Choosing the best cat food for a cat is hard enough so it’s not surprising that choosing a cat food for a hedgehog is very tricky indeed! Despite their increasing popularity as exotic pets, hedgehog nutrition is still a highly debated topic with breeders and vets holding very different opinions on exactly what food you should give them to keep them healthy.
The best thing you can do as a hedgie owner is to research what these little spiky friends would eat in the wild. Any diet that replicates this as closely as possible is going to be the best choice. In this comprehensive guide, we give you the best choices of food to feed your hedgie. We also give you a crash course in hedgehog nutrition so that you can be confident that you are doing your best for your little pet.
The Best Food for Hedgehog:
The combination of meat and vegetables in this food recipe is similar to the wild hedgehog diet making this a great choice if you are wondering what to feed a hedgehog. Hedgehogs need a high protein diet and as this adult cat food contains an impressive 34% of that nutrient it is the ideal choice. What’s more, that protein content is provided primarily by chicken which is as close to the insect protein needed by a hedgehog that a cat food can get!
Vital antioxidants, vitamins and minerals will be delivered to your spiky little visitors by the wide range of fruit and vegetables such as cranberries, blueberries and sweet potatoes. The quality ingredients will easily meet the nutritional needs of hedgies. The absence of cheap fillers, meat by-product meals and artificial flavors also makes this a natural choice of dry cat food for a hedgehog. The kibble is just the right size for little mouths.
Calorie content: 3,846 Kcals/kg, 430 Kcals/cup
Crude protein: 34%
Crude fat: 18%
Crude fiber: 4.0%
Maximum moisture: 9%
With cranberries and blueberries
First three ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice
- Brand: Blue Buffalo
- Model: 800175
- Weight: 15 pounds
This is an ideally balanced meal to suit your spiky little friend. Sunseed has carefully formulated a diet for your hedgie that is particularly high in protein, meaning they are fueled properly for a day of scampering around, as well as having ample support to keep them fit and their muscles strong. The particularly low-fat content means you won’t need to worry about your hedgehog gaining unnecessary weight, so long as you keep to the recommended portion sizes.
The variety of protein sources in this food formula doesn’t just help to boost your hedgie’s strength and recovery but also takes care of their skin, eyes, and ears thanks to the fish and vegetable ingredients. Fish is a rich source of omega fatty acids which keep your pet’s skin from becoming itchy and irritated. Vegetables, on the other hand, are a dense source of a wide variety of vitamins and minerals which can help their eyesight, brain function, and overall health.
Contains a source of live naturally occurring microorganisms.
Crude Protein: 38% min
Crude Fat: 8% min
Crude Fiber: 9% max
Maximum Moisture: 14% max
First three ingredients: Wheat Bran, Poultry Meal, Soy Protein Concentrate
Added vitamins A, D & E
- Brand: Sunseed
- Weight: 1.56 Pounds
Mealworms and berries – what’s not to like? It’s a documented fact that hedgehogs are massive fans of mealworms, which is understandable considering they are an extremely dense source of protein. Though it is worth noting that mealworms are also fattier than many other protein sources, meaning these treats – delicious as they may be – must be eaten in moderation alongside a healthy balanced diet.
The use of mealworms and berries in this trail-mix-style bag of treats provides more than just vitamins and protein. Hedgehogs are natural foragers and would spend their entire day looking around for food in any form they can eat. Mealworms and berries cater to and encourage that natural foraging instinct. Especially if you were to make a game out of treat-time and hide their snacks throughout their enclosure, giving them a chance to find the treats on their own, utilising their sense of smell as they would in the wild.
Can be added to regular meals.
Crude Protein: 29% min
Crude Fat: 14% min
Crude Fiber: 8% max
Maximum Moisture: 12% max
First three ingredients: Mealworms, Ground Corn, Dehydrated Celery
Made to encourage our hedgie’s natural foraging instinct.
- Brand: Sunseed
- Weight: 0.07 Kilograms
Made right here in the US, this specially formulated food for hedgehogs is both high in protein and high in fiber so it matches the nutritional profile of the natural diet of the hedgehog. It has been fortified with vitamins and minerals and omega-3 fatty acids for overall health and to support their immune system. The blend of protein sources, which includes fish meal, provides the range of amino acids that your pet needs. It even contains insect meal to match the natural diet.
There’s plenty of calcium and phosphorous in the food to keep their bones, quills and teeth in the best possible condition. The pellets are uniform to stop selective feeding which can lead to a nutritional imbalance.
Crude protein: 38%
Crude fat: 8%
Crude fiber: 9%
Maximum moisture: 14%
With calcium and phosphorus
First three ingredients: Wheat Bran, Poultry Meal, Soy Protein Concentrate,
- Brand: Vitakraft
- Model: 34792
- Weight: 1.45 pounds
A dry cat food that will suit hedgehogs and provide all the nutrition they need to keep them healthy. It’s a dry food that ticks all the boxes on a hedgehog food list. There’s a high quality source of protein (chicken, venison and fish) and a high fiber content provided by dried chicory root.
This premium cat food contains blueberries and raspberries which also match the natural diet of hedgehogs and a range of vitamins and minerals. The healthy fat content includes omega oils which help to boost the immune system. The recipe is also grain-free which is good news because hedgehogs do not need a lot of grain in their diet.
Calorie content: 3745 kcal/kg, 390 kcal/cup
Crude protein: 42%
Crude fat: 18%
Crude fiber: 3%
Maximum moisture: 12%
With omega fatty acids
First three ingredients: chicken meal, peas, sweet potato
- Brand: Taste of the Wild
- Model: 74198609673
- Weight: 15.2 pounds
This is a complete hedgehog food that is suitable for juvenile hedgehogs and adults. It is a high protein food but it also has plenty of fiber which is necessary to keep a hedgehog healthy. It also has a low fat content to prevent any problems with obesity.
The recipe of this food is enriched with mealworms to match the hedgehog’s natural diet and added minerals and vitamins. If you are wondering what to feed hedgehog pets, this would be a great choice. It contains yucca extract which helps to reduce the odor of hedgehog poop!
Crude protein: 35.01%
Crude fat: 7.07%
Crude fiber: 8%
Maximum moisture: 10%
With calcium and phosphorous
First three ingredients: Bloodmeal, soybean meal, ground corn
- Brand: Exotic Nutrition
- Model: B01HOYD69Q
- Weight: 2 pounds
There’s plenty of protein and fiber in this cat food for hedgehogs, this will suit a hedgehog’s metabolism and it is provided by turkey meal and chicken meal which are both nutritionally very rich.
There’s a healthy balance of fatty acids to support the immune system in this dry food and many elements that would be found in a wild hedgehog diet such as blueberries, carrots and spinach which are packed with natural antioxidants. The food recipe is free from grain and potatoes – neither of which are required in a hedgehog diet and do not offer any additional nutrition to them.
Calorie content: 3755 kcal/kg, 395 kcal/cup
Crude protein: 40%
Crude fat: 18%
Crude fiber: 3%
Maximum moisture: 10%
With calcium and phosphorous
First three ingredients: Turkey meal, chicken meal, peas
- Brand: Earthborn Holistic
- Model: 71820
- Weight: 5 pounds
Here we have a premium pet food that can be safely eaten by hedgehogs. The protein is provided by whole white fish that has been sustainably sourced. The selection of novel proteins is designed to suit cats that have a sensitive stomach but are also very suitably for hedgehogs. There are no grains or artificial ingredients.
All of the ingredients are highly digestible which will suit hedgehogs and there are added dried blueberries and dried cranberries which would make up part of their natural diet.
Calorie content: 3,760kcal/kg, 414 kcal/cup
Crude protein: 32%
Crude fat: 16%
Crude fiber: 5%
Maximum moisture: 10%
With omega fatty acids
First three ingredients: White fish, salmon, dried egg product
- Brand: Halo Purely for Pets
- Model: 35022
- Weight: 6 pounds
This is a food supplement that hedgehog owners can use to support their pet’s growth. It delivers plenty of protein and fiber but also has quite a high carbohydrate content so it would not be suitable to feed your hedgehog on this alone.
Protein is provided by chicken meal and there are plant amino acids provided by soy bean meal. The recipe is supplemented by a range of vitamins and minerals to support a hedgehog’s overall health. The food is small in size so they find it easy to chew.
Crude protein: 32%
Crude fat: 12%
Crude fiber: 6%
Maximum moisture: 12%
With vitamins and minerals
First three ingredients: chicken meal, extruded corn, extruded brown rice
- Brand: SunCoast Sugar Gliders
- Model: B01MSN0U4M
- Weight: 1.6 pounds
This premium dried cat food delivers all the nutrition that a hedgehog could need. It has an excellent protein (33%) and fiber content (4%) and is packed with natural ingredients that a wild hedgehog would enjoy. The Purina Beyond recipe is based on a high quality source of meat, which is chicken, and to this are added fruits and vegetables.
This cat food has impressive supplementation in the form of a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. There are no artificial ingredients or corn, wheat or soy which would not form part of a natural hedgehog’s diet.
Crude protein: 33%
Crude fat: 15%
Crude fiber: 4%
Maximum moisture: 12%
With
First three ingredients: chicken, chicken meal, whole barley
- Brand: Purina Beyond
- Model: 17361
- Weight: 6 pounds
Best Food for Hedgehog Buying Guide
What to Feed Hedgehogs – Diet Guide for Your Hedgie
Hedgehogs are not the most common pet so if you are lucky enough to have one living with you are probably wondering what do hedgehogs eat? There is some debate about the best hedgehog food but there is a broad consensus of opinion on the elements that their diet should contain. This is obtained by looking at what they would eat in the wild.
- Copy what they eat in the wild
Hedgehogs are omnivores which means that they can extract nutrients from foods that contain both plants and meat (animals). They are also opportunistic feeders so they will pick up a bit of whatever they can find that they like the look of! As a result, their diet can be very mixed and hedgehog owners have to try to replicate that if they want keep a hedgehog in captivity.
Hedgehog owners should try to base their pet’s diet on natural ingredients that are identical, or at least similar to, things that they would eat in the wild. A wild hedgehog would get most of their protein from insects but are also quite partial to snails and worms, small lizards, snakes, eggs, fish, mushrooms, berries and roots.
- Basic hedgehog diet
You can feed a domesticated pet hedgehog on special hedgehog food pellets but always check out the analysis of nutrients and the ingredients list. But, can hedgehogs eat cat food instead of special hedgehog food? The answer is yes, they can. However, it must be done with care. Cat foods are, after all, designed for cats and not all cat foods are that great at providing cat nutrition let alone the correct nutrition for a hedgehog! Only cat foods that are high in protein, high in fiber and low in fat will suit a hedgehog and keep them healthy. Hedgehogs also need access to plenty of water.
- Hedgehog treats
It is unlikely that the food in the basic diet will provide enough fiber or all of the nutrients that your hedgehog needs. Therefore, it needs to be supplemented with insects which provide chitin – an important source of fiber. Most owners choose mealworms, waxworms, earthworms or crickets for their little pet. You can also give them small amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables so here’s a list of some that they love. You should only give your little pet a tablespoon of these up to four times a week.
- Meat: Chicken is the best option but turkey, lamb, liver and kidney are also great hedgehog foods
- Fish: There is some debate about whether pet hedgehogs should eat fish. In the wild, this would not form part of their diet but some owners of pet hedgehogs argue that their hedgies love it!
- Vegetables: They particularly enjoy Romaine lettuce, spinach, broccoli, green pepper, pumpkin and carrot.
- Fruits: Melons are the favorite! But they also love berries (cranberries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries), apples, pears and many more.
What to Avoid Feeding Your Hedgehog
Keeping a hedgehog as a pet is a big responsibility. It would be worth talking to a vet or an exotic pet expert to find out exactly what you should do. Sadly, it is quite easy to get things wrong and make your little pet ill. Here are the main things that you should avoid feeding your hedgehog.
- Too many live insects
Whilst a hedgehog will love live insects, you should not give them too many. They will always prefer them to other food and if they eat too many they will not get a balanced diet. Remember that in the wild, they would have to go to the effort to catch them and that would limit the number that they eat!
- Meals that are too large
Hedgehogs don’t tend to realize when they have had enough and will just carry on eating! This is a problem because obesity is a real issue for hedgehogs. They develop too much subcutaneous fat under the top of their body (the mantel that is covered in quills) and around their little legs. This stops them from being able to roll into a ball and they can also get brittle bones.
- Meals that are not varied
In the wild, your little pet would choose the best food for themselves by traveling around the countryside and choosing what they wanted to eat. This means that the list of foods that they would eat in one day would be very varied. You need to replicate this by mixing hedgehog food or cat food with some fresh food treats.
- Dairy products
Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant and cannot break down milk proteins. If they drink milk they get diarrhea and can become very poorly. Some pet owners think that hedgehogs can tolerate yogurt but if you want to test this out you should start off by offering only a tiny amount.
- Some types of meat
Your little pet should not be given processed or canned meat, raw meat or seasoned or fried meat. They cannot have human foods that contain these either.
- Some fruits and vegetables
There is quite a long list of foods that can make hedgehogs ill. For a complete list you need to consult a vet or an exotic pet expert. Some items on that list are avocado, grapes, onion, tomato, mushrooms, nuts and chocolate.
Cat Food vs. Commercial Hedgehog Food
There is an on-going debate amongst hedgehog owners and breeders about the relative merits of cat foods compared to special hedgehog foods for our spiny friends. There is no sign that this debate is going to end any time soon so it is up to you to do your research and then use a certain amount of trial and error to find out what suits your pet. Don’t forget that any changes in diet must be done gradually – over a period of weeks.
Until a few years ago, cat food was your only option and it still has a lot going for it. Dry food for cats is very convenient, it is widely available and most have a high protein content which suits hedgies. The kibble is small which suits little mouths and hedgies have no problem chewing it. Most premium cat foods have plenty of fiber – this is important to replace the chitin that a hedgehog in the wild would have received from munching on insects.
Nevertheless, many zoos and animal parks choose to feed their hedgehogs on a special commercial hedgehog food. Most have exactly the right combination of protein and fiber and some use bloodmeal which is a perfect source of protein for hedgies – you will not find this in cat food. Some even have ingredients to help your pet’s poop smell a little more pleasant! However, choosing a commercial hedgehog food is not straightforward as some brands may simply repackage low quality cat food as a hedgehog food but charge more for it! It is also harder to source.
The bottom line is that a high quality commercial hedgehog food or a premium cat food will provide adequate nutrition for a hedgehog and you can top up their diet with insects and fruit and vegetables.
What to Look for in a Cat Food for Hedgehogs
In order to choose the best hedgehog foods or the best cat food for your pet, you will have to become familiar with the labels on animal foods. These give you the proportions of the major nutritional elements of the food.
Start by looking at the protein content of the food – it needs to be over 20%. The best foods will have a protein content of between 30% and 40% or even more. The fat content should not be higher than 15 % – the best foods have only around 5%. Fiber is very important, try to choose premium foods that have a fiber content of at least 5% but you will have to supplement this with additional fiber provided by insects. Moist cat food is especially low in fiber and will need a lot of supplementation.
The source of protein in the food is also important. Poultry (chicken and turkey) is generally considered as the easiest for hedgehogs to digest. L-carnitine is important for hedgehog heart health and they also need calcium and phosphorous from strong bones, teeth and quills.
Our Top Pick
Our top pick of the best cat food for hedgehogs combines meat with vegetables, making it similar to the wild hedgehog diet. It is high in protein (34%) which is provided primarily by chicken.
Vital antioxidants as well as vitamins and minerals are provided by the wide range of fruit and vegetable such as cranberries, blueberries and sweet potatoes. The absence of cheap fillers, meat by-product meals and artificial flavors also makes this a natural choice of dry cat food for a hedgehog. The kibble is just the right size for little mouths.
Source:
- Laurie Hess, DVM, The Complete Guide to Hedgehogs, PetMD
