Did you know that hedgehogs can’t drink cows milk? They are intolerant to cow’s milk and should only drink hedgehog milk. I never realised I had so much in common with our spiny friends. Cow’s milk is very bad for Mr and Mrs Tiggywinkle because they can’t digest it; their stomachs don’t contain the right enzymes to process lactose.
What milk can hedgehogs drink?
Hedgehogs shouldn’t be given any milk; Research showed that lucky hedgehogs and other animals at the local wildlife sanctuary near where I live (Mrs Tiggywinkles) are given raw goats milk, something few people drink in England, but which is really growing in popularity. However goats milk also contains lactose, as mentioned in a comment below from Hogsbum. They can also drink other plants milks but would be happy with a saucer or bowl of water.
Why can’t hedgehogs drink cow’s milk?
Cow’s milk contains lactose, a natural sugar, which cannot be digested by hedgehogs. Larger mammals such as cats and us humans cope with it without too many problems because of our size. Some people however have an intolerance or allergy to cow’s milk. If this is you then you’re the normal one. The milk drinkers are the mutants! Check out the link below to another post, “Can’t drink milk – you’re normal!”
Cow’s milk can kill small mammals
For small mammals, drinking cow’s milk can actually be fatal. The smaller the mammal, the more problems it can cause; it gives them gastroenteritis and diarrohea and out in the wild it doesn’t take long for them to become too ill to defend themselves or too cold to survive.
What can hedgehogs eat?
Bread is no good for hedgehogs as it fills the animal up but does not have much goodness in it. The animal feels as if it has eaten plenty, but lacks the vitamins and minerals that it needs to stay healthy. Add this to being given milk and it doesn’t take long for a Hedgehog to become ill quickly. If you want to feed hedgehogs in your garden, they could eat some cat food, but they feed on snails, slugs, beetles, worms and other bugs, so they don’t really need food from us. Instead encourage these insects and bugs into your garden by leaving old wood to rot and leaving some areas wild, having plants that attract bees and butterflys too.
Tips for caring for a poorly hedgehog
They can get very cold quite quickly too so if you find a sick hedgehog keep it warm with an old jumper you don’t need anymore in a cardboard box and take it to your local vet or wildlife sanctuary.
Gluten free and dairy free hedgehogs
So there you go. Hedgehogs and other small mammals should eat a gluten and dairy free diet, just like you, me, and everyone with allergies, intolerances and coeliac disease. Remember, don’t give hedgehogs milk if you see one in your garden. A saucer of water and some cat biscuits or cat food would be fine for them, or they love slugs and snails if you can find any of them in your garden!
Photo by monicore by Pexels
Hogs should not be given ANY milk. Goat’s milk has marginally less lactose than cow’s but it still contains a lot.
Slugs and snails are less than 5% of their diet and they only eat them if there is nothing else. Earthworms, caterpillars and beetles are their staple diet. You should never round up wild food for hogs as you don’t know whether they have been poisoned which then gives secondary poisoning to the hog.
Thanks for your comment, I will udpate this blog to reflect your comments
Can hedgehogs drink cat milk as that is lactose free
They do not need milk so why would you consider giving them any milk. Fresh water is the healthiest drink for a hedgehog.
I think they could, but would be happy with water, so if it’s really dry they would appreciate a bowl of water.
“I never realised I had so much in common with our spiny friends.”
What else do you have in common???
Ha ha! I think I’d like to hibernate in winter so maybe hedgehogs are my friends