't be surprised by foam at the mouth. There is no explanation, but after licking, they drool profusely and coat themselves with it.

Violation of the life cycle has a detrimental effect on the health of the animal. If it does not hibernate in winter, it will die in summer. Therefore, for the winter, it is important to insulate the cage and leave it on the balcony or in the barn, where the temperature does not exceed 15˚ C. Place a lot of hay and straw in it, both around the walls and on the floor. The hedgehog will use it to make a place for hibernation.

What to feed your pet hedgehog?

In nature, hedgehogs feed on insects. You need to feed him the same at home. You can raise crickets at home or buy hedgehog food at a pet store. Your pet will not refuse raw meat. As a supplement, they give fruits and berries, a quail egg. A hedgehog's favorite treat is milk. But you shouldn’t give him cow’s milk, it’s harmful to them. Replace it with goat or sheep.

Remember that these cute animals are real gluttons, so limit their food. 50 g of food twice a day (morning and evening) is quite enough. Place a drinking bowl next to the feeder. Enhanced nutrition should be before hibernation - late October-November. During this period, they accumulate fat reserves. Only after this do they go to sleep.