Wild Hedgehog Diet and Urban Feeding Welfare

Hedgehog populations have declined dramatically in the UK, and urban hedgehogs benefit from supplementary feeding. Understanding what and how to feed hedgehogs correctly is essential for avoiding harm while providing welfare benefit.

Key Facts

UK hedgehog populations declined by approximately 50% between 2000 and 2020 in both rural and urban areas
Hedgehogs are insectivores requiring a varied diet of invertebrates, earthworms, beetles, and other prey
In gardens, appropriate supplementary foods include wet cat or dog food (chicken or meat based), hedgehog-specific food, and mealworms in small quantities
Milk and bread - traditionally fed to hedgehogs - cause diarrhoea and nutritional deficiencies and must never be provided
Mealworms, if given in large quantities, can cause metabolic bone disease due to calcium-phosphorus imbalance
Water should always be provided alongside food - hedgehogs in summer can become dehydrated
Feeding stations that exclude cats and foxes improve the welfare benefit of supplementary food for hedgehogs
Feeding hedgehogs in late autumn can delay hibernation, which may be harmful in cold climates

Welfare Considerations

Supplementary feeding of urban hedgehogs provides genuine welfare benefit during periods when natural prey is scarce - autumn, drought periods, and in areas where invertebrate abundance has declined. The welfare risk comes from providing inappropriate food (milk, bread, excess mealworms) that causes nutritional harm, or from creating food dependency that reduces natural foraging behaviour. The best welfare approach is providing correct food in hedgehog-appropriate quantities, ensuring water is always available, and supporting the natural invertebrate-rich garden habitat that allows hedgehogs to supplement supplementary food with natural prey. Supplementary feeding is a supplement to habitat management, not a replacement for it.

What You Can Do

Provide wet cat or dog food (meat-based, not fish) and fresh water at ground level for visiting hedgehogs
Never provide milk, bread, or large quantities of mealworms
Install a hedgehog feeding station to reduce competition from cats and foxes
Create invertebrate habitat in your garden - log piles, leaf piles, and native plants - to support natural hedgehog foraging
Leave hedgehog access gaps in garden fences (13cm x 13cm) to enable free movement between gardens
Monitor visiting hedgehogs' body condition - thin hedgehogs in autumn may need wildlife rescue assessment