Hedgehogs are omnivores that rely primarily on insects for nutrition. In the wild, they eat beetles, caterpillars, earthworms, and other invertebrates, supplemented with small amounts of plant material. Pet hedgehogs need a diet that mirrors this high-protein, insect-heavy balance, typically built around commercial hedgehog pellets and live insect treats.
What Wild Hedgehogs Eat
Wild hedgehogs are opportunistic feeders, but insects make up the bulk of their diet. Beetles, caterpillars, earthworms, slugs, and millipedes are staples. They’ll also eat snails, frogs, baby mice, bird eggs, and fallen fruit when available, but these are secondary to the insects they forage for nightly.
One reason insects are so important is chitin, the tough material that forms insect exoskeletons. Hedgehogs can actually digest chitin enzymatically, and it functions as a dietary fiber source for them. Interestingly, they don’t digest cellulose (plant fiber) nearly as well. This means their digestive system is fundamentally built around insect consumption rather than vegetation, even though they’re technically omnivores.
The Foundation: Pellets or Kibble
For pet hedgehogs, the daily diet centers on commercial hedgehog pellets. A typical portion is 3 to 4 teaspoons per day, adjusted based on your hedgehog’s weight and activity level. Since hedgehogs are nocturnal, feeding at night aligns with their natural foraging schedule.
If hedgehog-specific pellets aren’t available, many owners use high-quality cat kibble as a substitute. The key is choosing a formula that’s high in protein and low in fat, since hedgehogs are prone to obesity in captivity. Look for protein listed as the first ingredient and avoid formulas heavy in fillers or grains.
Insects as Protein-Rich Treats
Live insects are the best supplemental food you can offer a pet hedgehog. Crickets, mealworms, and earthworms are all good options. Dubia roaches are another popular choice. Comparing the two most common feeders: mealworms contain roughly 50% protein and 31% fat, while dubia roaches come in at about 46% protein and 24% fat. Both are nutritionally solid, but mealworms are fattier, so they’re better as an occasional treat rather than a daily staple.
Offering live insects also gives your hedgehog mental stimulation. Chasing down a cricket mimics natural foraging behavior in a way that kibble from a bowl never will. Dried insects are convenient but lack this enrichment benefit and tend to have lower nutritional value than live ones.
Fruits, Vegetables, and Other Extras
Small amounts of produce can round out a hedgehog’s diet. Safe options include cooked sweet potato, green beans, peas, carrots, and small pieces of banana, apple, or watermelon. These should be treats, not dietary staples, since hedgehogs don’t process plant fiber efficiently. A few small pieces a couple of times per week is plenty.
Cooked, unseasoned chicken or scrambled egg (no oil or butter) can also serve as occasional protein supplements. Always cut food into small pieces to prevent choking.
Calcium and Bone Health
One nutritional concern that catches many hedgehog owners off guard is metabolic bone disease. This condition develops when a hedgehog’s diet is too low in calcium relative to phosphorus. The ideal calcium-to-phosphorus ratio falls between 2:1 and 1:1. A ratio that dips below 1:2 puts hedgehogs at serious risk, and metabolic bone disease is a widespread cause of death in captive hedgehogs.
Most insects are naturally high in phosphorus and low in calcium, which means a diet heavy in mealworms without calcium supplementation can create problems over time. Dusting feeder insects with a calcium powder before offering them helps correct this imbalance. Quality commercial hedgehog pellets are typically formulated with appropriate calcium levels built in.
Foods to Avoid
Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant. Milk and dairy products cause digestive distress and should never be offered, despite the old folk tradition of leaving out saucers of milk for garden hedgehogs. If you want to feed a visiting wild hedgehog, wet cat food or commercial hedgehog food are far better choices.
Other foods to keep away from hedgehogs include grapes, raisins, citrus fruits, onions, garlic, raw meat, avocado, chocolate, and anything seasoned or processed. Nuts and seeds are also poor choices because they can get stuck in the roof of the mouth or between teeth.
Water and Hydration
Fresh water should always be available. A shallow, sturdy bowl is the best option. Hanging water bottles with metal spouts, commonly used for rodents, can chip or damage a hedgehog’s teeth. Unlike rats and hamsters whose teeth grow continuously throughout their lives, hedgehog teeth don’t regenerate. A chipped tooth is permanent, so the safer choice is always a bowl.
Change the water daily, and choose a bowl heavy enough that your hedgehog won’t tip it over during nighttime activity. Ceramic dishes work well for this.