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07 Jul 2018

What To Feed Pet Hedgehogs In South Africa

Posted By : Guest

Filed Under : Nutrition | Hedgehogs | Brambles

African Pygmy hedgehogs are becoming increasingly popular pets in South Africa but so far there has been no quality commercial food available. We are very pleased that Brambles hedgehog food will soon be available to buy online and at selected pet retailers in South Africa.

Brambles Pet and Wildlife is a family owned British company that are passionate about wildlife. Their vast experience for almost 30 years have given them the expertise to formulate foods that are nutritionally beneficial to wild animals and ensure that they do not contain any added sugar, colours, or artificial flavours.

Brambles Crunchy Hedgehog Food consists of small kibbles with poultry as the main ingredient. Ingredients that are commonly used in other commercial foods, such as mealworms that are potentially dangerous to Hedgehogs in particular, are not used, creating a healthy, natural and safe complementary food they can enjoy all year round.

Brambles Crunchy Hedgehog food is specially formulated to give the right balance of nutrients, vitamins and minerals for all species of hedgehogs. It contains delicious poultry and rice as well as other select high quality ingredients, and has an irresistible crunchy texture that is also great for dental health.

In the wild, hedgehogs are omnivores meaning that they will eat virtually anything and they are opportunistic feeders. Generally, however, insects such as beetles and earthworms in particular, make up a large part of the diet. As hedgehogs in UK are now on the endangered list many people have been feeding them mealworms and various commercial foods. Now many animal rescue centres are reporting hedgehogs with dental disease caused by foods containing sugar.

Also, increasingly hedgehogs are being seen with Metabolic Bone Disease in which bones and teeth are soft, deformed and easily fractured. The cause of this disease is Calcium to Phosphorus ratio imbalance in the blood due to food containing too much Phosphorous. To redress this blood imbalance Calcium leaches out of the bones and teeth resulting in very painful bone and dental abnormalities.

We do not recommend giving Hedgehogs any foods containing high levels of Phosphorous such as mealworms, peanuts and sunflower hearts.

In addition hedgehogs lack the enzyme Lactase and so cannot digest lactose found in milk. If given milk they can get digestive problems and diarrhea.

Each day offer a handful of Brambles food per hedgehog in a shallow dish. The Brambles hedgehog food is only a complementary diet and should only constitute 80% of diet. To ensure your pet hedgehog gets all the nutrition they need, the 20% balance of diet should be supplemented with insects, boiled eggs, fruit and vegetables.

Their favourite insects are mealworms and crickets. They can also eat beetles, waxworms, millipedes, grasshoppers, hornworms and maggots. Mealworms and crickets have an extremely poor calcium/phosphorous ratio which can cause life threatening problems such as Metabolic Bone Disease if eaten as staple diet.

This is debatable, but it is recommended to dust mealworms and other feeder insects with calcium and vitamin D3 powder before giving them to your hedgehog. Remember that insects are hedgies' junk food, so they good as treats, but should not make most of their diet in captivity and should not compromise their staple diet.

Your pet hedgehog can eat fruit such as berries, kiwi, papaya, watermelon, peaches, cherries, bananas and apples. Remember to feed only small portions occasionally since fruit contain sugar and can cause weight gain and diabetes.

Never give your hedgehog grapes or raisins as they can be toxic to them.

Your pet hedgehogs can be given vegetables such as courgette, green pepper, cucumber, broccoli, leafy greens and carrots. Make sure your vegetables are sliced in small pieces to make it easier for them to eat and cook harder vegetables such as carrots to make them softer.

Always ensure there is a supply of fresh water, particularly when feeding dry food and during warm weather.

African Pygmy hedgehogs have a lifespan of around 4-6 years but can live to be as old as 10. When picking up your hedgehog, do so by scooping him up from the belly. This will help you steer clear of the quills. When holding him in your hand, make sure that your other hand is protecting and supporting his back. He may be nervous and roll up in a ball at first, at which time you should remain calm and patient. In his own time, he will uncurl and start to sniff and explore. While the quills may look sharp, you are unlikely to be hurt by them.

There are many commercially available cages which are up to the task of housing a hedgehog, but bear in mind that hedgehogs require more space than a hamster or other small animal, and will need room to wander around and play in. Some hedgehogs may run in a wheel, but others will refuse to do so.

All wood shavings including kiln-dried pine are not recommended for bedding because they contain aromatic oils that are toxic to hedgehogs or dust that can cause respiratory conditions. We recommend Carefresh bedding because it is one of the safest and healthiest types of bedding for your pet.

African Pygmy hedgehogs may or may not be legal to own in your province in South Africa. In Gauteng and Limpopo hedgehogs are legal to keep as pets without a permit, whilst in Kwazulu Natal, Northern Cape, Mpumalanga and North West a permit is required. In Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Free State it is illegal to own a hedgehog as a pet. The government regulations are constantly changing so it is recommended you contact your local authorities in your province before investing in a hedgehog.