# What about Pinkies??



## Mika (Dec 4, 2008)

Do you agree to give pinkies (little baby mice) to your hedgehogs?

I don't do that, but I know a person who does that and I would like to know what do you think about that?


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

I personally couldn't feed baby mice to anything. Which is why I can't have a pet snake as much as I want one. 

I've heard of people feeding pinkies to hedgehogs. I don't think it's a necessary part of a diet. There are plenty of other protein sources that you could feed. I would think that it could pose a choking hazard but maybe the bones at that age are so small and soft that they don't. Also, I think it would be sort of messy and gross. I've never heard of it being recommended but I've also not heard that it is unhealthy. Therefore I guess the bottom line is it is up to the owner of the hedgehog.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I don't agree with it. The thoughts of it turns my stomach. For some reason the thoughts of reptiles eating them doesn't bother me but hedgehogs or ferrets is disgusting.


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

Nancy said:


> I don't agree with it. The thoughts of it turns my stomach. For some reason the thoughts of reptiles eating them doesn't bother me but hedgehogs or ferrets is disgusting.


I share the same opinion too. Mealies are a bit disgusting, but way less than a mice


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## Mika (Dec 4, 2008)

I agree with you.. but I would like to know if it is a could thing for theye diet!!

If other people give pinkies to their hedgehogs, what will you think!!

That's my question!!

i don,t want to give little mice to my hedgehog ether.. :?


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## HedgeMom (Nov 7, 2008)

Giving pinkies to hedgehogs was first suggested in a very old, very wrong hedgehog book written either by Dennis Kelsey Wood or Matthew Vriends. I can't rightly recall which one has what information right now and I'm on vacation so I can't check my library at home. 

These books were published in the very early years of hedgehog ownership and a lot of the information is based on what they thought the wild diet was. Keep in mind that most wild hedgehogs were caught around trash dumps and they've never really done an extensive investigation into the complete wild diet. 

Some of the information is based on what European hedgehogs eat and we don't know that it applies to APH.

Personally, I see no reason for feeding pinkies to pet hedgehogs. If the hedgehog were an obligate carnivore like the ferret, it would be different. But hedgehogs are not and they do quite well without the pinkies. I have yet to see any information, anecdotal or otherwise, that indicates that having pinkies makes them healthier.


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

I've considered feeding Inky pinkies because I have them, but just haven't found a reason to do so. I don't think it would be significantly beneficial.


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## Mika (Dec 4, 2008)

Thanks for your opinion!!


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