Can Hedgehogs Eat Grapes? The Ultimate Guideline And Details

The size of the grapes perfectly goes with the size of your Hedgehogs but what about safely? Can Hedgehogs eat grapes? The question is unfortunately No. Your Hedgehogs cannot have grapes as it will lead to many toxicity and health difficulties for their body. So what is your responsibility now? Of course, choose the safe fruits and diets for your Hedgehog! So let’s know all the necessary things in detail-

Why I Can not Give Grapes to Hedgehogs?

Grapes are mostly a safe fruit for humans. However, due to its certain traits, it is detrimental to some of the animals and Hedgehogs are one of them. Grapes and processed grapes both are harmful to your Hedgehogs. Here are some of the examples behind that-

Vomiting: As grapes cannot metabolize in the Hedgehog’s body, it can react adversely after having it. As a result, they can suffer from vomiting.
Renal Toxicity: This propel is associated with the kidney. Here the rollout of pesticide poisoning leads to this situation. There is also a probability of shutting down the kidney. This can leave them to death. You certainly don’t want more than for your Hedgehogs.

Diarrhea: As grapes don’t go well with the body function of Hedgehogs, they can immediately suffer from diarrhea reactions.
Loss of Appetite: The tannins, flavonoids, and monosaccharides from grapes can be the cause of losing appetite in your Hedgehogs.
Stomach Abdominal Pain: Grapes mostly work as toxic fruits for your Hedgehogs. Consequently, they can feel extreme abdominal pain in their stomach.

It’s not that any one type of grapes is harmful to them, rather dried, seedless, fresh, peeled all types of grapes are harmful to your Hedgehogs! So it’s better to keep your Hedgehogs away from grapes.

Disadvantages of Grapes

Grapes can do wonders in the human body but this is not the same case for Hedgehogs. Some components lead to the mentioned issues in Hedgehog’s health. Let’s know about those components.

Tartaric Acid: Grape contains 0.35% to 2% tartaric acid. This acid is harmful to your Hedgehogs and may lead to kidney damage.

Excessive Sugar: The natural sugar in ripe grapes is too high for your Hedgehogs. So if they consume it, they will undoubtedly suffer from certain mentioned problems. The raisins are also a big “No” for them.
Potassium Bitartrate: Researchers have found that this component in grapes can be a cause of toxicity for your Hedgehogs.
High pH: Ripe grapes have nearly 3.8 pH which may lead to sleepiness, vomiting, and loss of appetite to your Hedgehogs.

Are There Any Advantages of Grapes?

Grape contains potassium, manganese, and vitamins C, B, and K. Moreover, the amino acids in grapes can strengthen the immune system. But for Hedgehogs, the disadvantages work more intensely than the advantages. For this reason, they can easily fall sick after having grapes.

Is There Any Way to Introduce Grapes to Hedgehogs?

In one word, you should not introduce grapes to your Hedgehogs in the first place. However, If you want to see if your Hedgehog can tolerate grapes in any way, start to offer a really small portion of grapes. There must be a regular diet and introduce the grapes along with it. After giving grapes, monitor your spiny friend’s behavior and reaction. If they suffer from digestive issues, diarrhea, or stomach upset, stop giving grapes.

There is a little chance that your Hedgehog will tolerate grapes. But if they do, still you are not allowed to give in large portions of grapes. Always give a small amount of grapes and keep it as a surprise diet. In this case, give it once a month, and don’t forget to notice the behavior of your Hedgehog.

Bonus:

Don’t give any type of processed grapes to your Hedgehogs. If you want to check, go with the organic fresh one. Still, strictly maintain the amount.

What to Do If Hedgehogs Accidentally Eat Grapes?

If your Hedgehogs mistakenly eat a large portion of grapes or you notice any negative effect after giving grapes, you have to take immediate action. Act as quickly as possible! You should consult with a vet first and act according to their advice. If it’s been too long, then you might take them to pet emergencies.

So, it’s a lot better to avoid this whole critical situation. For this reason, we advise you to skip the whole grape part. Rather you can add other safe fruits to your Hedgehogs regular diet.

What Can Be the Alternative Fruits for Hedgehog?

Grapes are harmful for Hedgehog but other fruits are absolutely fine for them as long as you are giving them moderately. You can feed these fruits 3-4 times a month. Let’s know about them-

Types	Benefits
Banana	Potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C
Apple	Potassium, calcium, nitrogen magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin B6
Blueberries	Iron, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, vitamin K
Honeydew	Flote, vitamin C, potassium, vitamin B6, Vitamin A, vitamin K
Kiwi	potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron, and folate
Watermelon	vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B5, copper
Cantaloupe	Niacin, iron, copper, zinc, calcium, choline
Cherries	Protect heart, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E
Papaya	Vitamin C, vitamin B, iron, manganese, zinc
Mango	Zinc, calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, selenium
Raspberries	Iron, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium

How to Present Fruits to Hedgehogs?

Follow these steps to feed fruits to hedgehogs-

You must wash the fruits properly. It would be better if you soak those in baking soda for 10-20 minutes.
After that, wash them properly with water.
Cut the stem. Remember, it’s a must

Peeling of the outer cover and some fruits may be necessary.
Slice them into small pieces and present them in front of the Hedgehogs.

Bonus:

You don’t need to wash fruits like bananas. Besides, choose the organic and fresh fruits for your Hedgehogs. Avoid feeding the green fruits as the sour taste does not go well with your quill balls.

Benefits of Fruits

Different fruits will do different for your Hedgehogs. You may choose different types of fruits for your spiny friends and let them explore the taste! By this method, you can also find out what types of fruit they like. So why will you give fruits to your Hedgehogs? Let’s be honest! There are many benefits of fruits if you give them in a balanced way. Here is a glimpse!

Antioxidants: Many of the mentioned fruits contain antioxidants. This helps to reduce the risk of heart disease in your mammal’s body along with preventing many other health difficulties. Strawberries are one of the most promising sources of antioxidants.

Vitamin B: This vitamin is available in papaya. Moreover, apples and watermelons consist of vitamins B6 and B5. All these help to improve the bone health of your spiny pet and maintain metabolic function properly. It also formats the muscles of the quill ball. Lastly, maintaining healthy tissue and cells is its major activity.
Vitamin C: It supports the bladder health of Hedgehogs and boosts the immune system. Fruits like honeydew, watermelon, cherries, and papaya are the perfect source of this vitamin.
Low sugar: You can measure the sugar of the fruits and choose the low-sugar one for your Hedgehogs. They like to taste sweet foods but excessive sweets can lead them to diabetes and other health problems. So fruit allows you to balance the sugar in their diet.

Minerals: Fruits like bananas, mango apples, kiwi, and papaya contain sodium, calcium, iron, potassium, protein, carbohydrates, and phosphorus. Your Hedgehog can get all these minerals balanced through these fruits.
Hydration: Moderate amounts of fruits decrease the risk of dehydration. Fruits like strawberries, watermelon, and blueberries contain more than 80% water.

Can Hedgehogs Eat Processed Fruit?

Any type of processed fruit is a big no for your Hedgehogs. It can be fruit juice, jelly, pickle, or any other manufactured food. This type of food has additional sugar, flavor, and texture that can lead your Hedgehogs to digestive issues and health difficulties.

Conclusion

So we have presented an entire fruit chart to you as an alternative to grapes. Choose from those fruits and keep any kind of grapes away from your Hedgehogs! The type of fruits that are more appropriate for them is also mentioned with their benefits. Now, it’s completely up to you what fruits you want to include in your Hedgehogs diet. But of course, take the decision wisely!

FAQ

Is it safe to give grapes to Hedgehogs?

No, it is not safe to give fruits to your spiny companion. This fruit is so detrimental to their health.

Are the alternative fruits safe for Hedgehogs?

The mentioned fruits are safe for Hedgehogs if they are given moderately. You cannot give any fruits in excess to your Hedgehogs.

How often can I give fruits to Hedgehog?

You can give the fruits moderate along with the prime diet. 3-4 times in a month is perfect. Besides, don’t feed them a lot in one go.

What is the appropriate treat for Hedgehogs other than fruits?

Cooked chicken, scrambled egg, and melon cat treats are the perfect choice for hedgehog treats. But don’t use too much oil while cooking chicken or eggs. It would be best to boil them properly.

What types of food are dangerous for Hedgehog’s health?

Dairy items, raw meat, eggs, avocado, chocolate, nuts, seeds, and celery should be avoided strictly from the hedgehog diet. As Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant, you cannot give any type of dairy product. Fruit that has excessive salt and fat is also a big no.