Can Hedgehogs Eat Celery?

Can Hedgehogs Eat Celery?



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Hedgehog

Celery is a member of the Apiaceae family, which also contains parsley and parsnips. The vegetable's crunchy stalks make it a well-liked low-calorie snack, and it may have several health advantages. The cardiovascular and digestive systems can both benefit from the fiber in celery. Antioxidants that are also found in celery may help to prevent disease. Numerous meals can benefit from the crunchy, delicious inclusion of celery, and both its seeds and extracts may have several health advantages. It could also serve as a low-calorie snack. It is important to note that traditional medicine and the majority of scientific studies have centered on celery extracts rather than eating celery sticks. However, this article discusses the possible inclusion of celery in a hedgehog’s diet.

CAN HEDGEHOGS EAT CELERY?

No, hedgehogs cannot eat celery. One of the vegetables that you shouldn't feed your hedgehog is celery because it could aggravate their digestive tract and stomach. Additionally, it has a lot of salt, which is bad for hedgehogs. Celery delivers very little in the way of nourishment. Hedgehogs are so much smaller than humans so by consuming celery, they will consume a lot of calories that have no nutritional value, which could lead to future nutritional deficits.

Celery

WHAT NUTRIENTS DOES CELERY CONTAIN?

Below is a table showing the nutrients that 100 grams of celery contain.

NUTRIENTS

QUANTITY

Water

95.4 g

Energy

14 kcal

Protein

0.69 g

Fat

0.17 g

Carbohydrate

2.97 g

Fiber

1.6 g

Sugar

1.34 g

Calcium

40 mg

Iron

0.2 g

Magnesium

11 mg

Phosphorus

24 mg

Potassium

260 mg

Sodium

80 mg

Zinc

0.13 mg

Copper

0.035 mg

Manganese

0.103 mg

Selenium

0.4 µg

Vitamin A

449 IU

Vitamin B6

0.074 mg

Vitamin B12

0 µg

Vitamin D

0 µg

Vitamin K

29.3 µg

Thiamin

0.021 mg

Riboflavin

0.057 mg

Niacin

0.32 mg


Although celery contains several nutrients as seen in the table above, it still poses a risk to hedgehogs because the quantities of these nutrients do not overrule the dangers of hedgehogs consuming celery.

Celery

RISKS OF FEEDING CELERY TO HEDGEHOGS

  • It causes dehydration: Dehydration can be caused by high salt levels and celery has a lot of salt in it. Although this nutrient concentration is not harmful to humans, hedgehogs are much smaller, so they may find it to be hazardous. The hedgehog can even suffer from some significant health problems such as stomach irritation if given celery for a prolonged period.
  • It contains lots of pesticides: Even if the skin of a fruit or vegetable is peeled or chopped off, it is advisable to always wash the produce before eating it because pesticides can be dangerous if consumed in high numbers. The fruits and vegetables that were discovered to have the greatest levels of pesticide residue were listed by the Environmental Working Group, and the second-highest item on the list is celery. It is therefore not recommended to feed celery to hedgehogs because they may induce a lowered immune response.
  • Might Induce An Allergic Reaction: Celery is a popular allergen that can make hedgehogs have some very dangerous allergic reactions. A severe anaphylactic shock from celery is possible if hedgehogs consume celery. Symptoms of this can include face swelling, irritability, rashes, stomach trouble, and dizziness. In severe situations, breathing difficulties and a dip in blood pressure are possible symptoms. 
  • It has an impact on the digestive system: The high salt level of celery may be too much for a hedgehog's digestive system to handle, which might lead to health issues. Hedgehogs are typically not supposed to consume starchy foods, such as potatoes and celery. A hedgehog's inability to digest the starch will result in digestive problems and perhaps even disease.
  • It might affect blood clotting: Because celery includes compounds that could conflict with blood-thinning drugs, it might affect blood clotting. The chance of severe bleeding rises as a result thus, hedgehogs should not eat celery.
  • Choking risk: Due to its extreme stringiness, celery poses a risk of choking. Large celery pieces could also provide a choking risk for hedgehogs.

WHAT OTHER VEGETABLES ARE TOXIC FOR HEDGEHOGS?

Vegetables including avocado, corn, garlic, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, and tomatoes are inedible to hedgehogs. The allium vegetables, such as onion and garlic, come first. While these items may taste wonderful to humans, eating them could seriously poison hedgehogs. In reality, there are quite a few members of the allium family, so you should always make sure your hedgehog isn't receiving any other similar vegetables. Bear's garlic, for instance, is another vegetable that shouldn't be offered to hedgehogs.

CAN HEDGEHOGS EAT OTHER VEGETABLES?

Among the many veggies that hedgehogs consume are carrots, spinach, and broccoli. However, some veggies could be harmful to the health of hedgehogs. For instance, hedgehogs shouldn't eat foods like celery, onions, or garlic. Furthermore, fruits and vegetables aren't the main sources of nourishment for hedgehogs. In the wild, they are omnivorous. Hedgehogs, therefore, require a consistent and healthy diet. Protein sources must be plentiful. The ideal source of protein would be chicken. When giving vegetables to your hedgehog, opt to serve them cooked, well-diced vegetables. This makes them simpler to eat.

You only need to give them a tiny bit. Hedgehogs primarily eat vegetables as snacks. The most crucial component of their diet is not from this food group. Additionally, the majority of these dishes are often served cooked. Arugula, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, collard greens, dandelion greens, green pepper, lettuce, radish, spinach, sweet potato, and turnips are some of the ingredients.

CONCLUSION

It is okay to wonder if you can feed your hedgehog celery because it is a staple in so many diets, especially kids'. For people, celery is a safe and low-calorie snack, but your hedgehog shouldn't eat it. Hedgehogs can consume other vegetables, such as cooked carrots, asparagus, or broccoli since celery has certain health dangers for them. Stick to the typical hedgehog diet of gut-loaded invertebrates, leafy greens, and organic fruits to keep your hedgehog as healthy and happy as possible.


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