Hedgehogs like to munch on anything they can get their teeth on. Eating poisonous foods can be a danger to them. They cannot vomit, which means Hedgehogs don’t have an easy way to get rid of ingested toxins. Therefore, it is extremely important to care about what our little one eats.
Some plants are safe for our Hedgehogs, while others are toxic. Most plants that have components that are poisonous to our Hedgehogs need to be eaten in large quantities to be truly harmful. So, if your pet takes a couple of nibbles of a flower that they shouldn’t eat, they’ll probably be fine, but if they eat the whole potted plant, you may have to take action.
Now we know that certain plants are safe for our Hedgeohogs to consume. However, the consumption of some plants also has side effects.
Also, it is important to learn everything about the plant before tossing it in, as some plants are highly poisonous to our little ones.
Also, owners must be aware that plants or any part of a plant alone cannot fulfill the nutritional requirement of our Hedgehogs. Therefore, it should be served as a treat only. Now, let us understand more about this topic without any further delay.
Are Plants Bad For Our Hedgehogs?
While certain plants make an excellent supplement for our Hedgehogs, it does not suffice the vitamins and minerals needed for their healthy growth.
Serving in moderation is the key. Overfeeding might lead to several health problems in them.
Besides this, it is important to note that the staple portion of your Hedgehog’s diet should be kibble, followed by insects/worms. Therefore, these plants can be served to them only in the form of treats.
Listed below are some of the health complications from which our Hedgehogs might suffer if overfed with the plants:
- Obesity And Bloating: Overeating the plant parts can easily make our Hedgehogs obese. It might even lead to bloating in them. Most plants contain carbohydrates and unnecessary fats, making our Hedgehogs bloat, inactive, and sick.
- Digestive Problems: Plant parts are more like treats for our Hedgehogs. When overfed, it might lead to digestive system disturbances and imbalances.
- Might Cause Diarrhea: Overconsumption of any plant might lead to our Hedgehogr’s diarrhea, gas, and pain. Therefore, you should never serve your Hedgehogs more than the advised quantity.
- Dental Health Problems: Overeating the plants might even lead to tooth and gum damage in our Hedgehogs. In some cases, certain plant parts may get stuck between their teeth and gums, leading to irritation.
- Allergies: Some Hedgehogs may have an allergic reaction to certain plants. Continuous sneezing, difficulty in breathing, and itching are some of the common signs of allergies. If your Hedgehog is showing any of the above symptoms, it is advised to take them to a vet.
20 Plants That Are Safe For Your Hedgehog
you must keep in mind that just because a plant is safe for your Hedgehogs to eat or be around doesn’t mean they should be given unlimited access.
While most safe plants are healthier than sugary treats, moderation is the key.
You would still want to ensure that kibble or insects are the largest part of a Hedgehog’s diet. Safe flowers can be given in moderation but shouldn’t make up a large portion of your pet’s diet.
It’s also very important to pay attention to any fertilizers or pesticides used with the plants your Hedgehog is eating.
Many of the substances used for lawn and garden care are poisonous to Hedgehogs. They can be much more toxic than poison plants, so pay attention to any chemicals you use to keep your garden and plants looking nice.
1. Roses
Although rose petals make an excellent snack for our Hedgehog, we should keep the twigs and branches away from them. Fresh or even dried rose petals work for them.
Some herbal loose leaf tea mixes include rose hips or rose petals that can be very yummy to use as foraging treats for your little pet (check all the ingredients in the mix before giving it to your Hedgehog).
Simply spread the mixture in with your Hedgehogs’ bedding to give them some yummy pieces to find. It can also provide your Hedgehog with some physical and mental stimulation.
2. Daisies
Although Hedgehogs would love to munch on daisies, they are not incredibly nutritious for them.
You need not worry as the whole plant is completely safe and non-toxic for our Hedgehogs.
Daisies can tend to pop up all over a lawn. They spread easily and are difficult to get rid of, but luckily there is no need to weeding daisies out of your yard.
If your Hedgehog has access to an outdoor run, you can feel safe knowing that this fast-growing plant won’t harm your little one.
3. Dandelions
Dandelions are nutritious for our Hedgehogs. The leaves, in particular, contain a high amount of vitamin A, which makes them a very healthy part of a Hedgehog’s diet.
The other parts of a dandelion plant, including the flower and stem, are also completely safe for our Hedgehogs. They can be a yummy treat that your little pet will happily gobble up.
If your lawn erupts with dandelions every year, pick some to give to your Hedgehog (as long as your lawn uses safe fertilizers!).
If your Hedgehog has an outdoor run or time outside on a leash, you don’t have to worry about them foraging around and munching on these yummy plants.
4. Sunflower
Sunflowers are another type of safe plant for our Hedgehogs to consume.
These flowers are so yummy to our little ones. Hedgehogs love to eat the flower and the seeds of the plant.
However, it is important to practice moderation, especially with sunflower seeds. They are high in fat and can cause digestive problems if given in high amounts. Therefore, it is best to only give the seeds to your Hedgehog as if they were treats and not as a common source of food.
5. Mints
Hedgehogs can surely munch on mint without any worries. The leaves, flowers, and stems are edible for our little pet.
However, avoid feeding them with the roots.
In addition, mint also provides our Hedgehogs with several medical properties. Overfeeding can cause severe health problems. Therefore, serving in moderation is the key.
6. Bell Flowers
Some people also refer to bellflowers as campanula.
These flowers are completely safe for our Hedgehogs. Also, the leaves of this plant provide additional nutrition to our little Hedgehogs.
Although the plant does not harm our Hedgehogs, the best idea is to serve it in moderation. It will help to avoid any kind of health complications.
7. Willow
The stems or the branches of the willow trees are commonly used to make play toys for our Hedgehogs.
As the wood of the willow tree is completely safe, it can often be fun for our Hedgehogs to chew it.
Besides this, the other parts of the willow trees are also perfectly safe for our little ones to munch on.
You’ll want to wash them off in the sink or shower first to ensure the branches aren’t harboring any bugs.
8. Jasmine
Organic jasmine plants are considered to be non-toxic for our Hedgehogs. All the plant parts, i.e., the flowers, leaves, and stems, are safe for our Hedgehogs.
While you may want to keep your Hedgehog away so they don’t eat up your lovely potted jasmine plant, you can at least know it won’t do any harm to your Hedgehog.
It is important to be careful that you don’t have a false jasmine plant. These plants, called Carolina jasmine or yellow jasmine, are toxic to our Hedgehogs. These plants look like true jasmine, but they are characterized by yellow flowers and are unrelated.
9. Nasturtium
Hedgehogs love to snack on the nasturtium. Our little ones find the flowers extremely tasty.
Nasturtiums usually grow in a bush, but they can also grow vine-like along a fence or wire. The tasty flowers of the plant make an excellent treat for our Hedgehogs.
However, always remember that moderation is the key.
10. Hollyhock
Hollyhock is my Hedgehog’s favorite. Little amounts of the flower work best for our pets once in a while.
However, never serve them too much at a time.
11. Cotton
Hedgehogs love to chew on cottonwood. Cotton plants are completely safe for our little pets.
However, you must not let your hedgehog chew on cotton blankets or clothes.
12. Pot Marigolds
Pot marigolds or marigolds are completely safe for our Hedgehogs to chew on.
There are two other types of marigold, however, that are toxic for our Hedgehogs.
Marsh marigolds and french marigolds (also called African marigolds) are mildly toxic and should not be given to our little pets.
13. Lavender
Lavender is among the plants that are completely safe for our Hedgehogs.
You can give lavender to your Hedgehog fresh or even dried, allowing your Hedgehog to forage for the yummy pieces of lavender.
However, with lavender’s strong scent and prickly texture, you need to be extremely careful. Also, keep your Hedgehog away from lavender-scented essential oils.
14. Nettle
Both stinging nettle and dead nettle are safe for our Hedgehogs.
However, horse nettle (also called bull nettle) is a different plant and is not safe for our little ones. This unrelated type of nettle has high amounts of a chemical called solanine.
It can cause digestive issues in Hedgehogs, especially if eaten in large amounts.
15. Chamomile
Chamomile is an excellent addition to a Hedgehog’s diet.
It has a lot of health benefits for our Hedgehogs. Also, chamomile is a great source of fiber.
Therefore, it makes an amazing snack for our Hedgehogs. However, do not serve them too much at a time.
16. Clover
We can serve our Hedgehogs with clover once in a while.
Clovers are packed with Vitamin C, making them an excellent choice for our Hedgehogs.
However, it is advised to serve in moderation to avoid any kinds of health problems
17. Grass
Hedgehogs can munch on grass. However, we must serve them with organically grown grass only.
Grasses on the park or general grounds contain chemicals that might be toxic for our Hedgehogs.
Also, overfeeding might lead to health problems. Therefore, serving in moderation is the key.
18. Violets
Violet leaves, flowers, and stems are safe for our Hedgehogs to eat. Some Hedgehogs will love these flowers and gobble them up, while other Hedgehogs will completely ignore them.
Regardless of whether or not your Hedgehog likes to munch on these, you don’t have to worry about keeping them out of your Hedgehog’s reach (unless you’re trying to grow them, that is).
19. Pansies
Pansies are cute, unique flowers that make nice potted plants or garden plants.
This plant can also grow like wildflowers, so there’s no need to be worried if your Hedgehog happens to come across them on your lawn.
20. Fuschia
This is another plant that is perfectly safe for Hedgehogs to eat in moderation.
The flowers, leaves, and stems are all edible and are not poisonous to Hedgehogs. However, this is probably not a plant I would specifically give to my Hedgehog because it doesn’t have that much nutritional value.
20 Plants That Are Poisonous For Your Hedgehog
Not all plants are safe for our Hedgehogs to consume. Many of them contain traces of phenols, tannins, and even cyanide, that can be fatal for our Hedgehogs.
Therefore, we must be very cautious with the type of plants we provide our Hedgehogs.
Here are some plants that are deemed toxic for our Hedgehogs:
1. Nightshade
Nightshade plants have been used in medicine and poisons throughout history. In general, these plants are known to be deadly to many animals.
Therefore, the best option is to keep it away from your Hedgehogs.
2. Hydrangea
All parts of a hydrangea plant, including the leaves, buds, and flowers, are highly toxic to our Hedgehogs. These plants have high levels of a compound called amygdalin, which breaks down to produce cyanide.
Hedgehogs will often stay away from hydrangeas. Ingesting a hydrangea plant could cause severe gastrointestinal problems, including diarrhea.
3. Chrysanthemum
We should never serve our Hedgehogs with chrysanthemum.
It is highly poisonous for them. The presence of excess calcium in the chrysanthemum might lead to several health problems such as urinary complications and bladder stones.
Therefore, it is advised not to feed chrysanthemum to your Hedgehogs.
4. Lilies
Most lily plants also have varying levels of toxicity toward Hedgehogs. The roots of a kaffir lily are toxic, while lily of the valley, may lily, and calla lily plants are highly toxic and can cause severe gastrointestinal complications.
The flowers, leaves, and stems of these plants are toxic for our Hedgehogs and should be avoided, including the foliage of a lily of the valley bush
5. Cannabis
Marijuana leaves might be toxic to Hedgehogs, but the flowers and stems are poisonous and should be avoided.
There is no evidence that eating marijuana leaves is fatally toxic to Hedgehogs. Still, other pet species have been studied and show negative health impacts from ingesting the leaves and inhaling the smoke.
For this reason, it is best to keep any marijuana away from our little ones and avoid smoking in the same room as them.
6. Onion
Onions are not suitable for consumption by our Hedgehogs.
It contains certain compounds such as disulfide and thiosulphate, which are toxic to our Hedgehogs.
Consumption of onions can lead to severe health problems in our Hedgehogs. If your Hedgehogs have eaten onion, take them to a vet.
7. Poppy
The opium alkaloids contained in poppy plants are highly toxic to our Hedgehogs.
The entire plant contains toxic elements for our little ones, but the seeds are deadly because of the high concentration of opium alkaloids. Even a dried poppy plant can be highly poisonous to our Hedgehogs.
8. Hemlock
Hemlock plants are poisonous to our Hedgehogs. All parts of hemlock plants are toxic and should not be given to our loved ones.
Hemlock is poisonous to many other animals (including humans), so it’s best to keep it far away from all of our mouths.
9. Potato Plants
We should never serve our Hedgehogs with raw potatoes. Raw potatoes are extremely toxic for our Hedgehogs. Therefore, keep your Hedgehogs far away from raw potatoes.
However, Hedgehogs can eat plain boiled potatoes in small quantities.
10. Rhododendron
Rhododendrons, including azaleas, are beautiful plants that are highly toxic for Hedgehogs.
This applies to all plant parts, including the flowers, leaves, stems, and roots. Even honey that is made from these flowers can be toxic for Hedgehogs.
11. Tomato Plants
Hedgehogs cannot eat tomato leaves at all. These leaves might prove to be poisonous for them.
Although tomatoes themselves are not poisonous to our Hedgehogs, their stems and leaves are. It contains alkaloids like solanine and tomatine, which are extremely harmful to our Hedgehogs.
Serving a small part might not be very harmful to our Hedgehogs. However, try to avoid it as much as possible.
On the other hand, Hedgehogs can surely eat small amounts of fresh tomatoes.
12. Iris
Yellow irises are highly toxic and should be avoided.
This includes all parts of the yellow iris plant: the leaves, flowers, roots, and stems.
Other irises, however, are not so highly toxic. The plant juice of other species of the iris may cause some irritation, but they are unlikely to cause a severe toxic reaction.
13. Daffodil
Flowers with bulbs are all potentially poisonous to Hedgehogs.
This includes daffodils, tulips, bluebells, orchids, and many more. Unless you know otherwise, you should assume that the entire plant, not just the bulbs, is toxic to Hedgehogs.
The flower, as well as the leaves, stems, and roots, should be kept out of reach of our little ones.
14. Ivy
Ivy is mildly poisonous to Hedgehogs.
Ivy can be poisonous to Hedgehogs if it is eaten in very high quantities. If a Hedgehog gets poisoned by ivy, they may experience weakness and diarrhea or seizures and paralysis in severe cases.
15. Hyacinth
Hyacinth is another mildly poisonous plant for our Hedgehogs.
The entire plant is potentially poisonous, including the flower, roots, stem, and leaves. It should be kept out of reach of our Hedgehogs.
16. Rhubarb
Rhubarb is not at all safe for our Hedgehogs to eat.
Rhubarb is rich in oxalic acid, which is terrible for our Hedgehog’s health. It might lead to several health problems such as gastrointestinal issues, diarrhea, and bloating in Hedgehogs.
Also, rhubarb is packed with a decent amount of sugar, calcium, and phosphorus.
Overconsumption of any of these might lead to several health problems such as diabetes, digestive problems, and kidney problems.
17. Foxglove
Foxglove plants are highly toxic to Hedgehogs.
These plants contain cardiac glycosides, which hurt the heart and kidneys. The entire plant is toxic to our little ones and should be avoided.
Even a small amount of a foxglove plant is enough to cause negative effects in Hedgehogs.
Hedgehogs suffering from foxglove poisoning will experience diarrhea, stomach pain, dehydration, weakness, and an irregular heartbeat. Severe cases can also cause seizures in Hedgehogs.
18. Buttercup
Hedgehogs cannot eat buttercups.
Buttercups can prove to be extremely toxic for them. It might lead to several health problems in them.
If your Hedgehog has consumed buttercups by mistake, I suggest you visit the vet.
19. Yew
Yew plant as a whole is highly toxic for our Hedgehogs.
Yew is very dangerous and contains chemicals that can cause sudden death in Hedgehogs. In mild cases, a Hedgehog may experience difficulty breathing, an inflamed stomach, or shaking.
20. Wolfsbane
All species of wolfsbane are considered toxic for our Hedgehogs.
These plants contain alkaloids that can cause severe digestive upsets and heart problems.
In severe cases, even a small amount can cause their heart to slow down and eventually stop completely. The entire plant is toxic and should be kept out of reach of our Hedgehogs.
How Worried Should You Be About Poisonous Plants?
Some plants can be a serious cause of concern for our pets.
While there are some exceptions, most toxic plants for Hedgehogs are only mildly poisonous. Therefore, if your little one only eats a small amount of those plants, they likely won’t suffer from significant negative side effects.
As Hedgehogs cannot vomit, eating too much of something poisonous can cause severe illness.
Sometimes, indoor potted plants can be a particular danger to Hedgehogs. When Hedgehogs only have limited access to plants, their natural curiosity can take over, causing them to nibble on whatever is available.
If that happens to be a poisonous plant, they may eat a lot before noticing. It’s best to make sure any indoor potted plants are safe for Hedgehogs or keep them completely away from your little pet’s reach.
What To Do If You Believe Your Hedgehog Has Eaten A Poisonous Substance?
If you know that your Hedgehog has ingested a poisonous plant or even a part of it, you should immediately call your vet.
Even if your Hedgehog has only eaten a nibble or negligent amount, your vet will likely instruct you to pay attention to your Hedgehog’s behavior to look for signs that they are feeling unwell.
It’s always best to call anyway because some substances are more poisonous than others and may require immediate medical intervention.
