If you have a Hedgehog, you will already know that you need to be careful about what you feed it. Giving lots of variety in the food you provide can help your hedgehog stay healthy and enrich its life, but you also have to pay attention to what foods are and are not safe for hedgehogs.
Watermelon is a great treat for our Hedgehogs and is perfectly safe in small quantities. Most hedgehogs love this fruit, but you should be aware that it is not nutrient-dense and should not let your hedgies eat it in quantity. It is mainly made up of sugars, so consuming a lot of watermelons could lead to health problems.
Like several other fruits, watermelon also has a high sugar content. Therefore, it is essential to serve it in moderation. Overfeeding can lead to several health complications in our little ones.
It is critical to serving our hedgehogs appropriately for their well-being. Therefore, learning everything about the food you serve your little pet is vital. So, let us begin.
Nutrition In Watermelon
Let us look at the nutritional value of 100 grams of watermelon.
| Name | Amount | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Water | 91.45 | g |
| Energy | 30 | Kcal |
| Protein | 0.61 | g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.15 | g |
| Carbohydrates, by the difference | 7.55 | g |
| Fiber | 0.4 | g |
| Sugars | 6.2 | g |
| Calcium, Ca | 7 | mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 11 | mg |
| Sodium, Na | 1 | mg |
| Vitamin C | 8.1 | mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.24 | mg |
| Vitamin D (D2+3) | 0 | µg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.045 | mg |
| Vitamin A | 28 | µg |
| Vitamin E | 0.05 | mg |
| Vitamin K | 0.1 | µg |
Watermelon contains a moderate amount of Vitamin C in it. It is also rich in other vital nutrients like Vitamin A, and potassium, which are helpful for the body.
Vitamin C and vitamin A help strengthen the immune system, develop body tissues, and fight diseases.
Watermelon does contain a trace amount of calcium and phosphorous in it.
Calcium and phosphorus are also needed for proper bone growth, teeth development, and other nervous system needs.
Potassium in watermelons is an essential aspect of the body as it helps regulate fluid balance the body. It also helps in muscle development and prevents kidney and bladder stones.
Can I Feed My Hedgehog Watermelon?
You can surely feed our Hedgehogs watermelon, but it is essential to do so in limited quantities. Remember, Hedgehogs are much smaller than people, so what seems like a small portion to you is a significant portion to your little pet.
Treats should only make up a small percentage of your Hedgehogs’ diet, and that’s true even of treats like fruit.
Watermelon is an excellent snack for Hedgehog, but if you feed them a lot, it will upset their digestive systems and could make them fat. This is because watermelon contains a lot of sugar.
Most of your Hedgehog’s diet should be made up of insects and worms.
Too many treats can give your Hedgehog diarrhea, making it sick because it won’t get the nutrients it needs from its diet.
Are There Benefits to Feeding Your Hedgehogs Watermelons?
Although watermelons do not provide our Hedgehogs with many nutritional benefits, most of the Hedgehogs indeed love to munch on the fruit.
Like most fruits, watermelons are sweet, and they do not offer much nutrition for our Hedgehogs compared to insects and worms.
Most pet owners use watermelon as an advantage in certain situations, such as getting a Hedgehog to eat that has lost its appetite.
You Must Read:
- What NOT To Feed Your Pet Hedgehog! (You Must Be Aware)
- Why Is My Hedgehog Losing Weight? (All You Need To Know)
- How Often Do You Feed A Hedgehog? (Owner’s Guide)
- Why Is My Hedgehog Not Eating? (Causes+ What To Do)
Are There Any Risks To Offering Your Hedgehogs Watermelon?
Although watermelon is considered a safe fruit for our Hedgehogs, you must know a few things before serving the fruit to your little one.
Before feeding your hedgehog watermelon, let us look closely at what you need to know.
High In Sugar
Like most other fruits, watermelon has high sugar content.
On excessive consumption of the fruit, our hedgehogs might start to suffer from dental complications with inflammation and severe pain.
Besides this, an overdo of sugar might even make our little one obese and lead to other digestive problems.
However, feeding watermelons once in a while will not harm your Hedgehog.
It would be best to remember that feeding sugary food daily is undoubtedly not recommended.
Low In Calcium
Watermelon does not have the right proportion of calcium in them. Watermelons are considerably low in calcium.
Calcium is an essential part of our Hedgehog’s diet.
Providing our Hedgehogs with a calcium-dense diet is essential to preventing severe and life-threatening illnesses.
Like most other fruits, watermelons do not have a significant amount of calcium. Hence, it’s not good to fill up your hedgehog on something that isn’t going to contribute to their daily calcium intake.
How Often Can Hedgehogs Have Watermelon?
You must have learned by now that feeding watermelons to your Hedgehogs are not recommended daily.
Watermelon has high sugar content, low calcium (and poor phosphorus ratio), and a lack of other vital nutrients compared to our Hedgehogs’ staple diet, making it something that should only be fed occasionally.
I recommend only feeding watermelon to your hedgie around once a week and in small portions.
If you stick to this recommendation, your hedgehog can still enjoy watermelons without hurting its health.
Can Hedgehogs Eat Watermelon Rind?
Hedgehogs can eat the rind of a watermelon. It is better for them than the primary fruit because the rind contains more fiber and less sugar. However, the outer green portion can be challenging for your hedgehogs to chew.
I would advise you to shave off some part of the rind. The outer green part is tough to digest, while the white inner part is quite okay for your Hedgehogs.
The best would be to serve only the fruit part with some white rind in it.
Can Hedgehogs Eat Watermelon Seeds?
It is essential to make sure that we remove all the seeds before serving watermelon to our Hedgehogs. The black seeds of the fruit can be harmful to our little pets.
The black seeds can lead to choking and even death in some cases.
Although the soft white seeds are safe for our Hedgehogs to consume, make sure you remove the rest.
How Do I Introduce Watermelon To My Hedgehog?
The first step is to buy only organic watermelons or, in that matter, any other fruit for your Hedgehogs.
The fruits in the local market are packed with pesticides and other chemicals, which are extremely bad for our Hedgehog’s health.
Properly wash the fruit, and chop it up into small manageable pieces. Do not forget to remove all the seeds. These seeds can prove to be a choking hazard for our little ones.
Once your Hedgehog is done eating, remove any leftovers from its cage.
