Hedgehog Supplementary Feeding: Best Practice

Supplementary feeding of wild hedgehogs is widespread in UK gardens. Done correctly it provides genuine welfare benefits, but inappropriate foods can cause serious harm.

Key Facts

An estimated 1 in 3 UK households that see hedgehogs provide supplementary food
Correct foods include wet dog or cat food (meat or fish, not fish-only), dry hedgehog biscuits
Bread and milk are harmful - hedgehogs are lactose intolerant and bread lacks nutritional value
Mealworms are addictive but dangerously low in calcium - causing metabolic bone disease
Feeding stations help prevent food from attracting cats or foxes that disturb hedgehogs
Fresh water should always accompany any feeding - dehydration is a significant hedgehog welfare issue
Autumn feeding helps hedgehogs build fat reserves for hibernation

Welfare Considerations

Supplementary feeding, when done correctly, provides genuine welfare benefits for individual hedgehogs - particularly in gardens with limited natural prey. Hedgehogs visiting gardens in late autumn may need extra calories to reach a safe hibernation weight. However, well-intentioned but incorrect feeding causes harm: lactose intolerance from milk causes diarrhoea and dehydration; mealworms cause a calcium-deficient metabolic bone condition that weakens bones progressively. The welfare difference between correct and incorrect feeding is significant. Every garden feeding station should have information on correct foods readily available.

What You Can Do

Feed wet cat or dog food (meat-based) and fresh water - never milk or bread
Avoid mealworms as a primary food - occasional treats only
Install a hedgehog feeding station to exclude larger animals
Provide fresh water year-round - this is as important as food
Join Hedgehog Street and record your feeding activity to contribute to population monitoring