Bananas are an excellent way to treat ourselves and others with. Bananas contain a lot of sugar, which gives them their sweet taste and contains many other nutrients. I have many animals visiting my garden, so I figured I do some research on whom of them can eat bananas. I started with the smallest visitor and will share my results here.
Hedgehogs can eat bananas as an occasional treat. Do not feed them the banana peel or any black parts of the banana. Feed the hedgehog a tenth of a banana, so it doesn’t fill its stomach and get discouraged to forage for other foods. The banana needs to be mashed before serving.
The most important thing when feeding bananas to hedgehogs is to mash them and feed in moderation. Hedgehogs aren’t able to digest starchy foods as well as humans do. When you feed your hedgehog bananas, give them a small piece once a week. A too high intake of bananas may end up hurting their stomachs and can cause them to become overweight.
Can hedgehogs eat bananas?
Hedgehogs can eat bananas as long as you feed in moderation. Bananas shouldn’t be a staple in their diet but instead a rare occasional treat. When you feed bananas to hedgehogs, make sure they are mashed to avoid any choking hazard. The best way I found feeding bananas to hedgehogs is outside on a small plate. Eating bananas can be messy, and helping the hedgehog have the food on a plate can help them with their table manners.
Bananas are 12% sugar and roughly 100 calories per 100 grams. A medium-sized banana weighs around 118g. If you give your hedgehog a tenth of a banana, they will only receive around 12 calories and not fill their stomachs and still be motivated to forage for other foods.
Can hoglets eat bananas?
Hoglets can eat bananas, but not in their first six weeks. They require their mother’s milk in their first weeks. Usually, the hoglets leave their nests after 21 days when they have grown their teeth. If you meet a hedgehog with its family, feel free to share a banana with them. If the hoglet has been abandoned, contact a veterinarian for advice.
Do hedgehogs like to eat bananas?
Hedgehogs like to eat bananas. The ease of eating it in combination with the sweet taste makes it a perfect treat for them. However, hedgehogs prefer insects over bananas since they are in their natural diet-especially beetles.
Are bananas safe for hedgehogs?
Bananas are safe for hedgehogs to eat as long as you feed them in moderation, not too often, and in small pieces. Hedgehogs can both develop diabetes and obesity from eating a diet with too much sugar. Bananas are pretty high in sugar and should therefore be given in moderation.
Can hedgehogs eat raw bananas?
Bananas aren’t required to be cooked before being fed to hedgehogs. Hedgehogs can eat bananas in their natural form as long as you remove them from their peel and mash a small piece of them to eat.
Can hedgehogs eat cooked bananas?
Hedgehogs can eat cooked bananas as long as they aren’t dried. Dried fruit is too hard for hedgehogs to eat and will require much effort to swallow and digest. Dried fruit, in general, has a high amount of sugar which also is a red flag. Grilled bananas or bananas that have been in the microwave are fine to give to your hedgehogs, as long as you take the mandatory precautions.
🍚 Leftovers from last dinner? Check out what human foods you can give hedgehogs here. Hint: One of them is rice.
Can hedgehogs eat banana peels?
Hedgehogs shouldn’t eat banana peels. Mainly because of the use of pesticides. Banana crops are one of the most intensively sprayed fruits. They are both sprayed with pesticides and fungicides. The toxins are usually so strong; human workers suffer from them. Even if the bananas are organic, I won’t risk feeding them to the hedgehog.
Can hedgehogs eat frozen bananas?
Hedgehogs can eat frozen bananas as long as they are defrosted, used in a smoothie, or a nice cream. Frozen bananas are too hard for hedgehogs to eat and can be e a choking hazard for them. Digesting frozen food require much energy for the hedgehog.
🥜 You can give hedgehogs nuts from time to time. But there are some nuts you shouldn’t feed hedgehogs. Check out which here.
Can hedgehogs eat unripe bananas?
Hedgehogs can eat unripe bananas if you mash them before feeding them to your hedgehog. Unripe banana has less sugar than ripe ones. Unfortunately, unripe bananas contain more starch than ripe bananas, which may be harmful to your hedgie. Hedgehogs can’t digest starch in the same way humans do and instead end up with stomach aches.
Unripe bananas contain more fiber than ripe bananas do. A too high fiber intake can lead to constipation or diarrhea for the hedgehog. I don’t recommend giving your hedgie diarrhea since they will spread it out everywhere.
Can hedgehogs eat moldy bananas?
You shouldn’t give hedgehogs or any other animal food that has mold on it. Mold is toxic to most animals, including hedgehogs. Mold releases spores, and when inhaled, it can be harmful to hedgehogs. Throw away moldy bananas and food.
🥬 Hedgehogs can eat many vegetables and benefit from most of them. Do you want to know what vegetables you can feed hedgehogs?
Can hedgehogs eat brown parts of the banana?
Hedgehogs can eat brown parts of the banana. When apples and pears fall from the trees, hedgehogs prefer the withered brown parts better. However, you should continue to practice moderation even if you are feeding them brown bananas.
Can hedgehogs eat banana bread?
Hedgehogs shouldn’t eat banana bread. Bread doesn’t offer any valuable nutrition for the hedgehog and will only fill up their stomachs. If the hedgehog is filled up with bread, they lack the motivation to forage for better foods. However, You can occasionally give a small portion of a banana to them.
🍍 Hedgehogs benefit from eating fruits everyday. Do you know what fruits you can give to hedgehogs? Hint: One is apple.
How do you cut bananas for hedgehogs?
The best way to cut bananas for your hedgehog is to cut them as tiny as possible or mash them. Hedgehogs have small mouths and can’t fit larger foods there. The largest banana piece shouldn’t be larger than the nail on your pinky finger. See the video below for an example of a good size to feed.
Safe ways to feed bananas to hedgehogs
The most important when feeding hedgehogs is safety. Hedgehogs can stand their ground against adders, larger birds, badgers, and other predators in the wild. However, they need your help to deflect obesity and asphyxiation.
1. Feed in small amounts
The most important thing to avoid obesity is portion control. In the same way, humans need to be aware of the foods we are eating; we will need to be involved in the food intake of the animals nearby. A tenth of a banana is fine to give your hedgehog.
2. Feed rarely
Bananas shouldn’t be a staple. Hedgehogs don’t need that amount of sugar in their diet regularly. It’s fine to give bananas as an occasional treat now and then, but not daily. It might be a good idea to put out some bananas more often before hedgehogs go into hibernation. Before hibernation, hedgehogs try to gain 500g of mass since they lose 40% of their volume.
3. Feed banana with other foods
It’s not a good idea to fill the hedgehog’s stomach with bananas. If you give your hedgie their regular food like kitten kibble, it might be a good idea to mix it with bananas. You can also feed bananas with apples. You will need to feed less of each fruit.
🦔 Do you know you can encourage hedgehogs to your garden? Read more about it here.
Health benefits from eating bananas for hedgehogs
Bananas contain Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, and Iron which all play an important part in the hedgehog’s body.
Vitamin B6 in the bananas for hedgehogs
Vitamin B6 is good for metabolism and helps to build new red blood cells. The body itself can’t produce red blood self and rely on food to do so.
Vitamin C in bananas for hedgehogs
Vitamin C works as an antioxidant and provides the body in multiple ways. Vitamin C is known to be able to help with building, repairing, and growing body tissues.
Potassium in bananas for hedgehogs
Potassium helps with the fluid balance in the body and helps to regulate the nerve cells.
Magnesium in bananas for hedgehogs
Magnesium helps to increase energy levels, better heart health, and provides a night of better sleep.
Calcium in bananas for hedgehogs
Calcium strengthens the skeleton and is very important in a hedgehog’s diet. Hedgehogs can walk 2 kilometers per day, and strong bones are a requirement.
Iron in bananas for hedgehogs
Iron build hemoglobin that helps transport oxygen to different parts of the body.
Nutrients in 100grams of bananas
| Nutrient (unit) | Banana |
| Weight standard (g) | 100 |
| Energy (kcal) | 95 |
| Energy (kJ) | 396 |
| Carbohydrates (g) | 21.3 |
| Fat (g) | 0.1 |
| Protein (g) | 1.13 |
| Fiber (g) | 1.4 |
| Water (g) | 75 |
| Alcohol (g) | 0 |
| Ashes (g) | 1.1 |
| Monosaccharides (g) | 15.4 |
| Disaccharides (g) | 2.7 |
| Sucrose (g) | 2.7 |
| Sugars (g) | 18.1 |
| Total saturated fatty acids (g) | 0.03 |
| Fatty acid 4: 0-10: 0 (g) | 0 |
| Lauric acid C12: 0 (g) | 0 |
| Myristic acid C14: 0 (g) | 0 |
| Palmitic acid C16: 0 (g) | 0.03 |
| Stearic acid C18: 0 (g) | 0 |
| Arachidic acid C20: 0 (g) | 0 |
| Total monounsaturated fatty acids (g) | 0.01 |
| Palmitic acid C16: 1 (g) | 0 |
| Oleic acid C18: 1 (g) | 0.01 |
| Total polyunsaturated fatty acids (g) | 0.01 |
| Linoleic acid C18: 2 (g) | 0.01 |
| Linolenic acid C18: 3 (g) | 0.01 |
| Arachidonic acid C20: 4 (g) | 0 |
| EPA (C20:5) (g) | 0 |
| DPA (C22:5) (g) | 0 |
| DHA (C22:6) (g) | 0 |
| Tiamin (mg) | 0.15 |
| Riboflavin (mg) | 0.04 |
| Vitamin C (mg) | 9 |
| Niacin (mg) | 0.7 |
| Niacin equivalents (NE / mg) | 0.9 |
| Vitamin B6 (mg) | 0.31 |
| Vitamin B12 (µg) | 0 |
| Folate (µg) | 14 |
| Retinol (µg) | 0 |
| Vitamin A (RE/µg) | 2.2 |
| β-Karoten (µg) | 20 |
| Vitamin D (µg) | 0 |
| Vitamin E (mg) | 0.16 |
| Vitamin K (µg) | 0.5 |
| Phosphorus (mg) | 23 |
| Iodine (µg) | 3 |
| Iron (mg) | 0 |
| Calcium (mg) | 6 |
| Potassium (mg) | 330 |
| Magnesium (mg) | 27 |
| Sodium (mg) | 0 |
| Salt (g) | 0 |
| Selenium (µg) | 0 |
| Zinc (mg) | 0.2 |
| Cholesterol (mg) | 0 |
| Whole grains total (g) | 0 |
| Waste (shell etc.) (%) | 37 |
🍎 Did you know hedgehogs also can eat apples? There are some things you should know before feeding. Learn more about feeding apples to hedgehogs here. 🍏
Conclusion
Hedgehogs can eat bananas as a treat. Baby hedgehogs should wait at least six weeks before they consume bananas. However, if you find an abandoned hoglet, contact a veterinarian for the best guidance on what to feed. Usually, diluted cat milk is the veterinarian’s recommendation.
Hedgehogs like to eat bananas since they are pretty sweet and easy to eat. However, the sweet taste is because of the amount of sugar found in bananas. Hedgehogs can easily gain weight if they have a caloric surplus and should be kept on a strict diet.
Although bananas are safe for hedgehogs to eat, they shouldn’t eat too much. A tenth of a banana is fine. They should also avoid eating banana peel since it can be toxic for them. You shouldn’t offer moldy bananas since they can be toxic and even lethal for the hedgehog. The brown part of the banana is fine and often their favorite part.
Grilled or microwaved bananas are safe for hedgehogs to eat, as long as they’ve cooled down.
Safe ways to feed bananas to hedgehogs:
- Feed in small amounts
- Feed rarely
- Feed the benana with other foods
Bananas contain Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, and Iron which all play an important part in the hedgehog’s body.