# Other insects



## Chinchi (Jul 8, 2009)

I was just wondering what you give your hedgies besides mealies?

My plan is to farm:
Mealies
****roaches
Crickets
Sun beetle larvea
Maybe walking sticks
Giant african snail (when small I hope they can supplement on calcium for the hedgie)

I'm also facinated by invertebrates, and would just like a couple of these to look at, if anybody is wondering 

Can the normal species of millipedes kept as hobby animals also be used as a snacks?

Any thoughts?


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## gyaku (Jul 9, 2009)

Walking sticks would be good except for one factor, they tend to have a hard exoskeleton that doesn't digest very well, plus trying to find some that don't have pesticides is another issue. Snails (according to my book) "Though Snails sound like the perfect treat, a lot of preperation has to go into making it something decent.". ****roaches I would say no, since there is no nutritional value, (I used to be in the air cadets so I have lived off bugs for a while... Some of them are freaky at first but then you get used to them.) Beetle larve would be hard to get with out pesticides, though it would make a good once a week treat, its high in protien and fat, and a few other things. Crickets although they are noisy buggers especially at night, they make a great treat and supply good exersise. Though keep in mind some hedgehogs are very fussy about what they eat. So just learn the type your hedgehog is. 
Millipedes, it depends on where you live... If you live in Mexico or the southern states NO! Since they are poisonous to humans (and any other animal that touches it). African ones are easy to remove the venom, though I still think it would be too big to feed to your hedgehog. If you live here kill it first then boil it in hot water with a bit of vinger (have to check with the vet, but this is what you do in the forest when you are living off bugs) it might help to boil a few that way they don't burn as fast, after about 15-35secs it should be pesticide free. Note this trick doesn't work on all bugs... I used to have a Walking Stick as a pet, since it didn't move much nobody noticed it died for 2 weeks.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

gyaku said:


> I used to have a Walking Stick as a pet, since it didn't move much nobody noticed it died for 2 weeks.


Sorry for being OT, but that just cracked me up and I could stop laughing. :lol: I blame it for being late at night XD


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## Chinchi (Jul 8, 2009)

I'm sorry to say that you are wrong about the ****roach thing.
It depends on what you feed them.

About the whole pesticide thing, I don't see how you get that into a coloni when all the bucks are animals also used for feeding spiders and so on. It's not like I'm going to get them from the wild...


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## gyaku (Jul 9, 2009)

The walking stick I had may move his head once a day or maybe climb the branch a little more every day, and I only saw it do this 4 times during its 4month lifespan. About ****roaches yes I admit I can be wrong, it does depend on what you feed them, still I would say they don't make the best insect treat.
Keep in mind that hedgehogs don't really have a very strong stomach acid in their stomachs, spiders that would be a completely different way of eatting all together.


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

I personally think that roaches (specifically hissing roaches) are very nutritious. They are great for herps and I have given Inky the nymphs, he loves them. He likes the roaches much more than crickets. Of course mine have a very strong smell to them, I feed a lot of fruits. That might be why. ( I feed the crickets the same things, they just don't smell as strong )


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## gyaku (Jul 9, 2009)

I don't really trust the blocks (blocks of bug food you find at pet store), my mealies I put and apple core once every 2 days, plus they multiply like mad. Grasshopers I feed aphids (bought at pet store though they are dead) and many varieties of fruit. Last night I had a person call me about stink bugs, I don't know who did but it was a weird convorsation...


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## joel Thompson (Aug 4, 2009)

avoid slugs and snails as they are infected with neamatodes which are the biggest killer of wild hogs.
however farmed ones may be ok.
its a myth that slugs and snails are the main source of a wild hedgehogs diet and its exactly that thinking that wiping out native british hogs.
we have done a graet job of wiping out cattapilars and beatles in this country which are in fact the hedgehogs main food thats why we are loosing so many wild hogs over here.
combine with larger numbers of urban foxes who have figured how to kill the guys and they are poor shape.

anyway for this reason slugs and snails should be avoided,

J.
p.s. neamatode is a generic term for worm.


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## amanda (Nov 24, 2008)

LizardGirl is right about ****roaches being nutritious. Dubia and crickets are great as long as they are gut loaded properly. Pet store foods for your insects are fine, just remember, the things your insects are eating are what your hedgie is eating. Check out labels and read the nutrition info.


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