# Insects: how many per day?



## Lily624 (Dec 11, 2012)

Hey, my hedgehog is doing well. He's active at night, loves his food, drinks a good amount of water. Yesterday, I gave him a cricket and could not believe how fast he ate it! I mean, I have fed crickets to lizards before, and it usually takes them way longer the find the cricket. I didn't even see him catch it, I blinked and then he was eating it...

He loved it so much I thought I would give him them pretty often, considering I work at a pet store so I can buy him a couple almost everyday. But I don't want him to get overweight, so how often can he have them? And what about mealworms and waxworms? Are these treats healthier then fruits and vegetables? Or eggs?


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

Crickets are low in fat and can be fed quite a bit. Mealworms are higher in fat, and waxworms are very fatty, so unless your hedgehog needs extra fat, around 2-3 mealworms per day is the typical limit. I wouldn't even bother with waxworms. Insects are great to include in a hedgie's diet as long as you're mindful of the fat content.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

If you have a source to get them at (since many pet stores don't carry them), dubia ****roaches are another great feeder insect you could offer. I know other people on here have tried them with their hogs and had great results, I never got a chance to try Lily with them, or anything other than crickets/mealies.


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

Any feeder insects you can find are great to offer, though some are higher in fat than others. Just be sure to be feeding bugs from sanitary, healthy sources. Any type of roaches (not just dubia) are great, and typically not very high in fat. Roaches are way better than crickets, though crickets are fine and better than nothing. Gut loading helps immensely in having them be a quality addition to the diet. Don't feed more than a few mealies a night unless your hedgie can stand to gain some weight. I'd say most of our hedgehogs at a good weight can eat a good 2-3 full grown roaches along with a tablespoon full of other feeder insects (crickets, mealies, nightcrawlers, etc.) as a good max to make sure they get enough of their kibble as well.


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