If you are looking to own a hedgehog as a pet, then there is the need to understand its food requirements. Just like any other pet, it will need the right food for it to remain active and healthy. Hedgehogs mostly need food high in proteins. This helps in keeping them in shape and build lean muscles.
Today, we will discuss some of the best options you can get in terms of best food for hedgehogs. If you were not sure what to choose before, this guide should clear up things.
Contents
- Hedgehog Food and Diet Guide
- What Can Hedgehogs Eat?
- Best Food & Cat Food for Hedgehog
- 8 Best Food for Hedgehog Reviews
- 1. Mealworms by Kaytee
- 2. Fluker’s Freeze-Dried Mealworms
- 3. Tasty Worms Freeze Dried Mealworms Approximately
- 4. Ultra-Blend Select Hedgehog Diet
- 5. Exotic Nutrition Hedgehog Complete – High Protein Hedgehog Diet
- 6. Vitakraft Insect Formula Food
- 7. Sunseed Vita Prima Sunscription Exotics Hedgehog Formula
- 8. Exotic Nutrition Berries & Bugs
- 8 Best Cat Food for Hedgehog Reviews
- 4 Best Cat Food for Hedgehogs Under 6 Months
- 1. Taste of the Wild High Protein Meat Dry Cat Food
- 2. Blue Buffalo Healthy Living Natural Adult Dry Cat Food
- 3. Halo Natural Dry Cat Food, Sensitive Stomach Seafood Medley
- 4. Chicken Soup for the Soul Kitten Canned Food
- 4 Best Cat Food for Hedgehogs Above 6 Months Old
- 1. Purina Beyond Simply Natural, Adult Dry Cat Food
- 2. Iams Proactive Health Original Adult Dry Cat Food
- 3. Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Grain Free, Natural Adult Dry Cat Food
- 4. Chicken Soup Weight & Mature Care Cat Can
- Tips on Choosing the Best Food & Cat Food for Hedgehog
- FAQ
- Conclusion
Hedgehog Food and Diet Guide
With many brands now in the market, it is possible to get different foods for your pet. That being said, there are some things you have to look out for. This includes what type of ingredients the food has before purchasing.
So What Should You Feed Your Pet?
Owning a pet means providing the right food that it needs. This should be reason enough for you to learn more about what a hedgehog feeds on. Most of the time you will have to feed it on a protein-rich diet. It is now time we took a look at some of the best foods to use. Check out the list below.
Hedgehog Food or Cat Food
It is common to have commercial hedgehog food for your pet. Just check it out in your local pet store or online stores. Also, you can feed the pet on cat food if the hedgehog food is not available. Just make sure the food is high in proteins combined with other important nutrients.
Moist Foods
This is another option when it comes to the nutrition of your pet. These foods mostly come in cans. Once they are moist, you can now offer them to your pet. The best part is that these foods will always be high in proteins. This is because they are made from chicken, fish, or meat.
Fruits and Vegetables
To maintain a healthy diet, you still have to consider fruits and veggies for your pet. The common veggies and fruits include carrots, beans, apples, and corn. Just make sure you do not overfeed on the fruits and veggies.
Water
Just like any other pet, the provision of water is important. Make sure to include a water bottle in the hedgehog cage to keep it hydrated always.
What Can Hedgehogs Eat?
To determine what a hedgehog can eat, you first have to understand that it is primarily insectivorous and omnivorous. This means that your pet can eat insect proteins and also veggies combined with fruits. It should be noted that some kinds of cooked meat can be good for the hedgehog.
If you have such a pet, then you need to find dry foods with these ingredients. You do not have to look for real insects. As for treats, you can opt for cooked eggs or cottage cheese.
For the best food, it should be a healthy mix of different nutrients. This includes proteins, carbohydrates, fiber, fat, water, and more. These compounds are essential for maintaining the proper health of your pet.
Well, as much as the food can contain different compounds, proteins are supposed to be the highest percentage. Try to get the food with over 20% being proteins.
Best Food & Cat Food for Hedgehog
With many products in the market, sometimes a comparison goes a long way to help someone make up their mind. As a result, we have come up with a comparison table below. It highlights the important features of the different food types. The table should help you pick the right food type easily.
| Pictures | Food for Hedgehog | Sizes | Links |
 | Mealworms by Kaytee | 3.5-17.6-32 Ounce | Buy from Amazon |
 | Fluker's Freeze-Dried Mealworms | 1.7 Ounce | Buy from Amazon |
 | Tasty Worms Freeze Dried Mealworms Approximately | 16,000 Worms | Buy from Amazon |
 | Ultra-Blend Select Hedgehog Diet | 22 Ounce | Buy from Amazon |
 | Exotic Nutrition Hedgehog Complete - High Protein Hedgehog Diet | 2-5-10 16-36 lb | Buy from Amazon |
 | Vitakraft Insect Formula Food | 25 Ounce | Buy from Amazon |
 | Sunseed Vita Prima Sunscription Exotics Hedgehog Formula | 25 Ounce | Buy from Amazon |
 | Exotic Nutrition Berries & Bugs | 1-3-10 lb | Buy from Amazon |
| Pictures | Cat Food for Hedgehog | Sizes | Links |
 | Taste of the Wild High Protein Meat Dry Cat Food | 15 lb | Buy from Amazon |
 | Blue Buffalo Healthy Living Natural Adult Dry Cat Food | 3-7 -15 lb | Buy from Amazon |
 | Halo Natural Dry Cat Food Sensitive Stomach Seafood Medley | 3-6 Pound | Buy from Amazon |
 | Chicken Soup for the Soul Kitten Canned Food | Pack of 24 5.5 Ounce Cans | Buy from Amazon |
 | Purina Beyond Simply Natural Adult Dry Cat Food | 3-6- 13-16 lb | Buy from Amazon |
 | Iams Proactive Health Original Adult Dry Cat Food | 3.5-7- 16-22 lb | Buy from Amazon |
 | Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Grain Free Natural Adult Dry Cat Food | 2.5-6 -12 lb | Buy from Amazon |
 | Chicken Soup Weight & Mature Care Cat Can | Pack of 24 5.5 Ounce Cans | Buy from Amazon |
8 Best Food for Hedgehog Reviews
1. Mealworms by Kaytee
Your hedgehog is going to love this food for having high protein and energy. Since hedgehogs can be active animals, then this is what they need.
To make it even better, the manufacturer claims it can be fed alone or even combined with other food sources. If you want your hedgehog to get more energy and proteins in one food serving, then this is the best way to do it.
The food is further oven dried to ensure proper quality. It will not start having molds even if it is stored for a long time.
2. Fluker’s Freeze-Dried Mealworms
This is an all-natural nutrition food. Being natural, you will not have worries about feeding your hedgehog the wrong food. It should be more reason you get more people going for it.
This food comes with multiple vitamins, minerals, and also other important nutrients. On overall, your pet should end up with the best nutrition still at an affordable price.
With the many positive reviews about the food, you will also feel comfortable buying it for your hedgehog. It is also good for frogs, birds, and tropical fish. This just goes on to show that it is versatile.
3. Tasty Worms Freeze Dried Mealworms Approximately
This food is a great source of proteins, fat, fiber, and moisture. With such a combination, you expect that your hedgehog should end up having the best food on overall. This is because the food provides all the important nutrients the pet needs.
The food is dried using the freeze drying process. This makes it to retain more food nutrition as compared to food that is oven dried.
The use of live mealworms in the making of the food makes it stand out in terms of nutrition. You will always be sure that it is worth the money you pay.
4. Ultra-Blend Select Hedgehog Diet
This is a nice blend that you need for your hedgehog. It is a combination of high fiber, proteins and other important ingredients. The food is further fortified with the essential vitamins and minerals. On overall, it should provide your hedgehog with all the important nutrition.
For its price, you will be happy with what you get. This is because it is within the affordable range and still offers more nutrients than some expensive foods.
The hedgehog will also love the taste of the food. The combination of various foods makes it taste even better.
5. Exotic Nutrition Hedgehog Complete – High Protein Hedgehog Diet
If you are a person who is always looking for natural foods for the pet, then this is a nice option. This is because it has not artificial colors, flavors, or any preservatives.
The food also contains an impressive amount of proteins. The food is made by mixing fresh grains and dried mealworms. It is where it gets its high amount of proteins.
To make it even more nutritious, it is further fortified with vitamins and minerals. This is something you would want so that you can give your pet all the important nutrition that it needs.
6. Vitakraft Insect Formula Food
To remain active, your hedgehog needs a high protein meal. This is where this food comes in. The food is made to have high proteins thanks to the insect formula. That is not all, you also get that it contains vitamins and other essential nutritional components.
The food also comes with natural oils, fatty acids, and flax seed. These compounds are important to support a healthy skin and also a shiny coat. You should always find it being a great option for your hedgehog.
The food also tastes good. You should find your pet liking it.
7. Sunseed Vita Prima Sunscription Exotics Hedgehog Formula
This is a high protein hedgehog diet. Having more proteins means it should provide the right amount of energy the pet needs to remain active. It will also help it develop the muscles it needs to remain strong.
The food is further fortified with seafood, poultry meal, and other essential nutrients. On overall, you should find it providing all the crucial nutrients for your pet.
Coming from a top brand, we expect it to deliver on some good value too. The food still contains enough vitamins important for the best growth.
8. Exotic Nutrition Berries & Bugs
You do not have to buy food that is not natural when this one is available. The food does not have artificial colors or flavors.
To make it good in terms of nutrition, it is made from insect larva, grains, and berries. You can now be sure that your pet will have all the energy it needs to remain active.
The bag in which the food is stored is durable. It is also resealable to help in preserving the freshness of the food. You can be using it for a long time without worrying that it would go bad.
8 Best Cat Food for Hedgehog Reviews
Reviews are essential to help you learn more about a product. These reviews are on the best cat food you can use for your hedgehog pet. The use of cat food is a nice alternative that you can use when you do not have hedgehog food in the house. Also, you could get the same food for your cat and hedgehog at the same time. Let us get into the reviews already.
4 Best Cat Food for Hedgehogs Under 6 Months
1. Taste of the Wild High Protein Meat Dry Cat Food
This is some great food in terms of taste and the type of nutrition it provides. It is made by combining roasted venison and smoked salmon. It is able to provide the best proteins important for the pet to get strong and lean muscles.
It is not just proteins, as the food still has added vitamins, minerals, vegetables, and fruits. These provide the important antioxidants to keep the pet healthy. Also, such foods help with improving the overall condition of the skin and coat.
The food is easily digestible so do not expect stomach issues for your pet.
2. Blue Buffalo Healthy Living Natural Adult Dry Cat Food
The food is made from real meat. This means that it can provide high quality protein all the time it is consumed. As a result, it is going to promote the best in terms of strong muscles. It also comes with whole grains, veggies and fruits.
The food still has an impressive amount of fiber. This makes it great for digestion and nutrient absorption. It should be the reason you for it.
The presence of omega 3 & 6 fatty acids helps further to promote healthy skin and a shiny coat.
3. Halo Natural Dry Cat Food, Sensitive Stomach Seafood Medley
The food is made from whole fish. This makes it good for being a protein source. Also, this makes it good in terms of digestion. It should go easy on your pet’s stomach. With better digestion, it also means that it gets to provide more nutrients for absorption.
The food also contains grains, salmon, and non-gmo vegetables. This should make you feel it is safe to use the food for your pet.
The food does not have artificial flavors, preservatives, or colors. The aim is to keep the food safe for your pet always.
4. Chicken Soup for the Soul Kitten Canned Food
The food is made by combining fresh ingredients. The result is that you get the best in terms of food quality. The freshness is also maintained for longer even when you open the package.
This food is also good in terms of taste. Many people find that their pets love the food and it is the reason the food is popular. Even for a picky hedgehog, it will tend to love eating this food.
Thanks to the many ingredients, you will find that the food offers a wholesome nutrition. It is definitely worth the money.
4 Best Cat Food for Hedgehogs Above 6 Months Old
1. Purina Beyond Simply Natural, Adult Dry Cat Food
Your pet needs the best food and this is it. It is made from white meat chicken and whole oatmeal. The aim is to provide your hedgehog with all the important nutrition it needs. You will notice that the pet remains active as the food provides the best energy.
That is not all as it contains also natural fruit and vegetables. It is going to make it better in terms of providing those additional nutrients for the pet.
For its size, you will find the price being fair. It will be enough food to last you longer.
2. Iams Proactive Health Original Adult Dry Cat Food
The food comes from a top brand. We expect it to provide you with the best nutrients a hedgehog needs. The food is made from chicken, which is known to provide the right amount of proteins. On overall, the food will promote more energy and better muscles.
Also, the overall taste is good. This will make the pet eat the food without being too picky. There are no fillers, so do not worry that the food might contain elements that affect the pet.
The food comes with calcium and potassium too. This provides the best nutrition for the pet.
3. Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Grain Free, Natural Adult Dry Cat Food
To be a high protein source, the food is packed with real chicken. The high protein food is important for building and maintaining lean muscle. On overall, it is going to make your hedgehog strong and keep it active all the time.
Being grain free, it means that it is made from the healthy carbohydrates. Also, it comes with the omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. The aim is to provide your pet with nutrition that improves the skin and coat health.
It might be expensive, but it is definitely worth the price.
4. Chicken Soup Weight & Mature Care Cat Can
This is another top quality food on the market right now. It comes from a reliable brand in terms of making the best pet food. As a result, you can spend your money knowing it will be great.
The ingredients are all-natural. This makes the food safe and be able to provide the best nutrients. On overall, you should end up with food that promotes the overall health and wellness of the pet.
It is also within the affordable range. You should have enough food to feed the pet without going to the pet store all the time.
Tips on Choosing the Best Food & Cat Food for Hedgehog
The Nutrition
This is the first thing you have to look at when choosing the best food. Nutrition is crucial as it will determine if the food can meet the dietary needs of your pet.
Make sure that the food you get has a high protein level. This means the protein should be 25 to 40% of the food. As for lower fat, it can be around 10%.
It is not just about having proteins, but also other important nutrients. Look at the ingredient list to understand what more the food can provide to the hedgehog. Some will be fortified with vitamins, veggies, fruits, and a lot more.
It will be great if the food does not come with fillers. Also no preservatives or artificial colors that might have an effect on the pet’s health.
Brand
As much as some new brands can deliver on the best foods, it is also good to look at the experience of a brand. You can take your time to do more research on a brand just to make sure it is known for making top quality foods.
Also, the price can be determined by the brand. Not all cheap foods are bad, but you should look at what they offer. Some will be cheaper simply because they do not have enough nutrients. No one wants to spend money on food with a lot of fillers.
Flavor
Even hedgehogs need food that tastes good. They can be small animals, but their taste buds function well. It is easy for them to tell if the food is too salty, sweet, or bitter. It is some of the things that can make the hedgehog a picky eater towards a certain type of food.
Check out the reviews about the food first before buying. Look at what people say about the smell and taste. If the food tastes great, then you never have to worry about having a picky eater.
Form
Well, the form is also important for the hedgehog to enjoy the food. That being said, it is recommended you get food with a hard crunchy form. This kind of form encourages chewing. As a result, your pet will end up having better dental health.
The too soft food would not work the teeth and jaw adequately. This will mean that at some point dental problems might arise.
Life Stage
The age of a hedgehog also determines the food to choose. Make sure to check on the food packaging to understand if the food would be ideal for your pet.
Also, the pregnant hedgehogs would require more food than any other healthy adult male. The younger hedgehogs would need to eat food more in proteins than other compounds.
Food Safety
You do not just get any food and start feeding your hedgehog. You still have to learn more about the safety of using such type of food. Some foods might have ingredients that might not be great for your pet. As a result, check out the ingredient list and do a background check first. With proper research, you should end up with safe foods for your pet.
FAQ
How Much Food a Day Does a Hedgehog Need?
The recommended amount of food for a hedgehog is 1 to 2 tablespoons of dry food. This should be done once a day. For this amount, it is expected to be 100 calories.
That being said, you still have to keep an eye on the hedgehog. If it cannot form a complete prickly ball, then chances are it is too heavy. When this happens, you might want to reduce the food slightly to help it lose weight.
How Often Do Hedgehogs Eat?
Hedgehogs need food daily. This means you have to provide the recommended amount of food once a day. It is not just food; you still have to also provide enough drinking water. Empty the previous day food before adding fresh food in the cage. Check the water levels in the water bottle to ensure the pet remains hydrated always.
Conclusion
The food that you give your pet goes a long way to improve its health. It is the reason we have reviewed multiple products above. This is to help you choose the one that will provide the best nutrition on overall. It also depends on the age of the pet. Just make sure to choose the food that will be worth the money.
A bit of comparison might be needed if you need to get the best food. The table above in the guide should help you with comparing different food types.
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