Hedgehogs are not fructivores, they do not have a caecum and they cannot digest the cellulose in plant matter.
People say they see them eating it. They are usually after insects on it or the sugary liquid rotting fruit produces. Please do not feed them fruit, it isn’t good for them.
They regulate their own intake so it’s pretty much impossible to overfeed, just give cat biscuits, hedgehog biscuits and water. Tinned meat will go off quickly in summer.
Trying to limit their feeding times to force them to come in when you can see them is not a great idea. They need to fill their stomach twice a night especially coming in to hibernation or when rearing young. Just put out a load of food, every night right throughout the year, even in winter when, despite the myths, they do not all sleep right the way through but in bursts coming out to top up brown fat. With the warmer winter, some don’t sleep at all.
When you go on holiday ask a neighbour to put the food out instead.
Tap water is fine. That’s all they get in the hospitals, we are not going to rush out buying Evian. Rainwater can contain all sorts of nasties.
