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Will hedgehogs break and eat hen's eggs?

Pets Asked by Tom W on November 10, 2020

I’ve seen a hedgehog milling about during the day. It is November, the temperature has recently gone below freezing at night, and the hedgehog looked pretty small, say the size of a large potato. These factors all add up to pretty bad news for a hedgehog, so I’ve decided to try and capture this little one and take it to a rescue centre, as it is pretty likely it won’t survive on its own.

To encourage it to come back, I bought some cat food, which I left in a sheltered place near where I saw the ‘hog, and in under an hour the food has disappeared. However there are at least half a dozen cats living in close proximity to my property so it’s more than likely one of them has had it.

So I’ve had an idea: Give the hedgehog something that is nutritious for it, but that cats can’t or won’t eat. Some sources suggest that they will eat eggs, so I was wondering – will a hedgehog recognise a hen’s egg as food and be able to break into it? I would imagine it extremely unlikely that a cat would eat raw egg if it came across it, and even if it would, is unlikely to know how to break an egg without being taught. So I surmise that this is a neat way of ensuring that the food I provide for this little hedgehog is only likely to be eaten by the hedgehog – assuming they know what to do with it.

4 Answers

Eggs are a good source of nutrients for hedgehogs, but it is not a common part of their diet so I don't think they will recognise it as food unless the shell is broken.

And a small hedgehog will probably have trouble opening an egg, larger hedgehogs might be able to open it if they see it as food.

Your idea is good if hedgehogs see it as food.

This is my opinion about it and i might be wrong, if it works please give some feedback; it can help others.

Answered by trond hansen on November 10, 2020

They will be able to do it, however another way is to put a cracked egg out. Do not use milk, they are lactose intolerant and so ends up making them ill.

Answered by Emma evans on November 10, 2020

I live on a farm and have chickens, and my friend came over for me to pet sit her hedgehog. We were at breakfast and I saw this question. I took a raw chicken egg, and the hedgehog ended up being a little bit afraid of the egg. He soon realized he could push it with his nose. I guess they don't destroy the eggs.

Answered by Madison Landonion on November 10, 2020

Actually cats will and do eat raw egg. Feral cats on a poultry farm where I worked ate any broken eggs in the egg grading room and I often gave my own cats raw egg, it gave their coat a beautiful sheen.

Answered by Christine Hewerdine on November 10, 2020

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