# Slightly concerned about breeder's suggestions...



## HedgieHannah (Jan 23, 2014)

I bought my hedgehog from a pretty reputable breeder, from what I've seen, but I've still got a few concerns involving what she suggested for a diet.

For one, she practically requires that the hedgehog eat at least 10 (yes, 10) mealworms a day, which seems slightly strange, given they're treats and shouldn't be fed consistently like that... Or at least, to my understanding. Besides, my little Link won't even touch them, when offered or even combined with his food.

I'd also like to ask about vegetables and fruits. The breeder made strict specifications that hedgies shouldn't eat ANY, whatsoever. And that she had heard plenty of stories about "strawberry seeds being found in dead hedgehogs"... I understand that there are some vegetables to avoid, including raw carrots for their choking hazard, but shouldn't some fruits and vegetables, when used sparingly, be good for hedgehogs despite them not being able to digest them as well as other foods? From what I've seen on the forums, some vegetables and fruits _are_ okay, but I feel I'm getting mixed messages.


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

Insects are not mandatory. If he doesn't like 'em, no need to force the issue.

Some fruits and vegetables are safe. Here's a list of treats to try.

It seems like some hedgehogs like meats, some like veggies, some like fruits, and few like all three! Avoid spices, avoid choking hazards, avoid things that are toxic to other animals (avocado, grapes, garlic, onion). If in doubt, ask.

I was absolutely shocked that my little guy loves lettuce. I never would have thought something so dull would count as a treat, but he loves it! And it's a nice way to get more water into him.

Have we welcomed you to the forum yet? If you haven't seen it, check out this lovely care-guide.


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## RoseCityHedgehogs (Nov 29, 2012)

Hi Hannah. Hedgehogs absolutely need Chitin (found in the exoskeletons in bugs) EVERY DAY in their diet. Without Chitin they can't properly digest fats and proteins. Hedgehogs do NOT have the digestive enzymes to utilize cellulose (plant matter) and should NEVER be fed fruits or vegetables. Hedgehogs are in the grand order insectivore -they eat BUGS. They have the digestive enzyme called chitinase which gives them the ability to digest chitin which is found in the exoskeleton of bugs. You can read posts on forums all day long HOWEVER it doesn't mean what you are reading is TRUE. I have a college degree and 17 years experience in laboratory. EVERYTHING I have advised you on is PUBLISHED medical data. There is so much misguided information on the internet and is why I make very specific requirements on my health guarantee. Anyone can breed or raise a hedgie. Ask the people feeding their hedgie fruits and veggies if they even know WHAT digestive enzymes a hedgie has. I bet they didn't know until they read this post.


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## RoseCityHedgehogs (Nov 29, 2012)

Something else most hedgies breeders/owners don't know is that a hedgehog does NOT have a cecum. The cecum receives undigested food material from the small intestine -A hedgehog WITHOUT A CECUM CAN NOT PREVENT the undigested food from returning to the small intestine where it can become IMPACTED and kill your hedgehog. If you took the time to read my post above, you would have learned that the hedgehog does not properly digest cellulose (plant matter such as fruits and vegetables), therefore fruits and veggies would be that undigested food that can back up into your hedgehogs small intestine and could kill your hedgehog. 

It KILLS me to see these charts of "safe" fruits and veggies for hedgehogs. Peas are listed as a safe treat on the "safe" chart that is posted above. Peas are 5 times higher in Phosphorus than all of the vegetables (even though peas are not a veggie but a legume). Does anyone feeding peas (check your cat food labels) know what too much phosphorus does to a small animal? I'm guessing not if you are feeding them to your hedgehog... Too much phosphorus inhibits calcium absorption and causes kidney damage. Not such a "safe" treat. 

Out of the love and good health of our hedgies, please check the author's credentials of the material in which you seek advice. What is their college degree in? Do they have a college degree? I will be the first to admit, I am not a DVM, but I have spent 17 years providing clinical diagnosis and management by laboratory methods to our human doctors. Just sayin' LOL.


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## Tamsyn (Mar 6, 2014)

I would be very interested in reading the published material you quoted above. I was under the impression that the digestive system and dietary requirements of hedgehogs were not well-established, with the most recent substantive findings being found in the Journal of Nutrition in 1998 by Wendy S. Graffam, PhD, in which the findings indicated that wild hedgehogs are omnivorous, and can successfully digest small amounts of cellulose. If more recent and extensive research has occurred that refutes this then I would really like to see it. I've been disappointed by the lack of scholarly articles on these lovely little creatures.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Yes I too would be interested in seeing published data that show studies done specifically on hedgehog nutrition. 

In the years since hedgehogs were introduced as pets to North America, thousands of owners have given vegetables as treats as well as part of their hedgehogs diet. This includes owners who are college graduates, vets and vet techs, as well as scientists. If vegetables are such an issue, how come it has never been mentioned before, and why have we not seen or heard of impaction deaths caused by vegetable?


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Just thought I'd add that the superorder Insectivora no longer exists - they've disbanded it, so to speak, and split all of the animals previously in it into new orders. Hedgehogs are in their own order now, Erinaceomorpha. I'm in college now, and I'm actually in a Mammology class this semester. If I remember correctly, my professor told us the classification system we're using is from 2005, so it's been a while since they've been split up.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

You do realize that humans can't digest cellulose either right? Doesn't mean we can't eat it or that it's going to kill us. Also what about hedgehogs that won't eat insects at all? I have more than one college degree and a background in both veterinary and human medicine. Oh and all living creatures have more than one digestive enzyme otherwise they could only digest one type of food.



RoseCityHedgehogs said:


> Hi Hannah. Hedgehogs absolutely need Chitin (found in the exoskeletons in bugs) EVERY DAY in their diet. Without Chitin they can't properly digest fats and proteins. Hedgehogs do NOT have the digestive enzymes to utilize cellulose (plant matter) and should NEVER be fed fruits or vegetables. Hedgehogs are in the grand order insectivore -they eat BUGS. They have the digestive enzyme called chitinase which gives them the ability to digest chitin which is found in the exoskeleton of bugs. You can read posts on forums all day long HOWEVER it doesn't mean what you are reading is TRUE. I have a college degree and 17 years experience in laboratory. EVERYTHING I have advised you on is PUBLISHED medical data. There is so much misguided information on the internet and is why I make very specific requirements on my health guarantee. Anyone can breed or raise a hedgie. Ask the people feeding their hedgie fruits and veggies if they even know WHAT digestive enzymes a hedgie has. I bet they didn't know until they read this post.


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