# Treats?



## michellemorgan (Dec 5, 2011)

Are there any treats out there that are suitable for hedgehogs? I've been told mealworms can be used daily in there diet or as a treat (I usually give Gus one or two when he's out playing with me in the evenings).

Some people say some treats like those for hamsters or rabbits are okay, i thought i'd ask the people that know best!

Thanks


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

Personally I'd be wary of any of those treats made for hamsters and rabbits. Those are usually full of sugar and really bad for them
You can try giving various fruits such as strawberrys(careful of the seeds), watermelon, and apple. Or you can try veggies such as sweet potato. 
Organic baby food is a nice treat.
Crickets are another type of bug you can feed. As well as dubias (which I like ALOT more then crickets, don't jump or smell)


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## michellemorgan (Dec 5, 2011)

Alright, thank you!


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

The other main problem with hamster/rabbit treats is that most of the time, they're seeds or hay, neither of which hedgies need. Seeds can actually pose a choking hazard as well.

You can feed more mealies if you want, just keep an eye on his weight and adjust based on that. If he's still a baby, then some weight gain will be completely normal, as he'll still be growing. Just make sure he's not getting pudgy and you can offer more mealies (like 4-6 a night seems to be the norm).

As SUAS said, fruits and veggies also make good treats, if your hedgie will try any. Some refuse to ever touch a fruit/veggie, some will find a couple favorites. Some common favorites among hedgies seem to be watermelon (or other melons, like honeydew or cantaloupe), berries, and peas. Here's a list of safe fruits & veggies - viewtopic.php?f=6&t=60&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=fruit+and+veggie I've also found that if your hedgie won't touch a fruit/veggie in its normal form, a lot of times they'll give baby food a shot. I can give Lily any fruit or veggie baby food mixed with a little bit of chicken or turkey baby food and she'll scarf the whole pile down. Plain cooked meat is also a good treat, and usually pretty eagerly accepted.


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## newfie_nurse (Apr 28, 2011)

I wouldnt feed your hedgie any commercially made treats for small animals . Many of them are just sugar or have things in them even toxic to hedgies.

Alot of people feed meal worms, crickets,( live or canned bugs work great) baby foods, different fresh fruits and veggies (there are lists on this website) , ground chicken or turkey cooked
hedgies are very finiky eaters at best. I have had luck with live meal worms, canned crickets, cat treats (on very rare occasion) ,apples, blueberries, ground meets, and fruity baby foods ( but no citrus)
I hope someone else can add to the list for you.


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## michellemorgan (Dec 5, 2011)

Awesome, thanks guys!  i'll try giving him some fruit and see if he enjoys it.


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## Mr.President (Nov 29, 2011)

I've heard that most hedgehogs like fruits, but Mr. President doesn't seem to like most of them except apples (golden delicious are her favorite) and sometimes a bite or two of banana. She doesn't care about any berries, pears, etc.

Her favorite veggie: _peas!_ And they're so simple too. I just buy a bag of frozen sweet peas & I give her a few at a time. I hide them in her toys/tubes/under crumpled paper, etc. and she likes to find them. She used to like lima beans, but she won't touch them anymore. o.o?

I have access to a salad bar at work, so I bring home random veggies (mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach, etc.) to see if she likes them. Occasionally she'll eat something new, and it's a nice way to offer her variety without having to pay a lot of money for veggies that may go bad.

As for insects, she doesn't like the pre-packaged, freeze-dried kind. Instead, we buy live crickets, but we put the whole bag in the freezer when we get home. Once they're frozen, we put them in a tupperware container and leave them in the freezer. We pull 2-3 out at a time and let them thaw before we give them to Mr. President. That way, they still taste fresh to her, and there's no smell and no jumping!!


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