# Hedgehogs eating scorpions?



## Kenzy (May 10, 2011)

I've seen videos on hedgehogs eating scorpions and giant spiders, but based on the footage it looks like the hedgehogs are in the wild. Would it be okay to try and feed your hedgehog either of these things, or is it generally a bad idea? Same question for small mice, as its said that hedgehogs also eat these in the wild. Does it make a difference in how the hedgehog learns to eat certain species depending on if they're domesticated or in the wild?


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

:shock: 

I worry about Snarf choking on a pea skin so there's no frigging way I would offer a scorpion. Besides, I get grossed out if a cricket escapes, so scorpions are a definite no-no...and I would think verrrry expensive??? You can't feed any that you find due to the possibility of chemicals, etc so you would have to buy them. I live in the frozen tundra in Canada so scorpions aren't exactly part of my every day experience.

I have never been so glad to enjoy 8 months of snow and cold. :shock:


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## Kenzy (May 10, 2011)

Yeah, that's something I don't really understand. I've heard cases of people's hedgehogs choking on different types of nuts, seemingly not that big (even though they weren't supposed to feed them nuts in the first place, but that's besides the point) and yet they say in the wild, hedgehogs can feed on scorpions, small rodents, etc. How is that possible, is it due to the fact that our hedgehogs are domesticated?

I live in Wisconsin so I'm used to the snow and the cold, it has yet to reach 60F here (15.5C) and it's the middle of May. I have no qualms about touching bugs/scorpions/etc, and if I ever was to try feeding my hedgehog a scorpion or something of the sort, I would of course monitor it to try and assure no escaping. I saw a live scorpion at the local PetCo here and it was only $14, so that's where I was considering buying it from, it would more likely end up being kept as a pet than a treat for my hedgie though ! If I were to use it as a treat, could I just chop it up in case it's not able to eat the whole thing?

The video I watched was this one: 



The hedgehog looks kind of big in this video, but it may just be how near the camera is zoomed in? There is also this video (



 - skip to about 0:53 to see the hedgehog eat the spider, apologies for the coarse language) but it was apparently shot in Iraq and might be the European breed of hedgehog as it looks a lot bigger than the African Pygmy?


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## NoDivision (Aug 29, 2010)

wild European hedgies =/= domesticated white belly/Algerian hedgehogs.


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

I'd imagine that hedgehogs could eat them.. but why would you spend that much money on a scorpion to feed to your hedgehog? There plenty of cheaper, just as nutritious, insects out there that you can readily get at pet stores. I wouldn't worry about the choking, but I WOULD worry about the venom. I don't know if tolerance to poison has been bred out of domestic hedgehogs, but I certainly wouldn't risk it.


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## Kenzy (May 10, 2011)

shaelikestaquitos said:


> I'd imagine that hedgehogs could eat them.. but why would you spend that much money on a scorpion to feed to your hedgehog?


I don't mind the money, and I was just curious about this whole thing. I probably won't try feeding him a scorpion.


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## silvercat (Oct 24, 2008)

There are some youtube videos of hedgehogs eating feeder mice I guess (so I've heard, but haven't looked myself). Because of the toxicity of a scorpions venom, I would stay away from that root. Crickets, meal worms etc are what my Annabell get's. If you wanted to try something different, I would go with a feeder mouse. That said - is your hedgehog much of a hunter? Annabell loves the crickets but doesn't like having to hunt them. She gets bored/frustrated when they move & just ignores them.


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## Kenzy (May 10, 2011)

silvercat said:


> There are some youtube videos of hedgehogs eating feeder mice I guess (so I've heard, but haven't looked myself). Because of the toxicity of a scorpions venom, I would stay away from that root. Crickets, meal worms etc are what my Annabell get's. If you wanted to try something different, I would go with a feeder mouse. That said - is your hedgehog much of a hunter? Annabell loves the crickets but doesn't like having to hunt them. She gets bored/frustrated when they move & just ignores them.


I've seen some of the videos of them eating the mice, but they're already killed. They eat pinkies with no problem at all, of course it's not like they're capable of posing a problem anyway. Most scorpions sold at pet stores aren't very poisonous at all, I would have to worry more about their pincers than their venom, especially given that hedgehogs are more resistant to toxins than other animals their size. Haha, Annabell sounds kind of cute !


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## silvercat (Oct 24, 2008)

Kenzy said:


> Haha, Annabell sounds kind of cute !


 Thanks, & she is. But she's also a little princess diva. Lazy to-bo! Won't hunt her food. If it's not right where its supposed to be, won't eat it. (She will in her hut all day hungry rather than walking 5 steps to get food, but if I put food in the hut with her, she chows right down on it immediately)


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## Judi (Jul 9, 2009)

One problem with mice would be that hedgehog cages are generally not designed to contain a mouse, so if you put a live mouse in with your hedgehog, the mouse would probably escape and take up residence somewhere in your kitchen.

We have wild scorpions here...find them in houses sometimes especially new construction...but I wouldn't try feeding them to any of my hedgies. 

A scorpion being sold for $14 is not a feeder animal, it's being sold as a pet. It seems unethical to buy it as a (ridiculously overpriced) feeder animal for a hedgehog, when if you leave the $14 scorpion in the store, it's reasonable to expect that someone else will buy it as a pet.


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