If to offer a hedgehog a saucer with milk — he, most likely, will treat such treat with great interest. Also began to smell, and the taste — all this attracts an animal. However whether milk for hedgehogs is safe? No. And consequences for health of a small animal can be very serious.
Why adult animals cannot drink milk
Hedgehogs belong to mammals, and maternal milk becomes the first food of newborn small animals. Therefore could seem that milk for hedgehogs — food, "recommended by the nature". However the physiology at cubs and adult animals differs — including regarding ability to acquire milk sugar — lactose which contains in any "real" milk of animal origin. It concerns not only hedgehogs, but also the majority of other mammals: as the cub begins to pass to a "adult" diet, at it the enzyme splitting lactose ceases to be produced. As a result the sweet milk is not digested an organism of the matured animal, not split milk sugar remains in a digestive tract and turns into "nutritious base" for the bacteria inhabiting it. And active reproduction of the bacteria which received an excellent food supply leads to an abdominal distension and disorders of digestion.
This feature of mammals — one of "protective mechanisms" evolutions allowing to provide bringing up of cubs, differently adult individuals inevitably would compete with cubs for maternal milk. And so milk remains "children's food", and do not recommend to give to adult animals it categorically. And it concerns not only hedgehogs: even cats transfer it badly (unlike fermented milk products which do not harm them). But if the cat who drank up a portion of milk most likely gets off" with indigestion, then for a hedgehog of a consequence of such treat can be much more serious.
What milk is dangerous to hedgehogs by
The hedgehog — a wild animal, milk does not enter its natural diet. And after such treat the small animals practically always feel very badly. Milk is not acquired, begins active gas emission in a large intestine which leads to a severe abdominal distension and serious disorders of digestion. At least diarrhea and strong discomfort are guaranteed to an animal, and in hard cases milk can even lead to the death of a hedgehog.
At the same time the intolerance is not limited to cow's milk — sheep or goat which is often considered less harmful to animals, contains comparable amount of lactose, and too is not shown.
The only exception of this rule are the newborn hedgehoglets who lost mother — they need milk. However for their bringing up the dairy mixes intended for kittens or puppies, usual milk — option on "an extreme case" are usually used, and give it in the diluted look.
Than it is possible to feed up a hedgehog
Skilled summer residents and gardeners often seek to attract these small animals — they are capable to reduce significantly number of insects, mean to plants, hedgehogs also hunt mice. What it is possible to please prickly guests with if not a saucer with milk?
Hedgehogs who contain at home are usually fed with specialized sterns or insects, small cut low-fat crude meat, pieces of fruit and vegetables, allow to regale on crude or boiled eggs (chicken or quail). With interest they treat and an offal, boiled river fish in a small amount will also not do them harm.
All this can be used and to treat the wild hedgehog who came on your territory. However, that the treat did not do harm to an animal, it is necessary to exclude from the offered menu ready food from a table (salt and spices are not useful to animals), dried fruits, various confectionery and exotic fruit (including a citrus). And here pieces of beef or chicken, a liver or chicken hearts, local vegetables and fruit will be apprehended by a hedgehog with interest and will not do to it harm.