# Wild Bugs & hedgehogs



## Kam (Nov 7, 2012)

I have a question!

So letting a hedgehog have some outside time, weather & temperature in mind,is considered ok as far as I've read, please correct me if I'm wrong.
However gathering wild insects for feeding is considered dangerous due to pesticides, parasites and natural poisons, understandable.

But I can't see how a hedgehog on the ground wouldn't come into contact with a bug and eat it before you could do anything.

So do you/ what are your thoughts on;
Letting a hedgehog play on grass, in leaves?
Anyone eaten a bug and been ok?
Anyone eaten a bug and not been ok?
Do you take extra medical precautions, if so, what?

Thank you, my hedgehog hasn't been outside yet, but I would love to do a photo shoot outside, I just want to be 100% positive that it won't affect her badly.
I live in a no pesticide zone, but I just don't see how she wouldn't find a spider or a pillbug or something crunchy.


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

With "wild" insects, one or two that they manage to catch and eat occasionally when playing outside isn't going to do anything. Even if they have toxins in them, they're so small that it's not going to be harmful. Still not great, but especially if you bring your hedgehog out often during the spring/summer, it's pretty much inevitable if they're a hedgie that likes insects.

If someone were to collect wild insects for a hedgehog, instead of going with captive-bred feeder insects, it's the quantity that would be the problem. Regular/large consumption of insects, if they have been exposed to pesticides or other toxins, would be detrimental in the long term as the toxins build up in the hedgehog's body.

I take my hedgehogs out all the time when the weather is warmer. There are a few things to be mindful of (temperature on the ground, having the option to seek shade and drink water if in a playpen, and birds of prey) but as far as eating a few bugs, it's nothing to worry about.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I think one of the other concerns I've heard is parasites in the bugs, but I'm not sure how common that is anyway. Like Moxie said, likely it's something uncommon that just gives an increased chance if you're deliberately feeding a lot of wild-caught bugs, not something that would probably be an issue from one or two nabbed ones when they're outside.

(And if you do an outside photoshoot at some point, you've gotta post the pictures!! )


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## Kam (Nov 7, 2012)

Thank you so much Moxie, that does help, I love your posts by the way, all off them, and Vendetta!

I promise I will post pictures of Mkuki once she's comfortable with it, I haven't had the best of luck with her so far but I think I finally fixed the problem so I still have hope.


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## Avarris (Dec 3, 2012)

With the temperatures thinking of climbing, we start getting that Spring Fever and thinking about taking our babies outside. I had actually worried a bit about the random bugs outside. Pippin is sure to devour whilst she's outside stretching her legs and taking in some much needed fresh air. Then I got to thinking about the randomly snatched spiders that she seems to find in the corners of the house that never seem to be free of spiderwebs no matter how many times you clean them. After reading this it puts my mind at ease, especially since Pippin is one of those insect loving hediges... The varacity she exhibits when getting her crickets.... I digress..... Don't freak out at the random house spiders Pippin finds, (About twice a month :lol: )don't fret over the random insect she finds out in the yard... Thanks so much for posing the question Kam. And of course Moxie for responding.


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

Kam said:


> Thank you so much Moxie, that does help, I love your posts by the way, all off them, and Vendetta!


Aw, shucks.  Thank you! Happy to help!


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## GailC (Aug 20, 2011)

I'm not sure if a hedgie would try and eat a firefly but I know that those can be deadly to reptiles so I would make sure your hog can't get any.


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## eskye (Oct 5, 2012)

*Re: Wild Bugs & hedgehogs*

With every type of pet that can eat insects, this question comes up. For the Caudata community, it is not uncommon to collect insects for feeding, given that you know they are pesticide free. I use wild caught earthworms for my reptiles and amphibians, but have not thought to give any to my hedgehogs. For the reptile community it can be a huge no-no as well.

The typical thing would be to advise against feeding them purposefully in large amounts, but that is not very necessary as a warning because a hedgehog's diet will mostly be their kibble anyway. If you know the area is pesticide free, I wouldn't think anything of your hedgehog eating a few. I might even encourage it if I found a crunchy beetle of a species I know. But this is all based on whether you really know the area you will be placing your hedgehog in - chemicals wise, and bug species wise. I wouldn't say parasites are rare, but the chances that a healthy animal would have any issues with a stray bug or two would be very low!

Granted, this is based off of my experience in the herp world, but given the sheer quantity of wild caught bugs I do end up feeding, and how many breeders I know do the same, I'm not going to exaggerate the dangers to you. Isopods are a favorite of mine to feed, by the way.


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