How to Feed a Pet Hedgehog

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By eHow Contributing Writer

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All your friends have dogs or cats or birds, but you want to be different. Okay, so how about a pet hedgehog? Most likely, not many people in your circle of friends own a hedgehog. Actually, these pets are fairly easy to keep. You may find that the biggest challenge is to feed your pet hedgehog. Here are some ways to keep your pet hedgehog well fed and healthy.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Purchase a commercial hedgehog food. This may be a bit hard to find at your local pet store, but easily found online.
Step 2

Add variety to your pet hedgehog's diet. Fruits and vegetables, tuna or salmon, boiled egg whites, cooked chicken and rice in broth are great occasional additions to your hedgehog's diet. These should be given in moderation.
Step 3

Treat your pet hedgehog to mealworms or crickets a few times per week. Commercial hedgehog treats are also available.
Step 4

Feed your pet hedgehog meals at night. A treat can be given during the day, but hedgehogs are mostly nocturnal (in the wild, they would foray for food at night).
Step 5

Keep water readily available for your pet hedgehog. Water can be placed in a dish or in a water bottle.

Tips & Warnings

You can feed a pet hedgehog a high-quality cat food if you wish. Though it is now thought that food designed for hedgehogs is better formulated for these animals, cat food is an acceptable substitute.
Small amounts of fruits or vegetables, and even mealworms, can occasionally be mixed into the hedgehog's food or cat food rather than given separately.
Do not feed your pet hedgehog any foods containing dried fruit or nuts, as these are a possible choking hazard. In addition, they may cause dental problems in hedgehogs.
Do not make food readily available to your hedgehog throughout the day. Feeding the hedgehog too often will lead to an overweight, unhealthy pet.
Do not change a hedgehog's diet abruptly, as this can lead to diarrhea or even cause anorexia. Wean the hedgehog off the old food by mixing in the new food and gradually adding more of the new food and less of the old until the old is completely removed from its diet.

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