# Diet suggested by vet? How's my hedgie's diet?



## afireinsidex03 (Sep 6, 2014)

Hi,

I've had my little Giz for about a month and a half now (and she's a very happy, adventurous hedgie). I took her to the vet today and all looked well-she was pretty relaxed (considering I woke her up in the middle of the morning and took her out to an unfamiliar location). 
She's about 11 weeks old.

Anywho, the vet recommended this for food:

3-4 tsp/day: commercial hedgehog diet (ex: Mazuri)
1-2 tsp/day: canned dog/cat food, cooked eggs, lowfat cottage cheese, insects (mealworms, earthworms, crickets-gut loaded)
1 tsp/day: fruits/veggies(beans, cooked carrots, squash, peas, tomatoes, leafy greens, bananas, grapes, apples pears, berries)

However, I have read that grapes can be toxic to hedgies (and I've printed out the sticky on here of what to feed the hedgies) and that commercial hedgehog foods aren't the best.

Right now, I have her on Purina Cat Chow Complete (the breeder had her on this; I would like to eventually wean this out and replace it, as the ingredients aren't the best), and I have introduced Blue Buffalo Freedom (grain free) cat food a few weeks ago, and she loves it. Right now I've got a 50/50 mix of that, and I will give her some cooked carrots or eggs (parts of a hard-boiled and some scrambled), and 2-3 mealies a day. 
I also put a couple drops of flaxseed oil in her food every other day.

*Blue Buffalo-Freedom-Grain Free:*
Crude Protein: 32% min
Crude Fat: 13% min
Crude Fiber: 7% max
Moisture: 10% max
Taurine: .15%min
Magnesium: .08%min
Omega 3 fatty acids: .5% min
Omega 6 fatty acids: 2.5% min

*And Purina Cat Chow Complete*
Crude Protein: 32%
Crude Fat (min): 13%
Crude Fiber (max) 3%
Linoleic Acid (min) 1.25%
Arachidonic Acid: .03%
Calcium: 1.1%
Phosphorus .9%
Selenium: .30 mg/kg
Some Vitamin E, Taurine, and 1.25% omega-6 fatty acids

I've read that commercial hedgehog foods can be bad (the first ingredient of the recommended Mazuri food is a by-product meal!). However, the first ingredients of Purina's are Poultry By-product meal, corn meal, corn gluten meal. So the percentages of the Purina are alright, but the ingredients aren't super great.

I'm just reading the paperwork, and it says hedgehogs should be fed high quality dog or cat food (which is what I'm leaning towards doing). Hmm.

ANYWAYS. Are there any suggestions that any of you would make to change my hedgie's diet? I'm planning on switching out the Purina soon; any suggestions? I don't plan on adding the commercial hedgehog food if she can get the proper nutrients elsewhere. Please tell me if I'm doing something wrong. I just want my hedgie to be as happy and healthy as possible.


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

Ignore your vet on the hedgehog food, high quality cat food or dog food is best.

I would just stop feeding her the Purina cat chow and stick with the blue buffalo if she is eating it and has been on the mix for a while the change should be fine.

Now you can totally add wet dog of cat food to her diet, I do this. I would only give cottage cheese every now and then but it is healthy for her. Bugs are always great to add to a diet but I do one type of bug a night.

Avoid legumes, grapes and tomatoes, peas are high in phosphorus so those should be weekly treats if given at all.

You can continue with the blue buffalo if you like or you can add another food to the mix. I use four foods in my mix, plus wet food and some raw food and then insects as nightly treats.

http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/forums/12-diet-nutrition/23042-recommended-foods-list.html - This is a good place to look up which brands are recommended.


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