# Home made forage out of nature



## lori (Sep 30, 2013)

I want to make a forage box for my hedgehogs and want to make sure the thins I use are safe..Chestnuts baked in over to kill any bacteria bugs ect
Fresh apple limbs boiled in water to kill any bacteria exit
Pine cones baked as well
Maple leaves dried 
Birch bark baked in oven to kill anything
Thanks add treats and meal worms they can forage in?? Any feed back would be great on safety and health issues


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I checked the ASPCA site for all of them. Personally, I wouldn't use the apple limbs (leaves, stems, etc. contain cyanide, not sure how risky the branches are) or the maple leaves (fine for cats/dogs, toxic to horses). There weren't any results on the site for birch, though. Hedgehogs are said to be pretty resistant to toxins, but considering how small they are, I'd personally rather play on the safe side, since a toxic dose for them would be pretty small and easy for them to consume quickly if they were tasting or eating something.

Here's the site if you want to check for other ideas - http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants


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## lori (Sep 30, 2013)

Thanks for the info I'll def check it out..


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

You could try dry grass or hay?

Aspen is considered hedgie-safe for bedding, so maybe an aspen branch to replace the apple branch?

It's a cool idea! Photos & stories once you test it out!


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