Can Hedgehogs Eat Tomatoes?
Tomato contains some nutrients hedgehogs require in their food, so feel free to add tomatoes to your hedgehog’s diet list. Nevertheless, eating too many tomatoes can negatively affect a hedgehog’s health. So be sure to feed your hedgehog only little pieces of the fruit.
Health Benefits Of Tomatoes For Hedgehogs
These are the health benefits of tomatoes for hedgehogs.
Vitamins
Tomatoes are packed with essential vitamins that can keep hedgehogs healthy. Tomatoes are a great source of vitamin C, which can help prevent cardiovascular disease in hedgehogs. In addition to vitamin C, tomatoes contain many vitamins K, A, and B-6. Vitamin A is essential for optimal vision and reproduction, vitamin K is vital for blood clotting, and B-6 is necessary for brain development.
Fiber
Tomatoes are also rich in fiber which is essential for a hedgehog’s gut health. Fiber also helps in getting rid of constipation and diarrhea.
Health Risks Of Feeding Tomatoes To Hedgehogs
These are the reasons why you shouldn’t let your hedgehog eat too much tomatoes.
Acidity
Tomatoes contain high levels of malic and citric acids, which can stimulate excessive gastric acid production in the stomach. Tomatoes are also more acidic than most other common fruits and vegetables. On the pH scale, which ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral and lower values indicating higher acidity, tomatoes typically have a pH fluctuating from 4.3 to 4.9, varying among individual fruits. That’s why limiting how much tomatoes hedgehogs consume is imperative, as they may have difficulty digesting large quantities of the fruit.
Sugar
Tomatoes also contain a significant amount of sugar, which is a good energy source if consumed in moderation. However, excessive sugar intake can cause an animal to get obese. Hedgehogs are particularly susceptible to rapid weight gain and obese related issues due to their small size. Additionally, overconsumption of sugar can cause diarrhea in hedgehogs as well.
Can Hedgehogs Eat Tomato-Based Foods?
Since tomatoes are safe for hedgehogs to eat, one may wonder if hedgehogs can also eat tomato-based foods, such as tomato sauces and ketchup. Nevertheless, it’s best not to feed hedgehogs any tomato-based foods since they often contain various additives, like salt, oil, and preservatives, which can harm hedgehogs.
What Parts Of Tomatoes Can Hedgehogs Eat?
Let’s find out which parts of the tomato plant hedgehogs can eat.
Can Hedgehogs Eat Tomato Leaves and Stem?
Removing the leaves and stems before feeding tomatoes to hedgehogs is important. This is because the leaves and stems of the tomato plant contain alkaloids such as solanine and tomatine, which can be particularly hazardous to hedgehogs. While a small serving may not be too harmful, it is best to avoid feeding tomato leaves and stems to hedgehogs altogether to err on the side of caution.
Can Hedgehogs Eat Tomato Seeds?
It’s best not to feed hedgehogs some tomato seeds because the green parts of the seeds are incredibly harmful to hedgehogs. Tomato seeds can also choke hedgehogs when they eat them too.
Can Hedgehogs Eat Tomato Skin And Flesh?
Feel free to feed your hedgehog the tomato skin and flesh after discarding the fruit’s other parts. These parts of the fruit are edible and nutritious.
How To Pick The Best Tomatoes For Your Hedgehog
It is essential to feed hedgehogs only fresh fruits and vegetables to ensure they obtain the maximum amount of nutrients from their food.
So knowing how to separate fresh tomatoes from bad ones is a skill you’ll want to master if you intend on making tomatoes a part of your hedgehog’s diet.
Go For Only Organic Tomatoes
Ensure you buy only organic tomatoes for your hedgehog. Non-organic fruits and veggies usually contain a substantial amount of antibiotics, pesticides, and chemicals that might harm a hedgehog. You can also plant the tomatoes yourself if you want to. However, If you choose to purchase some tomatoes instead, then be sure to follow our little guide below to learn how to select the best tomatoes.
Check The Texture
Try and hold the tomatoes to get a feel before buying them. Small tomatoes should be firm, while larger ones should feel heavy when holding them. So ensure you don’t pick a tomato that’s too soft or too light.
Take A Whiff
Ripe tomatoes should smell fresh and floral. Don’t pick any tomato that doesn’t have a smell. Tomatoes without an aroma are usually unripe.
How To Prepare Tomatoes For Hedgehogs
- Wash the tomatoes first to ensure there’s no dirt on the fruit.
- Take out the seeds from the fruit and discard them along with the leaves and stem of the tomato plant.
- Slice the tomatoes into small pieces or mash them into tomato paste to make it easier for your hedgehog to chew and swallow.
- Serve the tomatoes by hand or place them in your hedgehog’s food bowl.
- Remember to clean up once your hedgehog is done eating.
How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Tomatoes?
Hedgehogs should eat tomatoes once or twice a month since too much of the fruit can negatively affect their health. Additionally, hedgehogs should be allowed to eat only one cherry tomato or half of a medium-sized tomato whenever they are fed some tomatoes.
How To Store Tomatoes
The method of storing tomatoes depends on whether the fruits are cut or uncut.
How To Store Uncut Tomatoes
Take a paper towel and place it on a counter. Place the tomatoes upside down on the paper towel and check the fruits daily.
Uncut tomatoes should be stored at room temperature or above 60° F (15° C).
How to Store Cut Tomatoes
Cut tomatoes should be placed in a container and stored in a fridge below 60° F (15° C). You can also store cut tomatoes in a freezer to make them last longer. Just make sure you place the tomatoes in a freezer-proof container or bag instead of a regular container when storing them in a freezer.
Conclusion
Hedgehogs can benefit from occasionally eating small amounts of tomatoes, so feel free to feed your little buddy little pieces of the fruit once or twice a month. Just ensure you don’t feed your hedgehog too many tomatoes at a go or make it a staple food in its diet. Hedgehogs are pretty feeble and can easily get sick when they eat the wrong stuff.
