# Food: how much, how often?



## thelovelywitch (Apr 10, 2009)

Here's an interesting thing.
For the most part, I understand what to look for in cat food for a hedgehog, and what treats are do's/don't's, but what I have NOT found, is how do you feed your hedgie? Do you feed them on a nightly basis like humans do with meals, or do you leave a dish out and let them eat when they're hungry?

With all the pets I have owned, different ones have gotten different methods. Once, two dogs got a regular morning meal, but another two always had a full kibble dish. The cat always has kibble, but only gets wet food as a meal once a day. My rabbit and past rodents always had a full dish as well, and never ate themselves sick, but I gave them treats at specific times.

So, what should I try? I don't want to worry about missing my hedgie's meal time if I get home late from work or class, or need to worry about being away for a night. I figure, if I have a constant food bowl out from the start, she'll eat what she needs and leave it alone, but if I see her eating nonstop, switch to the other method?


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

For hedgehogs, we usually free feed dry kibble. However, from what I've seen with mine, he only comes out at night to eat(when all the lights are turned off and you have gone to bed). He rarely ever comes out earlier. 

What I normally do, is... Say he eats about 50 kibbles a night, I put enough for about 70-80 kibbles(I count them). Usually, in the morning, he'll have some left over. There's enough in there for him to snack on if he does decide to come out in the evening when the lights are still on. Then, usually around 11pm, I'll give him a completely fresh bowl of food, again 70-80 kibbles. 

Treat wise(mealies, veggies, fruit, etc etc) I usually offer when I take him out for bonding time. But there are some who offer those at specific times in the late evening(9pm-11pm) so they can remove the uneaten portions before they go to bed for the night, as "wet" foods spoil faster. 

As long as you have a wheel in the cage and she gets enough exercise, your hedgie should be fine with being free fed.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I know some people free feed, leaving food out for hedgies to eat whenever they're hungry. I like to know how much Lily is eating, so I count out her kibble. I put more kibble in her bowl than I know she'll eat in a night, though, so if I'm late getting to her bowl and changing the food the next night, I know she has some food to eat.

For treats, she's just getting mealies right now, a few a night.


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## thelovelywitch (Apr 10, 2009)

Thank you both so much! This kind of information was exactly what I was looking for.


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