Used at Vale Wildlife Hospital
Vale Wildlife Hospital is one of the UK’s largest wildlife rescue hospitals. Their knowledge and expertise is reflected by the professional staff employed. Each year they rescue more than 7,500 injured and sick animals, including 2,000 hedgehogs. Vale Hedgehog Food is used daily to help rehabilitate them, helping them gain weight and vitality before release back to the wild.
What is it?
It’s made with plenty of meat and fibre, and selected vitamins and minerals, a balanced diet containing just what hedgehogs need. With a calcium/phosphorous ratio of 2:1 you know it will also build healthy and strong bones and spines.
The size and shape of the crunchy biscuit is designed to assist with dental hygiene, whilst remaining highly palatable to hedgehogs of all ages. Young or infirm hedgehogs may benefit by soaking the Vale Hedgehog Food in warm water for a few minutes before serving.
How does it help?
Hedgehogs are natural scavengers that eat almost everything they find. Unlike many kitten foods and other pet foods, Vale’s Hedgehog Food is made with lower protein and fat and higher fibre content. This makes it closer to the varied diet hedgehogs find in the wild. This creates a natural foraging eating habit, without creating dependence.
Offer a small handful of food per visiting hedgehog per night, along with a shallow sided dish with fresh water. Hedgehogs are regular foragers, and tend to feed for 5-15 minutes, then wander off, possibly visiting the feeding station 2-3 times a night.
Read more about Vale Wildlife Hospital at valewildlife.org.uk
In recent years Metabolic Bone Disease has become a contentious topic on social media. To understand more about this condition and how to prevent it, read our blog article MBD.
Vale Wildlife Hospital have also written a helpful guide to feeding hedgehogs in the garden.