Has your hedgehog tried to sneak in a few bites of your popcorn as you both cuddle and watch movies together? Or are you a new or potential hedgehog parent and are curious to know whether popcorn is suitable for your little companion?
With hedgehogs, you need to be careful about what to feed and what not to. Hence, it is always better to do a little research so you can cater to your pet’s needs effectively.
The answer to your questions is yes. Hedgehogs can eat popcorn.
While it is safe for hedgehogs to eat popcorn, you should be careful about how you give it to them. With popcorn, you must remove the hulls, so it is safe for them to eat. As hedgehogs have small mouths, they can choke on food easily, and removing any hulls will help avoid that problem.
Can Hedgehogs Eat Popcorn Kernels?
Popcorn kernels are small and hard. Therefore, you should not be feeding popcorn kernels to your hedgehog.
Furthermore, popcorn kernels are dangerous because not only are they difficult to chew, but your hedgehog can also easily choke on them. Your hedgehog cannot digest kernels easily and can suffer from digestion issues.
Therefore, to save your hedgehog from any discomfort and pain, you should avoid giving it popcorn kernels altogether.
Is Popcorn OK for Hedgehogs?
You may be tempted to give your hedgehog snacks you have been having yourself. Of course, it is perfectly ok to give popcorn to your hedgehogs. However, popcorn should be given occasionally as a treat rather than all the time.
You cannot just give any popcorn to your hedgehog. If you have instant store-bought popcorn at home that you plan to give your hedgehog, you should hold that thought right there. Hedgehogs cannot consume instant popcorn because it contains salt and other preservatives that are harmful to them.
You should make popcorn at home, so you have the satisfaction of no added salt or additives.
Also, you should remove the hull from the popcorn before giving it to your hedgehog.
The hull is hard and small and can cause your hedgehog to choke on it. There is also a chance for the popcorn to get stuck to your hedgehog’s mouth. This can cause your hedgehog to be uncomfortable.
Many owners have reported that the hull gets stuck to the back of their hedgehog’s teeth, and they must dislodge it with their finger. If a popcorn piece gets stuck to your hedgehog’s teeth and you do not remove it, it can cause serious issues.
Your hedgehog may stop eating, become weak, and the stuck piece of popcorn can lead to dental problems.
Can Hedgehogs Eat Salt or Sweet Popcorn?
You can give popcorn to your hedgehog but without any seasoning on it. If your hedgehog is salty, sweet, or spicy, you should refrain from giving it to your hedgehogs. Any added flavouring is harmful to your hedgehog’s health.
Hedgehogs are small and are prone to gaining weight. Therefore, any butter or sweet popcorn can cause hedgehogs to gain weight and become obese. To avoid your hedgehog from getting overweight and contracting diabetes, give them plain popcorn occasionally.
Is it OK for Hedgehogs to Eat Corn?
It may be fine for your hedgehog to eat popcorn, but it is not okay for them to eat corn itself.
Corn is useless for hedgehogs as they do not have any nutritional value. Moreover, corn is not easy to digest for hedgehogs, and eating it can lead to great pain and discomfort in digestive issues.
You should avoid feeding your hedgehog corn.
How Can I Prepare Popcorn for My Hedgehog?
As aforementioned, store-bought popcorn is not the ideal snack for your hedgehog. The seasonings, additives, and preservatives in the popcorn bought from the store can cause digestive issues for your hedgehog.
Instead, make fresh batches of popcorn for yourself and your hedgehog.
If you are making popcorn only for your hedgehog, you will not require a lot of kernels. You can begin by placing a small amount of kernel in the microwave or oven in a pot on your stove.
You can make a big batch and leave a few popcorns aside for your hedgehog. Then, feed your hedgehog the soft, fluffy bits of the popcorn and remove the hull. Then, you can season it with the rest of the batch and eat it however you like!
What Other Junk Food Can I Give My Hedgehog?
Apart from popcorn, there are many other options for junk food that you can give your hedgehog. It is important to know which food is safe for hedgehogs and which is not.
You can give your hedgehog some yummy marshmallows if they are in small pieces and small amounts.
Apart from this, you can give unsalted, plain pasta; unsalted, plain potato chips; and healthy homemade cookies.
It is important to know that you should never substitute these foods for a hedgehog’s meal. These foods should be given occasionally as treats as they have high sugar content, and too much can be unhealthy for your hedgehog.
Summary
Popcorn is a junk food enjoyed by humans and can be given to hedgehogs as well. However, you cannot give just any popcorn to your hedgehog. You should not give Store-bought instant popcorn to hedgehogs as it contains a high sodium content and has preservatives and additives.
Instead, you can give homemade popcorn to your hedgehog, prepared with little or no butter and oil. The popcorn should be plain, and you should give only the white fluffy part to hedgehogs with the kernel removed.
Popcorn can easily get stuck to the back of your hedgehog’s teeth, and it can be difficult to remove it. However, there is other junk food you can give your hedgehog, like marshmallows, plain pasta, and plain potato chips.
Junk food should be given on rare occasions and in small quantities as hedgehogs easily gain weight.
