Vegetables are considered healthy snacks that are safe for hedgehogs to eat.
However, not all vegetables are healthy for them.
Some vegetables, including onion, garlic, mushroom, tomatoes, and celery are not recommended as a treat for hedgehogs since they can be toxic, or can cause damage to a hedgehog’s health.
So, what vegetables can hedgehogs eat? Here is a list of veggies that they can safely consume provided that they given in moderation.
1. Asparagus
Asparagus is a healthy snack for hedgehogs. Just make sure not to cook it with oil, butter, or seasonings.
To prepare, steam or boil it then cut into smaller pieces before giving to your hedgehogs.
Asparagus is rich in protein, fiber, vitamins A, C, E, K, folate, potassium, and phosphorus.
2. Broccoli
As long as given in moderation, broccoli is safe for hedgehogs to eat.
To prepare, steam it until it is tender then cut it into smaller pieces to avoid choking hazards.
Broccoli is 89% water, and contains protein, fiber, vitamins C, K1, B9, potassium, manganese, and iron.
3. Cabbage
Hedgehogs can eat boiled or steamed cabbage without any oils, seasonings, and butter. It is not suggested to feed it raw since it is hard and can be difficult for them to chew.
To prepare, wash the cabbage before grating and cooking. Make sure that it’s cut into smaller pieces to avoid the risk of choking.
Cabbage contains fiber, vitamins C, K, B6, manganese, folate, calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
4. Carrots
Carrots are considered a healthy snack for hedgehogs, but since these vegetables are starchier than the others, you must be extra careful when feeding them.
The starchier the vegetable is, the more carbohydrates it contains which can result in an increase in blood sugar levels.
To prepare, boil or steam the carrots and once they cooled down, cut them in small pieces.
Make sure that they are soft and easy to chew before giving them to your hedgehogs since raw or undercooked carrots can lead to possible choking.
Also, it will be healthier if you don’t cook vegetables in butter, oil, or any seasonings.
Some believe that the starchiness of these vegetables can cause indigestion in hedgehogs, so some owners opt not to feed them at all.
Just to be extra sure, you might want to consult your veterinarian before feeding them one.
Carrots are a great source of minerals and vitamins, including vitamins A, C, K, potassium, fiber, calcium, and iron.
5. Zucchini
Zucchini is a tasty treat for hedgehogs, provided that they are plainly cooked, preferably by steaming or boiling.
Do not give hedgehogs raw zucchini as it may be difficult for them to break down, increasing the risk of choking.
Before giving any of these to your hedgehogs, make sure that it is cooked, cooled down, and cut into tiny pieces.
Zucchinis are packed with vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, C, K, B6, manganese, potassium, magnesium, folate, copper, phosphorus, thiamine, and small amounts of iron, zinc, calcium, and other B vitamins.
6. Cucumber
Cucumber is high in water content, which makes it a great snack to hydrate your hedgehogs.
To feed, peel the cucumbers before cutting them into small pieces. Serve them as is, without any addition of oil or seasonings.
Aside from hydrating your hedgehogs, cucumbers also provide fiber, vitamins C, K, magnesium, potassium, and manganese.
7. Green Beans
Another healthy treat for hedgehogs are green beans.
These vegetables need to be washed, sliced into smaller pieces and cooked without oil or seasoning before giving to your pets.
Like other hard vegetables, raw green beans should not be given to hedgehogs as it may cause an increased risk of choking.
The nutrients that are present in green beans are vitamins A, K, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium.
8. Kale
Kale can be eaten by hedgehogs but extra care must be given to ensure that it is safe for them to eat.
It’s better if you can find a supplier that produces kale without any pesticides or chemicals.
In any case, it is still best to wash fresh kale leaves thoroughly before steaming or boiling them to ensure that no insects, chemicals, pesticides, or parasites are still present in these veggies.
Kale must be given to hedgehogs on rare occasions as it can increase vitamin A and iron residue in a hedgehog’s body which can lead to health concerns.
Aside from vitamin A, kale contains vitamins B6, C, K, manganese, calcium, copper, potassium, and magnesium.
9. Leafy Greens
Like kale, other leafy greens including spinach, cabbage, watercress, arugula, swiss chard, bok choy, microgreens, collard greens can provide nutrients for your hedgehogs.
However, you must be extra careful before giving them these. Make sure that they are washed thoroughly to remove any pests, insects, parasites, pesticides and other chemicals that may be present in these vegetables.
Then, cook through boiling or steaming before cutting them into smaller pieces.
While these vegetables do provide excellent nutrients for your hedgehogs, leafy greens must be given in moderation since too much of it can lead to bone issues.
This is because when the oxalate that is present in leafy greens is combined with calcium, it causes the calcium to stop depositing in the bones, rather, it is expelled out of hedgehog through poop and urine.
10. Lettuce
Lettuce is a healthy treat for hedgehogs, especially the Romaine variety.
The Iceberg variety is higher in water content, which means it has less nutritional value.
Meanwhile, Romaine lettuce contains vitamins A, C, K, calcium, folate, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium which are all essential in hedgehog’s health.
Like with all other vegetables, make sure that it’s completely washed to get rid of any pests, pesticides, and insects that may still be present on it.
11. Pumpkin
Steamed or boiled pumpkin is a tasty snack for hedgehogs.
Cook it without any oil, fat, or seasoning, then it’ll be healthier for your hedgehogs to consume.
Before giving it to your pets, make sure that it’s cooled down and cut into very small pieces to ensure that they won’t choke while eating it.
Pumpkin also gets moldy easily, so it is recommended to feed them these treats under your supervision.
Pumpkin contains essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamins B6, C, E, K, potassium, iron, folate, copper, manganese, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, and thiamine.
Conclusion
And that ends our article for today.
Now that you know what vegetables are safe for your hedgehogs to eat, it is your responsibility to feed them in moderation.
Keep in mind that too many treats can cause them more harm than good, so don’t overdo it when it comes to vegetables.
If you find this content helpful, feel free to share it with your family and friends!
Resources
- https://africanpygmyhedgehogs.com/2019/09/18/what-vegetables-can-pygmy-hedgehogs-eat/
- https://www.thesprucepets.com/what-do-hedgehogs-eat-4588705
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/broccoli#vitamins-and-minerals
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/asparagus-benefits#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-cabbage#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2
- https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/benefits-carrots
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/zucchini-benefits#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-of-cucumber#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/285753#nutrition
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-proven-benefits-of-kale#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/pumpkin-nutrition-review#TOC_TITLE_HDR_4
