My Hedgehog’s Favorite Meals: How I Learned to Keep My Prickly Pal Healthy (and Picky!)

When I brought home my first hedgehog, Olive, I figured feeding her would be as easy as tossing a handful of kibble into her cage. Boy, was I wrong. The first time I offered her a pellet from a generic “small pet” food blend, she sniffed it, gave me a look that screamed “Seriously?” and waddled away. That’s when I realized: hedgehogs aren’t just tiny, spiky roommates—they’re opinionated foodies with specific needs.

Over the past two years, I’ve spent countless hours researching, experimenting, and even negotiating with Olive over her meals (yes, hedgehogs can be stubborn). If you’re new to hedgehog parenting or just want to ditch the confusion, let me share what’s worked—and what’s ended up smeared on the cage floor.

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What Do Wild Hedgehogs Actually Eat? (Spoiler: It’s Not Leftovers)

Before we talk about pet food, let’s get one thing straight: hedgehogs aren’t mini trash compactors. In the wild, they’re like tiny nightshift warriors, snuffling through gardens for beetles, worms, and the occasional unlucky slug. Their diet is heavy on protein and light on carbs, which explains why Olive goes nuts for mealworms but side-eyes apple slices like they’re suspicious.

But here’s the catch: domesticated hedgehogs aren’t exactly wild animals. They’ve traded forest floors for fleece-lined cages, so their diet needs a tweaked balance. Think of it like this—we’re aiming for “nutritionally accurate cosplay” of their natural meals.

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The 5 Food Groups My Hedgehog Actually Eats (No, Pizza Isn’t One)

Through trial, error, and a lot of wasted zucchini, I’ve narrowed down Olive’s diet to five staples. Your hedgehog might have different preferences, but this combo keeps her healthy—and stops her from flipping her food bowl in protest.

1. The Main Event: Premium Cat Food (Wait, What?)
Yep, you read that right. After trying six “hedgehog-specific” brands that Olive either ignored or used as bedding, my vet suggested high-protein cat kibble. Look for grain-free formulas with:

• 30-40% protein (chicken or turkey as the first ingredient)
• 10-15% fat (hedgies need energy for their nightly cardio sessions)
• No artificial colors (Olive’s not fooled by neon-green pellets)

Our go-to is Blue Buffalo Wilderness Chicken Recipe. It’s pricey, but Olive does a little “happy dance” when I pour it—worth every penny.

2. Live Bugs: The Icky Part You Can’t Skip
I’ll be honest: I nearly fainted the first time I dumped a container of mealworms into Olive’s cage. But watching her hunt them like a tiny, derpy T-Rex? Priceless. Here’s our bug rotation:

• Mealworms: Daily staple (gut-loaded for extra nutrition)
• Crickets: Twice-weekly “exercise snacks” (chasing them counts as cardio, right?)
• Waxworms: Rare treats (the hedgehog equivalent of ice cream)

Pro tip: Buy bugs from pet stores, not bait shops. You don’t want pesticides in your hedgie’s Happy Meal.

3. Veggies They Won’t Ignore (Mostly)
Olive’s relationship with vegetables is…complicated. After months of rejection, I’ve found three she tolerates:

• Cooked sweet potato (cold, cubed, and the size of her fingernail)
• Peas (frozen, thawed, and squished—presentation matters)
• Bell pepper (tiny red bits only—she’s a diva about colors)

4. The “Why Are You Like This?” Treats
Every hedgehog has a weird craving. Olive’s is unsalted canned chicken. Not fresh-cooked, not freeze-dried—specifically the mushy canned stuff. I’ll microwave a pea-sized blob, and she’ll sprint laps around her wheel afterward like she’s had espresso.

5. Water, But Make It Fancy
Hedgehogs are notorious for ignoring water bowls. Olive refused to drink until I got her a ceramic fountain meant for cats. Now she splashes in it like a mini hippo.

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Foods That Almost Got Me Uninvited From Hedgehog Book Club

Learn from my mistakes:

• Mealworm overdose: Too many caused weight gain. Now I limit her to 6-8 daily.
• Strawberry incident: She dragged a slice into her igloo, then got sticky fur. Cute? Yes. A pain to clean? Absolutely.
• The Great Cheese Debacle: A tiny bit of cheddar gave her diarrhea for two days. Never again.

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Our Daily Feeding Routine (Because Hedgies Love Drama)

7:30 PM: Olive’s wheel starts squeaking—her version of ringing a dinner bell.

• Step 1: 1 tablespoon cat kibble in her ceramic dish (metal bowls = noisy = she hates them).
• Step 2: 3 mealworms scattered around her cage for “hunting.”
• Step 3: A single pea or sweet potato bit placed just so near her water.

Every third night, I’ll swap mealworms for 2 crickets. On Saturdays, she gets a chicken blob the size of a pencil eraser. Consistency keeps her from turning into a picky monster.

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How to Know You’re Nailing It (Besides the Lack of Food-Throwing)

• Poop patrol: Healthy hedgehog droppings are dark, firm, and smell…well, not great, but not apocalyptic.
• Weight checks: Olive’s ideal weight is 1.5 pounds. I weigh her monthly in a kitchen bowl (she thinks it’s a game).
• Midnight munchies: If I hear her crunching kibble at 2 AM, I know she’s happy.

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Final Word: It’s Worth the Effort

Feeding a hedgehog isn’t like pouring kibble for a golden retriever. There’s research, trial and error, and the occasional bug-escapee under the fridge. But when Olive climbs into my lap after dinner, her little belly full and her whiskers twitching, I know I’ve gotten it right.

Start with the basics, watch your hedgehog’s quirks, and don’t stress if they hate broccoli. After all, wouldn’t you rather eat mealworms too?

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