# I laugh in your general food direction! HA HA



## sebian (Aug 29, 2008)

Ivan is doing very well-- he's super active and loves his wheel and loves exploring everything (and he's even starting to smell a bit better!). He still, however, refuses to eat. He drinks very little, but it seems every time we put food in front of him, he has no clue what it is, even when he sniffs it. We got him Wednesday night and he didn't eat, although I believe he had a few mealies with his previous owners before we took him home. Since then the only thing he does with his food is walk in it. I'm sure he's still trying to get adjusted (he lived with his previous owners for over 2 years)... 

I called the vet and they advised me to bring him in Monday or Tuesday if he still hasn't eaten anything (that is to say the vet techs did, our actual vet who's taken care of our other two boys was unavailable). It's just strange to me that he's soooooo active and all of his bowel movements look ok, yet he won't touch food. Granted it's not the same craptacular cat food he was getting, and we ordered Spike's Delight for him (which is what they were feeding him before they switched to cat food), which should be here around Wednesday... We've also tried some baby food via syringe and that ended up with him getting a bath (although, it was pretty adorable when it was all over his face). I read a post that someone's hedgehog didn't eat for the first three days and then did. Tonight will be night 3. If he doesn't eat tonight should I call the vet? Or should I wait until we get the Spike's Delight? Like I said, he's still very active and explorative (is that even a word?) and he doesn't have a problem with people handling them (unless you're trying to cut his nails)-- his eyes and nose both look good too. 

We've also tried mixing meal worms with the kibble, and that didn't work either. He wouldn't even eat the mealies when they weren't mixed. 

Perhaps I'm just worrying way too much and he's just a LOT more sensitive to his surroundings than my other two are... :? 

Thanks for your help!


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## Reaper (Aug 22, 2008)

As commercial hedgie foods go Spike's is one of the better food choices out there. I still feed Spike's Premium in my mix due to my 2 yr old being fed it at the breeders. She doesn't eat it very often but she will still pick it out on occasion. I think maybe it is like a comfort food so I keep it in the mix. Will your boy eat live mealies not mixed in the food ?


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Are you still feeding the food he was eating before? Even if it is less than desirable a complete diet change can cause eating strikes. If you aren't feeding his old food, give him some of it. Even if it is less than desirable eating something is better than nothing.


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

I just wanted to say that it is funny you squeezed Monty Python in there... lol :lol:


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## sebian (Aug 29, 2008)

Haha thanks for noticing the Monty Python thing  

As far as the cat food thing-- The woman I took Ivan from has basically fallen off the face of the earth. I've called her numerous times and I've emailed her even more, and she has yet to get back to me in terms of what cat food she was feeding him. She merely mentioned "cat food" when I picked him up and I asked that she include a little bit in terms of transitioning. She said she would, but we never found it in the "care package" she gave us with him. We're going to try to give him some of the cat food my mother-in-law feeds her cats, perhaps we'll luck out and it'll be a same as he's used to.. :|


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## sebian (Aug 29, 2008)

We actually just tried the cat food and he had about two pieces. Which is two pieces more than.. ever! That being said, it's a bit loud right now. He was also under a blanket and I just basically shoved it under there. So I'm thinking of putting on of his snuggle blankets (both of which are our t-shirts) over the food bowl tonight when it's quiter and dark(er)... Hopefully that'll work. And if he eats that, I'll mix some cat food with the kibble we have and go that route.


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## peanut1388 (Sep 28, 2008)

Reaper said:


> As commercial hedgie foods go Spike's is one of the better food choices out there. I still feed Spike's Premium in my mix due to my 2 yr old being fed it at the breeders. She doesn't eat it very often but she will still pick it out on occasion. I think maybe it is like a comfort food so I keep it in the mix. Will your boy eat live mealies not mixed in the food ?


Peanut will NOT eat hedgehog food he only eats Cat food! Ive even tried mixing the two but he just picks out the cat food and leaves the hedgie food.. oh well Cat food is just as good! :mrgreen:


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## sebian (Aug 29, 2008)

Just a little update in case anyone was wondering.

We bought the Spike's Delight and since we got it he's been eating it. I mix the lite and the premium together, since I assumed he was on the premium before, but seriously needs to be on the lite.

I also discovered that some of the problem was the bowl. I'm not sure why, but he definitely was not having anything that was given to him in that particular bowl (it was actually an extra reptile water dish we were using instead of the big 1 cup crock that came with him). While waiting for his super pets super bowl (the same bowl everyone else has), I tried putting the food on the floor of his cage, and wouldn't you know, he ate most if not all the kibble pieces (I'd usually put about 30-40). Last night the bowl came and I put his mix in it (25 pieces each of the lite and the premium) and sure enough, he ate EVERYTHING.

Those bowls are a godsend. I use the medium size, which is probably too big, and no one ever tips it over or poops in it or throws it around!

http://www.superpetusa.com/index.html


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