Hedgehog Food
Susan463
Posts: 9
I am lucky enough to have a nightly visit from a hedgehog (in fact two last night). I'm a bit confused about what food to put out. I have been putting out mealworms but some sites say these are 'junk food'. Any advice welcome.
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Posts
I give mine chicken cat food.
http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/wildlife-gardening/help-save-the-hedgehogs/939897.html
Hi Susan. That link is to quite a long thread but if you read over the last couple of days somebody was saying exactly that and there's loads of advice on there.
If you get a chance...read the entire thread. It has some brilliant pictures.
Definitely check out the thread Susan although I understand it is lengthy now (we are just too enthusiastic). Meat flavoured cat biscuits are ideal & a bowl of water. The occasional treat of mealworms, sunflower hearts and chopped peanuts are also ideal. You may want to consider a feeding station to deter cats & foxes.
Not if the cat gets it all before the hedgehog has a chance to appear
Biscuits are much more favourable over wet, they help clean their teeth. Sugary foods rotting teeth were an an all too common problem we saw at the hedgehog rehabilitation centre I volunteered for. Also, remember slugs only account for 5% of their overall diet.
Watch the peanuts too - tend to clog the palate I have been told recently. I agree, Hedgehog diet is a bot of a minefield - I have noted that there are obvious contradictions between the various Hedgehog Societies with regard to the best makeup. I'm still trying to work out the best ingredients and the ratio after many months.
Mark....5% is pushing it in my garden I think - the slugs dine happily alongside the hogs
I rather think the relatively recent upsurge in interest in Hedgehogs has gone a bit OTT. Rather like the "Super Foods" which roll up in the press with great regularity, the general public are led to believe that Hedgehogs will solve their slug/snail problem - a lot is suddenly expected of these poor beasts