# INSECTS??



## imthewon (Jan 2, 2011)

I tried looking on the web and cant really find a list.
Besides crickets and mealworms, et. (feeding bugs found at the pet store), does anyone know of a list or of any types of insects that are SAFE to feed my hedgehog? Like, what about earthworms? And beatles? (like the ones that mealies turn into) And catapillars, et?
Yes, I am obviously aware that picking random ones out of my backyard to give him is not safe, which is why I'm asking this. I was just curious if there's a "safe list" or anything I can use to save money and mix things up a bit for variety (like if I find a bug in the house that's safe I could just throw it in the food bowl for a snack~).
So what's the verdict?
Thank you


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## pooka dotted (Jan 5, 2011)

mealworms and crickets are the best because although they have high fat and protein levels they are the healthiest in my opinion when it comes to the safe list. Finding a bug in your house does not mean it's safe. It could have harmful bacteria or parasites on it that you can't see with the naked eye. Wax worms are another type of critter that is okay but VERY VERY fatty. If you would like variety I suggest feeding different foods such as unseasoned baked chicken, cooked veggies, or other foods from the diet and nutrition page. The reason that mealworms and crickets are good for hedgies is they're outer exoskeleton contains chitin. Which aids in keeping a hedgie healthy. Fiber can be substituted for chitin. Caterpillars and earthworms don't have chitin.


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

I agree with pooka...you never know what a 'wild' bug's been into...the beetles that result from the mealies are a definite favorite of Snarf's...the crunch makes me gag but Snarf and my BF LOVE them. um...Jamie loves to see/hear the eating, not eat them himself. Yet. :roll:

Snarf wouldn't eat any other treats until I tried dried fruit (apple, banana, mango, apricot)...he mows these down pretty good. Make sure the pieces are teeny - the banana is like cement and the apple like chewing gum :lol:


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=151
This has a list of some of the bugs that are most commonly used, and their fat content, etc.

I do have red wigglers (earth worms) that I use to help compost my kitchen veggie scraps. Collectively named "George'. :roll: (Good for fishing & also for fertilizing the garden too!) Only Zoey tried one & I don't think she liked it very much. She won't even look at them now. I don't blame them. If you wanted to try worms, you wouldn't want to give them any that you got from a bait store or anything. You have no idea what they eat. I originally got mine from the wormguy, but they ate kitchen scraps for quite a while before I felt comfortable even trying to feed them to my hedgies. Anyway, I personally don't think it's worth the effort to try earthworms.

Your best bet is probably mealworms. Your hedgie can eat them in all 3 stages. Mealworm, alien, beetle. And they are super easy to grow at home. They aren't as fatty as waxworms (I only use them because Cholla is so hard to keep weight on), & they don't bite like superworms.


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## lmg_319 (Oct 4, 2010)

PJM said:


> http://hedgehogcentral.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=151
> 
> Your best bet is probably mealworms. Your hedgie can eat them in all 3 stages. Mealworm, alien, beetle. And they are super easy to grow at home. They aren't as fatty as waxworms (I only use them because Cholla is so hard to keep weight on), & they don't bite like superworms.


Is the alien stage when it looks like their outer skin has peeled off? I keep mine in the fridge and I never fed those ones because I didn't know if they were safe. Also, when they turn black-ish, are they still ok?


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## Ophelia (Dec 10, 2010)

Black mealies are a no-no.


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## lmg_319 (Oct 4, 2010)

I thought they were a no-go, but what does it mean when they are aliens/beetles then?


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

The life cycle of a mealie:

starts like a gross little egg
grows into a teeny gross little worm
grows into a larger gross worm - crunchy at this stage
loses gross crunchy skin
shows up as verrrrrry gross alien-looking....thing....
grows into a gross beetle - very crunchy at this stage
lays gross little eggs 
repeat

Black = dead or almost

I am gagging just typing this. Gawd how I hate mealies.
But don't get me started on the cricket incident. :roll:


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## haleylove (Jan 19, 2011)

> Gawd how I hate mealies.


Wouldn't have guessed. :lol:


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

MissC said:


> The life cycle of a mealie:
> 
> starts like a gross little egg
> grows into a teeny gross little worm
> ...


 :lol: :lol: I don't mind mealies or beetles but I feel the same way about the aliens...yuck. My girl hedgie just decided one day recently that if I gave her an alien instead of the others that she was going to protest by eating all of it but the very top...gross and she got her way and doesn't get that stage anymore :lol: I so knew it was on purpose too because there was three in there and they were identical when she got through. She's like a little huntress with crickets though and chases them down in the bathtube like she was a lioness hunting a gazelle :lol:


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## imthewon (Jan 2, 2011)

Wow, thank you very much for the informative responses. I was afraid I would just get a bunch of people acting as if I was being careless by looking up things not bought in a pet store for hedge food. As long as we are safe about it, I personally think that there's nothing wrong with it. I think it would be really neat if I were to find a bug that snuck into my house and instead of picking it up with a paper towel and flushing it or trashing it or throwing it back outside, I instead just put it into the cage to become a hedgie delicacy.
Well, can't wait for summer to come so i can see what buggies I have in my back yard that he can enjoy!
Have a good day


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## imthewon (Jan 2, 2011)

PJM said:


> & they don't bite like superworms.


Umm, ahem, , , Excuuuuuse me?


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## imthewon (Jan 2, 2011)

Wow hedgieonboard that is such a good idea I'm so glad you mentioned crickets in a tub, i never thought about that before. I'm definitely going to try that this week now.
I like literally haven't bought crickets because I honestly don't really know what to do with them if alive. I mean, I don't want them loose in the cage which can get loose in my room and do the chirping business, et. k


It's also good to know that I can feed them during the alien stage. I was always "better safe than sorry" with mealings not in mealing form


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

Your best bet is to buy bugs. You wouldn't want to let your hedgie eat bugs that you find (either from the house or yard), because there's lots of pesticides, etc out there. Bugs you buy, you have control of what they eat. You can "gut load" them - which means to feed them all the wonderful veggies that you WISH your hedgie would eat, but doesn't have any interest in. 
I usually feed my mealies carrots, potato, apple. Whatever.

And the superworms - they do bite & if you ever get superworms (which look like huge mealies), you would want to cut off their heads before feeding them to your hedgie. At least 1 hedgie has died because a superworm bit him from the inside. 

Have fun with crickets in the tub!


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