New and potential hedgehog owners always consider this question: “What do hedgehogs eat?” Diet and nutrition are crucial aspects of pet ownership, and as a hedgehog owner, you should always be willing to give hedgehogs a variety of foods to satisfy their needs. Hedgehogs are always willing to try new foods because they appreciate a varied diet and have a profound appetite. Hedgehogs mostly eat proteinous foods like insects, but they also do enjoy eating fruits and vegetables.
In this article, we shall find out if hedgehogs can eat broccoli? Or if broccoli is one of those vegetables we should keep far away from a hedgehog’s platter.
What Is Broccoli?
Broccoli is frequently referred to as “little trees” due to its tightly packed, dark green blooming head and light green stalk.” There are three main types of broccoli that are typically grown in the world today. The most well-known variety is Calabrese broccoli, commonly referred to as just “broccoli” and named after the Italian region of Calabria. It has robust stalks and huge greenheads. White or purple sprouting broccoli contains several heads with numerous thin stalks. In North America and Europe, purple cauliflower, often known as violet cauliflower, is another kind of broccoli grown on those continents. It has a head that resembles a cauliflower but is made up of several small flower buds.
The Nutritional Composition Of Broccoli
NOTE: The Table Below Includes Only The Most Relevant Information.
| Name | Broccoli’s Quality |
| Energy | 39 kilocalories |
| Water | 90 grams |
| Protein | 2.57 grams |
| Fat | 0.34 grams |
| Carbohydrate | 3.8 grams |
| Fiber | 2.4 grams |
| Sugars | 1.4 grams |
| Calcium | 46 milligrams |
| Iron | 0.69 milligrams |
| Magnesium | 21 milligrams |
| Phosphorus | 67 milligrams |
| Potassium | 303 milligrams |
| Sodium | 36 milligrams |
| Zinc | 0.42 milligrams |
| Copper | 0.059 milligrams |
| Manganese | 0.197 milligrams |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.191 milligrams |
| Vitamin C | 91.3 milligrams |
| Vitamin E | 0.15 milligrams |
| Selenium | 1.6 micrograms |
| Folate | 65 micrograms |
| Vitamin A | 8 micrograms |
| Vitamin K | 102 micrograms |
| Beta Carotene | 93 micrograms |
Can Hedgehogs Eat Broccoli?
Hedgehogs are well known for their love of food. They’ll probably eat anything that can fit into their little mouths, whether it’s fruit, meat, vegetables, or even insects. So, of course, it’s good to know what they can eat and can’t so they don’t hurt themselves.
Hedgehogs need a well-balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals to stay fit and healthy. They may safely consume a wide range of fruits, poultry, mealworms, and vegetables, including broccoli. Edible vegetables will help your hedgehog stay healthy and should be given to them in little chunks so as not to overfeed them.
Health Benefits Of Broccoli For Hedgehogs
Broccoli is well-known for its positive impact on health and is a good source of fiber, vitamins, iron, and potassium, among other nutrients. It can be eaten raw and contains higher protein levels than most other vegetables.
From the nutritional composition table of 100 grams of broccoli above, it is evident that broccoli contains many essential nutrients a hedgehog needs to remain healthy. However, broccoli contains higher concentrations of sugar and fiber than carbohydrates and fats, so one may wonder if this is positive or negative.
Hedgehogs need a diet rich in fiber to maintain a healthy gut and properly digest the food they eat. Hedgehogs also use fiber as a source of energy, to break down vitamins that are not soluble enough for their stomachs and to maintain their immune systems. Hedgehogs also benefit greatly from eating foods rich in fiber because it helps them maintain their weight while ensuring that their digestive system performs its tasks smoothly.
Hedgehogs won’t gain or lose a lot of weight from eating a fiber-rich diet, so be sure to include fiber-rich foods in their diet whenever you can.
Health Risks Of Broccoli For Hedgehogs
In general, hedgehogs and sugar have a highly complicated relationship. Sugar does not appeal to most hedgehogs due to its flavor. However, some hedgehogs enjoy eating sugar constantly, so you can give your hedgehogs a little taste of some sugary foods to see if they like it. Nevertheless, sugar is considered junk food when it comes to being a part of a hedgehog’s diet. Hence, most hedgehog owners avoid sugary foods accordingly.
If you decide to give your hedgehogs some sugary foods, try to limit the amount of such foods and only include them occasionally in their meals. Excessive sugar consumption can lead to obesity and heart disease in hedgehogs.
However, it’s best not to worry about the quantity of sugar content in broccoli because the other rich nutrients in broccoli easily balance out its high sugar content.
How To Pick The Best Broccoli For Your Hedgehog
To choose the best broccoli, look for a reputable produce purveyor and examine the broccoli carefully for firmness and lack of bruises or discoloration. Dark green florets and light green stalks are signs of quality, and the head should be reasonably compact. Stores with high-quality produce and organic options may offer better options, and farmers’ markets can provide organically grown broccoli. Keep broccoli refrigerated in a plastic bag and do not wash it until ready to use to maintain freshness for up to five days.
How To Prepare Broccoli For Hedgehogs
How you prepare broccoli alters its flavor, texture and nutritional content. Your cooking method may prevent you and your hedgehog from consuming the most vital elements that broccoli offers, so it’s best always to prepare it correctly. It is crucial to introduce broccoli gradually to hedgehogs so they can get used to it easily or figure out if they enjoy eating it. They can eat any part of the vegetable once you’ve confirmed they like it.
Follow the steps below to learn how to prepare broccoli for hedgehogs efficiently.
It’s best if you give your hedgehog only organic broccoli. The vegetables sold at local markets are frequently doused with pesticides that may be harmful when consumed.
Always wash the broccoli before storing and feeding it to your hedgehog. Doing this ensures that all the dirt that might have gotten stuck to the vegetable is washed away.
Chop the leaves into smaller pieces to make the broccoli easier for your hedgehog to chew and swallow. You can also boil and mash it before feeding it to your hedgehog. Mashing it up after boiling it softens the broccoli and makes it easier to chew and digest. So always taking this route is a good idea.
Lastly, don’t forget to clean up your hedgehog’s cage once it’s done with its meal.
How Often Can Hedgehogs Eat Broccoli?
Give your hedgehog small quantities. Hedgehogs have small stomachs, so they can’t eat much. You can also combine small portions of broccoli with other fruits, vegetables and your hedgehog’s main meals. You can feed your hedgehog some broccoli twice or thrice a week.
How To Store Broccoli
Broccoli can be cryopreserved for a duration of 12 months. The cryopreservation procedure involves washing the broccoli, cutting the head into florets, and the stem into pieces. Blanching is performed by immersing the broccoli in boiling water for five minutes to maintain its color and flavor. The broccoli is removed from boiling water immediately and then chilled in ice water for 5 minutes. After draining, it is dried entirely and rapidly to remove any remaining water using a salad spinner or towel. Finally, the broccoli is placed in freezer bags and stored in a freezer.
Conclusion
Hedgehogs are perfectly capable of eating broccoli. This incredible vegetable has all the nutrients your hedgehog needs to stay happy and healthy. Feeding broccoli to hedgehogs in moderation is vital so they may obtain all the nutrients they require without having their digestive systems overworked.
To ensure your hedgehog can chew and digest broccoli, remember to cut the vegetable into tiny pieces or mash it up after boiling it.
And remember, broccoli should be reserved as a treat for hedgehogs or be fed to them as a part of their meals. Don’t make it a hedgehog’s main food.
