The European hedgehog is found throughout Europe… https://www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/questions/answer/do-hedgehogs-hunt-mice This species has become a serious pest in areas where it has been introduced outside of its native range. In the UK, observations of hedgehogs eating frogs or toads are rare. Sometimes hogs may get overzealous in their attempts to tackle large slugs – a report from a rescue centre in 2009 described a hedgehog brought in with a very large slug lodged in its throat that had to be removed with tweezers. And it is omnivores that help them to survive in such diverse conditions. They will eat a mixture of plant and animal matter to maintain a balanced diet. We know what they eat from scientific studies that have analysed hedgehog poo or looked in the stomachs of hedgehogs killed on roads. In Hedgehogs, Reeve describes the hedgehog’s diet as “catholic and flexible”, explaining that: “In the two European species [europaeus and concolor], all relevant studies have revealed a dynamic, constantly changing balance of prey in the diet”. The dung and chafer beetles (scarabaeids) are also eaten with varying frequency, with the cockchafers (Melolontha) taken in vast quantities. That great Nature lover, Lord Lilford, tells how hedgehogs destroyed a whole colony of rats in a garden.”. We got out and walked up to it and it finally moved away to the side of the road. In The New Hedgehog Book, Pat Morris describes how one study of the stomach contents from 137 hedgehogs found beetles in 75% of them and earwigs in more than half. Additionally, hedgehogs will take fish if the opportunity presents and Cumbrian naturalist John Martin told me that he observed a hedgehog strip a brown trout bait, leaving only the skin and bones, after accidentally being caught in a mink trap. What do European hedgehogs eat? The most common pet species of hedgehog are hybrids of the white-bellied hedgehog or four-toed hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris) and the North African hedgehog (A. algirus). The European Hedgehog lives in Europe and into Asia. During his Ph.D. studies, Wroot found that earthworms contributed about 35% to the total energy intake of his hedgehogs, with chaetae (the bristles covering the earthworm’s body that help them move) recovered from 95% of scats collected. What Do Hedgehogs Eat? Tel: 01584 890801 Small spiders, thrips (Thysanoptera), mites and nematodes all feature on the hedgehog’s menu, but they are rare and there is some speculation that they, especially the latter two groups, may be ingested incidentally. Vegetables: Fresh tomatoes, fresh green beans, and cooked squash are some options that your hedgehog may enjoy. Most hedgehogs will have favorite foods and flat out refuse others. But most of all these animals prefer to be fed. So, what do hedgehogs eat in the wild? Molluscs, predominantly slugs and snails, feature to a varying extent on the menu and are usually taken from September onwards when other prey is scarce. The only thing that they have in common is that they are regarded ‘eastern Europeans’ by some. They … Hedgehogs are primarily carnivorous. As well as these, they also eat a wide range of other insects. Famously covered in spines, hedgehogs like to eat all sorts of bugs, but especially slugs and crunchy beetles. More infrequently, they will take advantage of carrion, frogs, baby rodents, baby birds, birds’ eggs and fallen fruit. In one such example on the Isle of Wight, consumption of wind-fallen apples and pears is believed to have caused a drunk-like behaviour in the hedgehogs (see QA). Hedgehogs have also been observed eating seed and other scraps that have fallen from garden bird tables and feeders. https://hedgehogkeeper.com/do-hedgehogs-hunt-and-kill-snakes One such location is the Western Isles of Scotland, where introduced hedgehogs eat the eggs of ground-nesting waders such as common snipe, dunlin, common redshank and northern lapwing. Hedgehogs are widely recognised as a potent ally in the garden, but what do they actually eat? Hedgehogs eat all kinds of invertebrates, as well as amphibians, birds' eggs and anything else they can catch; they particularly like big, crunchy beetles, earthworms and slugs, making them a gardener's best friend. They are most active at night and hibernate through winter. But, how much do you take care of them? They are part of their natural diet. In his New Hedgehog Book, Pat Morris suggests that most reports of hedgehogs predating mammals and birds are of dubious authenticity and should be treated with caution, many probably reflecting a hedgehog’s habit of scavenging carrion where available. Earlier the same year, Julie Stribley stumbled across a hedgehog eating a dead mouse in Rotherham while, in 2012, a friend of mine in Glasgow watched a hedgehog apparently hunting a house mouse in his garden (see QA). Hogs have nonetheless developed some specific techniques for dealing with otherwise tricky prey items. Caterpillars, and to a lesser extent butterflies, moths and skippers (collectively, the Lepidoptera) are often eaten, contributing 26% of the stomach’s wet weight contents in some samples. Hedgehogs from the northern part of Africa are called Algerian hedgehogs and have shorter faces and six toes on the back feet. But what food do we have that we can share with them? Additionally, in Wild Animals of Britain, Oliver Pike wrote: “If a hedgehog can find its way into a colony of rats, it will do valuable work in getting rid of these pests. When living in the wild, hedgehogs like to live in shallow burrows, about 20 inches deep. The most important invertebrates in their diet are worms, beetles, slugs, caterpillars, earwigs and millipedes. Hernández only dissected five hedgehog droppings, but three of these contained cherry seeds. The majority of their diet is made up of invertebrates (or creepy crawlies). Another option is to buy or build a hedgehog house. That’s it. It is estimated that hedgehogs may eat 40% of grass grubs during the flight season. Whether taken deliberately or incidentally, working in the León province of north-west Spain, Ángel Hernández at the University of Valladolid found that hedgehogs were a potential disperser of cherry seeds. Flies, especially larvae and pupae, are occasionally eaten. What do hedgehogs eat? It is smaller than the European hedgehog, and thus is sometimes called the African pygmy hedgehog.Other species kept as pets are the long-eared hedgehog (Hemiechinus auritus) and the Indian long-eared hedgehog (H. … Hence, do your research before providing anything. These tiny creatures are native to Europe, Africa, and Asia. What Do Hedgehogs Eat? Hedgehogs can definitely eat corn or sweetcorn. Slugs, earthworms, beetles,... Hedgehogs are omnivores and, in addition to insects, they will also eat birds’ eggs, young birds, frogs and fish. Using cat food was not an option since we didn’t want Spooky or other cats eating the food. What makes up a wild hedgehog’s diet? https://hedgehogged.com/what-is-the-natural-habitat-of-a-hedgehog Hedgehog specific biscuits: Here, we feed our visiting wildies with a mix of two things: Ark Wildlife hedgehog biscuits, and Ark Wildlife hedgehog mix. The eastern European hedgie lives in … Apparently “when the hedgehog moved on, it had a mouth full of feathers”. Overgrown patches, compost heaps and log piles can all be used by resting hogs. for hedgehogs, you can replicate the hedgehog’s natural diet by  providing any combination of meat-based dog and cat food, hedgehog food or cat biscuits. (See: Q&A - Do hedgehogs eat slugs and snails? https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/do-hedgehogs-hibernate.html It is also considered a pest in New Zealand where it preys upon various native fauna. Perhaps the most striking footage I have seen is a video of an adult hedgehog killing and eating a green woodpecker and one seizing and carrying away a fully-grown pigeon in Poland. In his book Curiosities of Natural History, published in 1903, Francis Buckland described an incident where a gamekeeper stumbled across a hedgehog with a young hare (called leverets) after tracking down a ‘terrible squeaking’. 18 Foods Hedgehogs Can Eat in Moderation: Cooked eggs Cooked chicken Cooked fish High-protein, low-fat canned dog food High-protein, low-fat canned cat food Pinky mice (pre-killed) Fresh tomatoes Fresh green beans Cooked squash Apples Bananas Berries … We have created an excellent resource for you to read. Apples, bananas, berries, and melons are popular choices among hedgehogs. Maurice Burton, in his book The Hedgehog, for example, recalls a letter sent to him by a lady in Hull in 1963 who described going to pick up a well-grown pullet from a lane near her house after hearing distress calls only to find a half-grown hedgehog clinging to its breast. 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