Diet slimming down Sherman the overweight Israeli hedgehog
Sherman the overweight hedgehog, who was put on a diet at a zoo in Israel, has lost about one-tenth of his body weight.
Sherman weighed 3.5 pounds, double the average weight of a normal hedgehog, when he was taken in by the Ramat Gan Safari outside of Tel Aviv in November. The Safari announced this week that Sherman has lost 0.33 pounds.
Sherman is one of 10 hedgehogs that were found waddling through the streets in Israel. They had eaten so much, mostly cat food that warmhearted Israelis leave on the streets for strays, that they had problems curling themselves into balls to defend themselves against predators.
All the hedgehogs were put on food and exercise regimens. The plan is to get them trim enough to be released by the summer.
The hedgehogs were fed cat food, but in smaller portions, and it was supplemented with fruits and vegetables, the Jerusalem Post reported. And the food was placed far from the animals, forcing them to have to walk for their dinners.
JTA Wire Service
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