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Home > General > Can Hedgehogs Eat Broccoli? What You Need to Know!

Can Hedgehogs Eat Broccoli? What You Need to Know!

Can Hedgehogs Eat_broccoli

Hedgehogs are cute exotic creatures that more and more people prefer to keep as pets in the United States. If you’re a hedgehog owner or maybe thinking of getting one, you may wonder what they can eat. What about broccoli?

Broccoli has a vast amount of nutrients, including iron, potassium, fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin K. You can eat it cooked, steamed, or even raw if you so desire. With all the health benefits broccoli has to offer, is it safe to feed to your hedgehog? Drum roll please…yes, hedgehogs can eat broccoli.

Now that we know that hedgehogs can eat broccoli, let’s take a deeper look into the hedgehog and the specifics of their diet.

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How to Feed Broccoli to Your Hedgehog

Hedgehogs love to eat, and broccoli, along with other fruits and veggies, is on the menu. While they can eat broccoli, it’s best to cut it up into small pieces before giving it to your little hedgehog friend for easier digestion. Cooked with no seasoning or steamed is the safest way to feed broccoli to your hedgehog, and avoid raw broccoli. They can eat the stems, too.

Cute Hedgehog
Image Credit: amayaeguizabal, Pixabay

How Often Can I Feed Broccoli to My Hedgehog?

While it’s safe to feed broccoli to your hedgehog, you need to feed it in moderation. Think of it as a treat and only give in small intervals. It’s best to introduce broccoli slowly to your hedgehog and monitor how they do initially. If they show no signs of digestive problems, it should be safe to give them this green treat a couple of times a week, again, in small, cut-up pieces.

What Foods Are Toxic to Hedgehogs?

 While hedgehogs love many types of food, some particular foods are toxic and should be avoided. Let’s take a look.

  • Grapes and Raisins: Grapes and raisins are toxic to your hedgehog and should be avoided at all costs. These foods can cause liver failure.
  • Citrus Fruits: Citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons, and limes, are acidic, and your hedgie will not be able to digest them safely.
  • Avocado: Avocado is another food that is toxic for hedgehogs. Avocados are also fatty and will cause obesity.
  • Tomatoes: Tomatoes are acidic and will cause digestive discomfort for your hedgie.
  • Dried Fruits: Dried fruits may cause your hedgehog to choke, and they are high in sugar.
  • Processed Meats: Processed meats contain added preservatives and additives that can cause obesity because they are high in fat content.
hedgehog on grass
Image Credit: Alexas_Fotos, Pixabay

What Other Foods Should I Avoid For My Hedgehog?

Milk

Milk, especially heavy cream, should be avoided because hedgehogs are lactose intolerant; milk or cream may even be poisonous. They don’t drink milk in the wild, and domesticated hedgies don’t need it either. Hedgehogs need only water.

Bait Shop Insects

Bait shop insects are not meant to feed your hedgehog. These insects will probably have pesticides and carry parasites, so it’s best to get insects from a reputable pet store with hedgehog knowledge. And don’t feed your hedgehog too many insects because it will cause it to gain weight.  Hedgehogs require chitin, which is a substance found in the exoskeleton of insects, but in captivity, your hedgehog won’t be able to exercise like those in the wild. You can feed your hedgehog insects approximately three to four times a week.

mealworm
Image By: Joshua A Houck, Shutterstock

Can My Hedgehog Eat Meat?

You can safely feed meat to your hedgie, but make sure it’s not raw or red meat. Chicken, tuna, and salmon are excellent choices, but make sure there are no seasonings. Only give a tablespoon maybe 3 to 4 times a week for a tasty snack.

What Other Vegetables Are Good For Hedgehogs?

Hedgehogs can enjoy many different types of vegetables, but only in moderation, and cut them into small pieces so they can safely digest them. These vegetables include carrots, corn, cucumbers, green peppers, turnips, sweet potatoes, arugula, spinach, and asparagus. If you give your hedgie any hard vegetables, make sure they are cooked first and contain no cooking oil or seasonings.

What Fruits Can My Hedgehog Eat?

Hedgehogs enjoy many different types of fruit as an occasional snack, but again, only feed in moderation and small portions because fruits contain a high amount of sugar. They can enjoy apples, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, melons, kiwi, peaches, and pineapple.

hedgehog eating apple
Image By: Shironina, Shutterstock

What Is the Best Diet For a Hedgehog?

Hedgehogs are omnivores and will eat both plants and animals; however, they are primarily insectivores, especially in the wild. Mealworms and crickets are among their favorite insects.

Genuinely, hedgehogs will eat just about anything they find interesting and appealing. But as a hedgehog owner, it’s best to know how to feed them for their overall nutrition and health. Mazuri Hedgehog Diet is an excellent choice for commercial brand food. This food provides the fiber and protein content your hedgie needs. It has no artificial flavors and contains vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids.

Hedgehog food can be limited and unavailable, and if you run into this problem, high-quality cat food is a good alternative, too.

asian hedgehog
Image By: supakrit tirayasupasin, Shutterstock

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Final Thoughts

Remember, it’s ok to feed your hedgehog broccoli occasionally, preferably as a treat, and be sure to cut it up into small pieces so they can digest this food easily.

Now that we’ve looked at the dietary needs of the exotic hedgehog, we hope you have a better understanding of what and how to feed your little friend. A good rule of thumb is to feed them high-protein, low-fiber food. If you have access to commercial hedgehog food, the above recommendations are wonderful options.

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