# Food by weight



## TitustheHog (Aug 15, 2012)

I read a lot about people counting kibble, that seems painstaking so I just weigh out the food I give Titus. He eats on average 7g a night. Recently instead of leaving him 15g every night we started leaving 10g. Now he cleans his dish every night. Does anyone else weigh their hedgehogs food. What do you find you hog eats on average?


----------



## cardiologineer (Sep 29, 2012)

That's what I do. When I first got Zannah, she was eating about 10-12 grams a night, so I would feed her 14 grams. Now she seems to be eating around 8 grams a night, so I've been feeding 10 grams. Sometimes she eats a bit less, sometimes a bit more, but I've never had her completely clean the dish (on nights she eats more there's usually at least a few kibbles left).
Of course, every hedgehog is going to eat a slightly different amount and I'm sure it varies by age, size, etc. but just try your best to find an amount just above what his max seems to be. It might take some playing around with to get a good amount for him, that's pretty much what I did when I first got Zannah (took maybe a week to settle in on 14 grams). 
Good luck.


----------



## Kam (Nov 7, 2012)

I have found that a shot glass does the trick.
Full to the top It's the perfect amount.


----------



## Herrison (Oct 12, 2012)

I also weight my hedgies food. Herrison eats between 7 and 10 grams a night. I find it all depends on how much he wheels.


----------



## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

That's about the same range we see here for our guys, too. Some don't eat a lot and some eat more than others, usually 5-10 grams a night. Though pregnant or nursing moms can eat four times that much. :lol:


----------



## Erizo (Jul 25, 2012)

(15:13)
food-measurement-13-01-10.mp4





This video deliberately does not discuss measuring food by volume, though I know some people that strictly use volume. It is another option, just not for me. Volume is an important thing to keep in mind, though. My girl has trouble keeping on weight, yet will only eat so much, so considering volume is important to keep in mind when adjusting her diet. I am needing to increase both fat and protein in what she will eat.

I stuck to weight and count in this video, because that is the combination of measurements that I use for data collection (but keeping volume 'in mind' when adjusting her diet).

Whatever you do, consistency in collecting data is the most important thing, otherwise the data quickly loses validity.

I log weight and count. Count gives me a much more detailed picture of fluctuation and is what I am most interested in, but convert count to weight in a flash because I have baseline data of larger amounts that have been weighed, counted, and divided into pieces per gram. I log both numbers every day for both kibbles; also the baby food. Only takes a minute.

My girl has trouble keeping weight on, so an efficient system for monitoring her consumption to some preciseness is invaluable. Her weight drives diet decisions. She is a preference eater, so I'm using a bit of baby food (first choice) to hide a high-fat, high-protein kibble that I want her to have (second choice after her other kibble, so she won't eat it otherwise). I then free feed her other kibble.

All numbers/ measurements, by themselves, can provide incomplete information or questionably accurate / useful information. An understanding of all possible perspectives is extremely useful. With the baby food in her diet (to hide the kibble that I want her to have, which is ground and added), Sophie's 'weight consumption' and 'volume consumption' are through the roof. When she isn't getting that 7 grams of baby food, it is most definitely not replaced with 7 grams of kibble not even close. Consumption of kibble goes up, but comparisons to kibble consumption and baby food consumption cannot be made directly. The relationship is relative.

I'd rather not be feeding the baby food as part of her main diet, but seems to be part of the best option right now. She's getting Gerber or Beechnut in chicken or turkey, so good for her though.


----------



## MurE (Aug 29, 2011)

I have a soup spoon that I keep in the food container and I just scoop about 1.5 spoons into Poggle's bowl. It is just enough to cover the base of his bowl. He usually eats all of the food minus a few pieces. I give him those as snacks during the day so that his food is finished up each day. On top of that he gets two mealies, two cat treats, and his usual junk food (nibbles of cheese, fruit, cooked meat, etc).


----------

