CAN HEDGEHOGS EAT BANANAS?
Hedgehogs generally have a developed sense of smell, hearing, and sight. There are well over seventeen species of hedgehogs, but one common characteristic they share is that they are not diurnal. Hedgehogs are known to be more active at night and sleep during the day, but some species can also be active during the day. The size of a hedgehog; does not reflect its life span. This is because; a hedgehog can live for up to 7 years. Although hedgehogs feed on insects generally, different species of hedgehogs have various diets depending on the part of the world they exist. After carrying out a study on the actual diet of a hedgehog, it is plausible to say that hedgehogs are omnivorous because they eat a variety of foods, not just insects. Hedgehogs often eat more at night when they are most active.
WILD AND DOMESTICATED HEDGEHOGS
Wild hedgehogs
This type of hedgehog is locatable in Europe, Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East. They are wild hedgehogs because they live and roam freely away from the human environment, without special care. They can live for up to 7 years in the forests. They are responsible for what they eat, so wild hedgehogs only eat whatever is consumable wherever they are. They feed on snails, berries, melons, fish, worms, lizards, snakes, carrion, bird eggs, mushrooms, and roots.
Domesticated hedgehogs
Domesticated hedgehogs are very opposite to wild hedgehogs. This kind of hedgehog habits within our environments and sometimes taken in, looked after, trained, and fed by humans. They prefer warm climates compared to wild hedgehogs. Although their movement is restricted, they can also survive in their environment for up to 7 years. Hedgehogs find it very easy to digest the chitin gotten from insects. Chitin is a source of protein and fiber, which are necessary for their diet to be accurate. These are not the only components that a hedgehog needs from its food, so other items such as pellets, kibbles, vegetables, fresh fruits, and berries, should be fed to hedgehogs in addition to insects. A domesticated hedgehog has restricted movement and is being taken care of makes it easy to become extremely obese. It is necessary to moderate how much a hedgehog eats depending on its activity level. Often, a hedgehog meal plan has to be adjusted if it has a 10% increase in weight. Any food that the hedgehog did not eat should be disposed of the next day to prevent the hedgehog from eating spoiled food that could be detrimental to its health. Other types of food that could be unhealthy to a hedgehog are Unripe or dried fruit, citrus, avocado, dried or raw vegetables, onion, garlic, and fruit seeds such as apples, pears, peach, and mango.
CAN HEDGEHOGS EAT BANANAS?
Hedgehogs are fed on nutritional diets, and fruits could add nutritional value to their diets. Bananas are one of the healthiest fruits to feed hedgehogs, yes! Hedgehogs can eat bananas. However, this answer comes with dos and don'ts; to understand them, one must first understand bananas’ nutritional value. According to the USDA National nutrients database, 100 grams of banana holds the following nutritional values:
|
Nutrients |
Amount |
|
Calcium |
5 mg |
|
Protein |
1.09 g |
|
Vitamin K |
0.5 µg |
|
Vitamin A, IU |
64 IU |
|
Fiber |
2.6 g |
|
Vitamin C |
8.7 mg |
|
Phosphorous |
22 mg |
|
Vitamin B-6 |
0.367 mg |
|
Potassium |
358 mg |
|
Sucrose |
2.39 g |
|
Glucose |
4.98 g |
|
Carbohydrate |
22.84g |
|
Water |
74.9g |
Energy |
89 Kcal |
Vitamin C is a necessary part of a hedgehog’s diet, and bananas contain a very reasonable amount of Vitamin C shown in the table above. Bananas are also rich in fiber, which is an essential component of a hedgehog’s diet because it helps to improve and maintain digestion. A hedgehog might be sick with diarrhea if it lacks an adequate amount of fiber in the body. Banana is also rich in Vitamin B-6 and C, which also aids food digestion and healthy body development. Phosphorus and calcium are necessary nutrients for a hedgehog. Calcium helps the hedgehog develop strong and healthy bones because phosphorus helps maintain a regular heartbeat of a hedgehog. Phosphorous also keeps blood vessels, kidneys, bones, and muscles in good shape. It is important to note that phosphorus can stop the body from absorbing calcium. That is why it is advisable to feed your hedgehog only food items that are high in calcium than phosphorus. Bananas have only 5mg calcium but 22mg phosphorus per 100g. It is safe to say that bananas are too high in phosphorus to be the actual part of a hedgehog's diet. Thus, hedgehogs should only eat bananas in small quantities. It is also important to note how ripe the banana is because overripe bananas have more sugar contents that make them unhealthier; unripe bananas will be too difficult to digest and make them difficult for consumption. Dried bananas also contain a lot more sugar than ripe bananas, which is harmful to a hedgehog's health, so it is best to avoid them.
In conclusion, bananas are very safe for hedgehogs to eat and could serve as a treat for both domesticated and wild hedgehogs when added to their regular diet. However, it is not healthy for bananas to be the most of their diets because of their high sugar content and because it has more phosphorus than calcium. Hence, only a little piece of banana is recommended, just like other fruits containing high levels of sugar that could cause weight gain and obesity, which leads to diseases like diabetes, obesity, and diarrhea. They can also eat banana skin because it contains a small amount of protein, but in very little quantities as well. Hedgehogs are seldom open to a change in diet; thus, before adding bananas to their diet, it is advisable to give them a little piece of it first and watch how they react to it. If there are no weird reactions, you can continue to serve bananas to your hedgehogs at most once a week because feeding them bananas more frequently might lead to severe health problems.
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