diet & handling

Question
Hi, I am getting my first hedge-hog from a pet store shortly, they said to feed it kitten food but I'm a little iffy... should it eat cat food, kitten food or hedgehog food? what kind of cat/kitten/hedgehog food would be best?

Also how are these picked up without being picked? do these become tame enough to be handled everyday? do they enough being around people? if they would bite would it bleed? also I hear they like meal worms... can these be fed say once a week without ill efects or should they be fed at all?

Thank you fora ny help in advacne.

Answer
Feed your hedgehog PREMIUM CAT food. Kitten food is too high in fat. You want a food with at least 20% protein, or as close as you can get, and less than 5% fat. You want to get a premium cat food (can only get at pet store or vet). Store brands are too high in fat. Hedgehog food is to be debated. Most hedgehogs will not even eat it. Some are too high in fat. You should feed your hedgehog what it is being fed at the pet store, and then slowly mix the new food in. If you switch it too fast it can make your hedge hog sick. My hedgehog was always a picky eater and would eat around the new food and only eat her original food, so you may be stuck.

The little spikes can't really hurt you in you use the "man on bed of nails trick". One or two can hurt, but as a whole they cant. Just roll the hedgehog over onto your hand. Or you can use a towel or old tshirt that smells like you to pick it up at first. over time when they ball up they don't do it tight, so it doesn't really hurt because the spikes are not spread out as much.

Hedgehogs are a one person kind of pet. They bound for life with one owner. It can be a family pet, but the hedgehog will always prefer one specific person. At least that is what I have noticed and read in research.

When they bite, it isn't hard. They can't really hurt you. They have teeth like our molars. Not sharp and can't really hurt you. It can surprise you, but no damage.

My hedgehog was afraid of mealworms (one wiggled at her nose and she refused to go near them ever since no matter how they were presented). She would actually run away from them. Try freezing them first.  Some hedgies love fresh mealworms, and others like them to be dead.