Mealworms!
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I am increasingly concerned about the number of hedgehog sites recommending feeding dried mealworms to hedgehogs.
Knoxwood.org recommend this, I’ve tried contacting them but their contact page isnt working. They are not alone many are still recommending mealworms as a good food for wild and pet hedgehogs!!
http://www.knoxwood.org/feeding-your-local-wildlife-hedgehogs/
Here’s the link
Hi jackietb
I wonder whether that organisation is still actually functioning. Their last news item was from 2018. But, to me, there are more than one food item on that list which seem inappropriate. It isn’t safe to assume that hedgehogs are getting the bulk of their food from the wild – some may be going from one garden to another eating supplementary food. Therefore, in my opinion, we have a responsibility to offer them the best food that we can whether in ‘care’ or otherwise.
The following is information from Vale Wildlife which I found a while back. It has a table at the end, which gives the calcium and phosphorous ratios of other foods as well as mealworms. http://www.valewildlife.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Feeding-wild-hedgehogs.pdf Some of the foodstuffs they have shown as more problematical are included in Knoxwood’s information.
The other thing I find problematical is the Spring Hedgehog Relocation Program, when the advice from BHPS and others is that, wherever possible, hedgehogs should be returned to where they came from. Having said that, I’m not sure how long ago the BHPS advice was initially issued, so maybe the place ceased to operate before it was issued. If it is still going, not sure why their ‘news’ is so old!
p.s. They do seem to still be operating – found reference to a Facebook page and an entry in August. Perhaps they have abandoned their website? But that feeding information is still on there.
Thanks for the reply Nic, I’m not on Facebook so can’t contact them. The information is very misleading to people looking for information on how to look after their hedgehogs. Not sure what to do.
Hi Jackietb
No I’m not on Facebook either, so was only able to read it. But there must be some way to contact them, otherwise what do people do if they need to contact them about sick or injured hedgehogs. They may be doing a very good job in that respect. I should say that just because I don’t agree with their feeding advice for wild hedehogs doesn’t mean that they can’t be doing good work for hogs in other ways.
As things stand whilst there seems to be a lot of strong anecdotal information about mealworms and hogs, including from people who would be in a position to know (i.e. those that treat hogs and have seen the damage which can be caused by mealworms) as far as I know there isn’t yet any scientific evidence, as such, from research (which leaves open a window of opportunity for people to potentially argue in the other direction – although I haven’t heard any arguments, let alone convincing arguments, in favour of feeding mealworms). But to me, as there is a choice of food we can give the hogs, it doesn’t make sense to recommend mealworms, when there is such strong advice against them being offered from experts at places such as Vale Wildlife, etc. (including information via the link in previous post). Also that that advice is not only that mealworms aren’t good for the hogs, but that they can have negative life changing/limiting effects on hogs.
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