Can Hedgehogs Eat Zucchini? (Risks & Benefits)

Zucchini is a popular vegetable among us, especially for those on a diet. It is one of the healthiest foods one can consume! It is widely used in salads and detox waters to get rid of toxins while also improving taste. 

Well, we know zucchini is safe for humans. However, can hedgehogs eat zucchini?

Yes! Zucchini is safe for hedgehogs to eat. It makes for a great snack idea to serve your hedgehog occasionally. Like in the case of most foods, the key is to feed hedgehogs in moderation. As long as you still maintain a well-balanced diet for them, zucchini is an excellent addition. 

There are certain things you must keep in mind before feeding zucchini to your hedgehog. Continue reading to learn more about how you can incorporate this fantastic treat into your hedgehog’s diet!

Is Zucchini Safe for Hedgehogs?

Yes. As mentioned above, zucchini is completely safe to feed your hedgehog once in a while.

Hedgehogs can eat a relatively considerable amount of zucchini as it is a low-calorie treat.

They have 31% protein content and also offer fats, vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium and phosphorous making them highly nutritious for hedgehogs.

However, it is only healthy to feed your hedgehog zucchini as long as you regulate the portion.

Serving hedgehogs too much zucchini may result in severe health complications. This includes digestive issues leading to abdominal distress and diarrhoea.

It is easy to overfeed hedgehogs because of how tiny their bodies are!

Make sure you keep an eye out for overconsumption or you’ll be inviting obesity soon. 

How to Feed Zucchini to Hedgehogs?

Now that we know zucchini is safe for hedgehogs to consume, let’s look into the correct way it should be fed. 

Hedgehogs are small, little creatures with sensitive mouths and digestive systems. Consuming hard foods are challenging to them as they are more difficult to swallow.

For this reason, it is best to chop the zucchini up into smaller pieces before serving it to your hedgehog. And how small should you chop them? Honestly, as tiny as you can! 

Here’s a fun idea to serve this treat: Zucchini noodles! All you have to do is peel the skin off and cut it up into three pieces.

You can then grate these pieces for your hedgehog to enjoy these strings of zucchini or zucchini noodles! 

So, it is essential to cut up the zucchini into very small pieces to ensure your hedgehog can chew it easily without choking. 

Cooked Zucchini or Raw?

Raw zucchini is not the best option to serve these little creatures as they may have a hard time swallowing and digesting it.

If at all you do have to allow your hedgehog to eat it raw, make sure you chop the zucchini up into small pieces, so you ensure it doesn’t choke on it.

Feeding hedgehogs boiled vegetables is a good idea as they can swallow softer forms of food more easily.

As long as you ensure that the zucchini is plain cooked without any additives, you’re golden.

Adding ingredients such as oil, salt, pepper, butter, or other seasonings can cause serious health implications on your hedgehog’s health. Make sure the zucchini you feed your hedgehog zucchini has been cooked enough. You may worry that boiling vegetables may cause them to lose the present nutrients. But trust us, the number of nutrients present in well-cooked zucchini should suffice their little bodies.

Another point to keep in mind is not to serve hot food to your hedgehogs. As mentioned above, they have sensitive mouths.

Therefore, ensure that the zucchini you’re serving is brought down to room temperature so that your tiny buddy can eat it up quickly! 

What other vegetables are safe for hedgehogs to eat?

Zucchini is great for hedgehogs. However, if your hedgehog rejects zucchini or if you just want to mix it up sometimes, there are many other vegetable alternatives you can consider. Here is a list of ideas for you:

• Cucumber 
• Lettuce
• Spinach
• Green beans
• Asparagus 
• Broccoli 
• Dandelion greens
• Bell peppers 
• Tomatoes 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can hedgehogs eat courgettes?

Yes, courgettes or zucchini are safe for hedgehogs to eat. As discussed earlier, the only thing you must worry about is the portion of vegetables. Feeding appropriate amounts of courgettes to your hedgehog occasionally is a great idea. Overconsumption can lead to health issues such as abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and obesity. 

How much zucchini is recommended for hedgehogs?

It is essential to ensure that you do not serve your hedgehog excessive amounts of zucchini. Ideally, serving a teaspoon of zucchini twice every week on average should be good enough. 

Conclusion

We have finally reached the end of this post! Don’t worry, we understand how stressful it is to be a pet parent. “Can I feed them this?” “How do I feed this to them?” “Is this too much?”. These are all questions pet parents naturally ask. 

Zucchini is an excellent idea to treat hedgehogs with a couple of times a week, provided that you maintain a nutritious diet for them throughout. Please keep in mind that these are only snack ideas and not a whole meal. Moreover, portion control is everything. Allow your hedgehog to only eat appropriate amounts of zucchini to avoid impacting its health negatively.

Whether it is your own little friend or one that wandered into your backyard, we hope we made you feel more confident about serving hedgehogs zucchini!

We wish you and your hedgehog a great day!