Feeding hedgehogs properly - and why they should not drink milk

How can I Feed hedgehog properly? Normally they feed on snails, earthworms, spiders or beetles. But when our prickly friends awaken from hibernation, they can certainly use a snack or two from humans, depending on the weather. Nevertheless, there are a few things to keep in mind when feeding them. For example, you must not give a hedgehog any milk - and not every hedgehog is dependent on your help, as he can also find sufficient food in nature.

Therefore, in this article I want to show you how to feed hedgehogs properly and how you can help the prickly Help animals can. Let's go!

Why you can't feed hedgehogs across the board

Yes hedgehogs are really cute and it's also nice to be able to show your kids how to treat animals properly. But it would be wrong to teach them that it is animal friendly to just feed hedgehogs anything at any time. Here are some examples of why you should take extra care when feeding hedgehogs:

• When other animals can also help themselves Transfer diseases become
• Due to improper nutrition can lead to Malformations up to death come
• Small hedgehogs need to use the Learning to forage in natureto be able to survive permanently
• Hedgehogs could have their Suspend hibernationwhen they get enough to eat from the bowl

One hungry hedgehog in need of help you recognize According to PETA, hedgehogs can be identified by an indentation behind the head, sunken eyes or a pear-shaped stature - or by the fact that they search for food during the day.₁ Hedgehogs are normally nocturnal.

Save you should, for example, if they are sitting on the road, you see an injured hedgehog or find an orphaned baby hedgehog.

Why are hedgehogs not allowed to drink milk?

My grandma used to put a bowl of cow's milk for the hedgehogs that snuck onto our farm. That's why my brother and I always did the same. It's nice and mean. But Hedgehogs are naturally lactose intolerant and cannot tolerate dairy products. Since they basically hardly skip a snack, but they drink the milk. The result is often severe diarrhea, which can eventually kill the animal. So there is a good reason why you must not give milk to a hedgehog!

By the way, you should not give them lactose-free milk either. Hedgehogs have survived for centuries by drinking water. We humans don't need to intervene.

Did you know that? You can't just give bread to ducks either. But many do it anyway, because they simply don't know any better. In the separate article you will learn for what reasons you can Do not feed ducks should.

Feeding hedgehogs correctly - This is how it's done!

From the video you can already take a lot of tips. Nevertheless, I want to give you a few words about the proper nutrition of hedgehogs.

What can I give healthy hedgehogs?

First of all, be careful not to let other animals feast on the hedgehog plate. By making a small entrance to the plate, you'll keep larger animals like cats away. Here are some things you can feed hedgehogs:

• Hedgehog dry food
• Wheat bran
• Oatmeal
• Cat food
• Water

The feed should not be too hot. Maximum room temperature. But feed healthy hedgehogs only in the evening and do not put them permanently something to eat. The bowls and plates you use should always be rinsed hot.

Notice: Remember again: Hedgehogs must not get milk! You will find the reasons a little further up in the text.

At what times of the year to feed?

In principle, the buffet for hedgehogs in nature is covered with a sufficient number of food options. But after hibernation the stomach growls, of course - and if the ground is still frozen, the supply of earthworms, beetles and spiders is still scarce. The supplementary feeding of hedgehogs then makes sense.

Immediately before winter adult hedgehogs have to really dig in again to eat enough fat for hibernation. Feeding healthy hedgehogs can also make sense here.

What do hedgehogs in need of care need?

You should feed an injured, orphaned or hypothermic hedgehog a diet rich in protein and fat, just as the hedgehog feeds in the wild. Besides the above described like Hedgehog dry food or Oatmeal you can also give them unseasoned scrambled eggs or fried Minced meat give. In the best case, weakened hedgehogs have something to eat at all times.

Whether in need of help or not, since they carry parasites, you should keep hedgehogs not with insects such as worms or snails feed

As soon as the hedgehog is fit again and weighs about 1000 grams, he has made it. You can release your prickly buddy back into the wild.₂

Feeding hedgehogs correctly in the future and passing on tips

As I'm sure you've noticed, feeding hedgehogs is not a good idea at all times, and especially not with all foods. I hope that you were able to take away something from this article and that you will be able to help the hedgehogs properly in the future. Also pass on your knowledge to others and point out to people in a friendly way if they give a hedgehog something wrong to eat.

Do you have any questions or suggestions about this article on feeding hedgehogs properly? Then just write me a comment.

Be always kind to animals,

PS.: In the animal welfare blog I will give you all the tips and tricks for a humane approach to animals. For example, read the article about the Problems in factory farming inside.

References:
₁ PETA Deutschland e.V.: To feed hedgehogs or not? What do hedgehogs eat? (Accessed August 2019), available at https://www.peta.de/igel-fuettern. [24.03.2020].

₂ Landesbund für Vogelschutz in Bayern (LBV) e. V.: Igel füttern - Was Sie Igeln geben dürfen (Stand: 11.03.2015), available at https://www.igel-in-bayern.de/igel-fuettern-futter. [24.03.2020].