Peanut butter is one of the most common foods among us. We surely love its taste. Also, peanut butter has always been a popular reward for dogs, but what about our Hedgehogs? Can Hedgehogs eat peanut butter? Is it safe for them? I did some research, and here is what I found out!
Hedgehogs cannot eat peanut butter. Although peanut butter contains many good vitamins and minerals, they are high in fats and carbohydrates. The presence of an artificial sweetener xylitol makes it worse for Hedgehogs. A small feeding may not harm your pet much, but it is best to keep it away altogether.
Feeding peanut butter can be very risky and life-threatening for our Hedgehogs. In addition, the presence of certain compounds such as xylitol is extremely toxic for our pets.
Although peanut butter has many nutritional benefits, the same is not the case for our Hedgehogs. Unfortunately, the risk outweighs the benefits for our pets.
Consumption of peanut butter can cause serious health issues such as itching problems, irritation in the eyes & nose, diarrhea, skin inflammation, breathing problem, increased heart rate, pain in urine and stomach ace, etc. Therefore, I advise you to never feed peanut butter to them.
I can understand that you are left with more doubt in your mind, so this article has covered everything you need to know about Hedgehogs eating peanut butter. So, let’s get right into it.
Do Hedgehogs Like To Eat Peanut Butter?
Most Hedgehogs do not show any interest in peanut butter due to its bald taste. However, there are chances that your pet might get curious and get attracted to it.
The taste preference also depends upon the personality of Hedgehogs. Each Hedgehog has a unique personality, and so the food preference. They like it or not; it is better to put peanut butter miles away from them.
Is Peanut Butter Bad For Hedgehogs?
Peanut butter is clearly not a healthy choice for our Hedgehogs. Instead, it is extremely harmful and poisonous to them and can even lead to life-threatening situations.
Hedgehogs have a fragile digestive system. Therefore, it is very difficult for them to digest food like peanut butter.
Also, your Hedgehog may display two types of allergic reactions when eating peanut butter, either an external or an internal reaction.
An external reaction will be pretty noticeable on your pet’s skin. On the other hand, internal reactions are more common and far more serious.
Serving peanut butter can be a terrible idea to our Hedgehogs, as it can lead to many health problems. Listed below are some of the concerns of serving peanut butter to your pet:
No Nutritional Benefit
Peanut butter does not provide our Hedgehogs with any nutritional benefit. Hedgehogs are basically insectivores or omnivores. Therefore, their diet should consist of a well-balanced variety of insects/worms and their kibble.
Serving them peanut butter, in any amount, proves to benefit their health as it doesn’t contain the vitamins and minerals that their body needs. In fact, peanut butter can have the exact opposite effect.
High In Calories
Peanut butter is definitely a high-calorie food. Also, if your Hedgehogs are struggling with weight issues, you’ll definitely want to pass on any peanut butter treats.
As much as we think chubby Hedgehogs are adorable, it is no secret that weight issues can lead to severe health consequences such as diabetes and heart conditions.
Excess Salt
Peanut butter jars contains salt in high doses. You will rarely find a peanut butter that does not have salt it in.
Salt is not something that our Hedgehogs should be consuming nor do they need to consume it. It can lead to health complications if provided in excess.
Xylitol Poisoning
Most brands manufacturing peanut butter uses xylitol as a substitute for sugar. Although it is considered great for humans, it can prove to be extremely toxic for our Hedgehogs.
Xylitol is basically a common sweetener used in many products in recent days. It is a natural sugar-replacement sweetener that is actually diabetes-friendly.
Hedgehogs do not have the ability to digest these things as we do. Therefore, we need to be very careful about the food we serve our pets.
When our Hedgehog eats this type of sweetener, it is rapidly absorbed into their bloodstream. Unfortunately, this causes a rapid and potent release of insulin into the bloodstream, which can cause these awful side effects.
Besides xylitol, artificial sweeteners, sugar substitutes, and added sugars should all be avoided when giving your Hedgehog any human food.
Hazardous Fats
Peanut butter contains an excess amount of preservatives that allow it to have a long shelf-life. But, unfortunately, this process leads to an incredibly toxic food substance known as trans fatty acids.
A small amount of these fats can be seen in peanut butter made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. So trust us when we say you want to avoid these harmful fats as much as you can for your Hedgehogs.
Choking Hazard
We all know that peanut butter is quite thick and sticky. Unfortunately, this means that it can easily get caught in our Hedgehog’s throat.
Even a tiny amount of peanut butter can lead to potential choking in our Hedgehogs. It would help if you never served your pet with such a sticky treat.
Other Health Concerns
Certain components present in peanut butter are not safe for our Hedgehogs to consume in excess. Some of these components include calcium, phosphorus, and acid.
Consumption of these components in excess can even cause urinary tract infection in Hedgehogs. It might even result in bladder and kidney stones. Therefore, you must manage the amount of calcium/phosphorous and acid they consume.
Are Hedgehogs Allergic To Peanut Butter?
Peanuts are one food item that many people are prone to be allergic to, and the case is the same with Hedgehogs. Certain Hedgehogs even show adverse reactions to consumption of such food:
- Itchy skin
- Watery eyes
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Skin Inflammation
- Difficulty in breathing
Anyhow, consumption of peanut butter can have much severe impact on our Hedgehogs’ health. Therefore, do not feed peanut butter to your Hedgehog.
My Hedgehog Ate Peanut Butter!
You must not worry if your Hedgehog has eaten a tiny amount of peanut butter. It won’t affect them much. However, if your pet has eaten peanut butter an excessive amount, I advise you to take them to a vet.
Certain ingredients present in the peanut butter can cause real trouble for our Hedgehogs if consumed in excessive quantities.
Hedgehogs might even suffer from painful and itchy urine due to the consumption of peanut butter. It might even lead to certain allergic reactions.
Therefore, if your Hedgehogs have ingested peanut butter in an excessive amount or show any negative symptoms, immediately check in to the nearby vet hospital.
Related Queries:
Can Hedgehogs Eat Peanuts?
It would be best if you never fed peanuts to your Hedgehogs. Although peanuts are not poisonous for Hedgehogs, they can easily lead to digestive complications in our pets. Also, peanuts can be a choking hazard for our pets. Therefore, I advise you never to feed peanuts to your Hedgehog.
Can Hedgehogs Eat Nuts?
We should never serve nuts to our Hedgehogs. Although nuts contain a lot of good vitamins and minerals, they are rich in fats and carbohydrates. Therefore, it is best to avoid serving nuts to our Hedgehogs.
