The badger has a strong physique and the amounts of food that it needs are correspondingly large. As an omnivore, it has a wide range of food sources. However, the badger prefers to eat worms.
In a nutshell
- up to 600 grams of food daily
- eats plant food, for example in the form of cereals, berries or fruit
- worms are eaten primarily as animal food
- can eat animals up to the size of chickens
- can steal chicken eggs and chickens
Table of contents
- Vegetable food
- animal food
- Other food sources
- frequently asked Questions
Vegetable food
The badger (meles meles) is not picky about its vegetable diet. It eats both wild and field crops. Especially in autumn, when he has to eat bacon for hibernation, he is not particularly choosy. On average, the badger needs 400-600 grams of food per day. For this he has to spend several hours. Although he prefers animal food sources, he also likes to eat plant-based food when the opportunity arises.
Selection of plant-based food:
- Berry
- Grain
- tubers
- Fruit
- seed
- root
In years when there are many
acorns exist, they are among the preferred plant-based food sources. The badger does not stop at corn either. Due to its size, the badger can cause considerable damage in maize cropsNotice: Vegetable food is important for the badger in summer and autumn. This enables it to better compensate during dry periods when worms and other insects retreat to deeper soil layers.
animal food
Animal proteins are an important part of the diet. Studies have shown that a badger can live up to 200 worms can eat in one night. This is equivalent to the amount of protein that a piece of beef would contain. When foraging for food, the badger prefers low vegetation because it doesn't see the worms very well there. Mowed or grazed meadows with a height of up to 5 cm are ideal. On average, badgers can find up to three worms per minute.
Selection of animal food:
- amphibians
- fish
- insects
- small mammals
- reptiles
- snails
- worms
When looking for food, the badger does not stop at beneficial insects. He is considered one of the greatest fines for Hedgehog. The badgers can roll up the hedgehogs with their strong claws, which allows them to reach the ventral side of the hedgehog with their snout. As a result, they are completely at their mercy.
The badger not only eats animal food as a fresh catch, if it finds carrion, especially from larger mammals, this is also eaten. Depending on the region fish and other aquatic creatures such as crabs or mussels found in badgers' stomachs. However, fish are rather the exception as they are difficult for them to catch.
Other food sources
Eggs from ground breeders are more of a chance find, but the badger does not turn down them when they find them. If a badger is nearby, can Chicken or. eggs in danger. Eggs should therefore be fetched from nests in the evening and the hens should be housed safely in the barn.
Notice: The badger is not a particularly good climber. A simple fence usually provides good protection for a flock of chickens.
frequently asked Questions
The badger is nocturnal and spends the day sleeping. To do this, he withdraws into the den in small groups. The group provides protection, they can also warm each other. The badger only comes out of its burrow in the evening to start looking for food.
The food spectrum of the badger does not differ, even if a garden belongs to its territory. However, if he finds treats such as cat food or special hedgehog food, he may use it. Although the badger eats mostly plant-based food, it is not a pest. On the contrary, he is at most a nuisance because he can dig up the garden in search of food. The advantage, however, is that the badger also eats harmful insects and small mammals.
No, you should not provide the badger with additional food sources in the garden. There is nothing wrong with having a badger in the garden, as long as it does not cause damage by digging, but feeding badgers may be prohibited. You can find out whether feeding is allowed or not in the hunting law of the respective federal state. Due to their wide range of food, badgers can easily find suitable food.
In principle, badgers should not eat any processed food, for example in the form of leftovers from the compost. Processed foods tend to be high in salt, which is not healthy for badgers.
