Food and Drink
PLEASE FEED HEDGEHOGS IN DRY WEATHER - OFFERING MEATY PET FOOD AND FRESH WATER CAN BE A LIFESAVER (British Hedgehog Preservation Society http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/)
Natural food - hedgehogs predominantly eat beetles along with caterpillars and earth worms.
You can put out a saucer of meat based dog or cat food (don't use fish) and your garden friend will treat this as a welcome supplement to its normal diet. If your unable to put food out please always make sure there is a dish of water especially during the summer months or in extreme weather conditions. They can have mashed up, meat based dog or cat food mixed with a little bit of cereal like weetabix, bran or wholemeal bread to give it some bulk. They can also have meat based cat biscuits as these are good for the teeth. Other "treats" can include sultanas, small pieces of fruit, cooked potato, light fruitcake, plain biscuits, cooked chicken, raw mince etc.
Feeding Stations It is a good idea to place the food in a feeding station to stop cats and dogs from stealing the food and to keep the hedgehog safe from predators whilst eating. You can either make your own or buy one of ours.
Nb. Never give cows milk to a hedgehog as they cannot digest the lactose.
