Hedgehogs are classified in the Taxonomic order of insectivores. This means they prefer a diet of insects and other small creatures such as certain reptiles and mollusks.
In the wild, hedgehogs live primarily on a diet of insects. Wild hedgehogs also eat other things as well, including frogs, snails, slugs, earthworms and small snakes. Berries are a favorite food of wild hedgehogs.
When kept in captivity, hedgehogs should be fed mostly a commercial hedgehog diet or high-protein, low fat dry cat food. They should be given insects only as treats, about one per week. The best insects to feed them are crickets and mealworms. It’s best to gut-load the crickets before feeding them to your hedgehog. Gut-loading adds nutritional value to the cricket. You do this by keeping them in a container with a piece of fruit (like an apple slice) or a piece of raw potato.