# Sticky  Supplements



## Lilysmommy

Thank you to Twobytwopets for suggesting this!

*Vitamin Supplements*

A lot of new owners may have pet stores or uninformed breeders try to sell them a supplement vitamin powder to add to their hedgehogs food. If a hedgehog is being fed a good quality cat/dog food, supplement vitamin powders are NOT needed and could very well prove to be harmful instead. Vitamins can be overdosed, some more easily than others. A commercially sold, good quality cat or dog food will have the vitamins & nutrients necessary for good health already added to them. So vitamin supplements are not needed in this case.

The only occasion in which a vitamin supplement might be necessary to add to your hedgehog's diet are if you're feeding a homemade/natural diet (which you should not attempt without plenty of research and care), or if a vet gives you a vitamin supplement *to fix a medical issue*. Keep in mind that some vets are rather uninformed about nutrition, especially for more exotic pets like hedgehogs, so make sure your vet isn't trying to sell you a supplement if you have a healthy hedgehog on a balanced diet.

There are some other supplements that you may see mentioned on the forum to add to your hedgehog's food. Typically these are not strictly necessary and are done to help with dry skin or other minor health issues.

*Oil*

Oil can be added to the food to help with dry skin. Options can include flaxseed, olive, coconut, fish, and red palm fruit (in the form of Sunshine Factor). Some of these can come as a liquid in a bottle or in capsule form. There are pros & cons to each - bottles of oil can go bad faster once opened. But capsules can sometimes be poorer quality, as in the case of fish oil capsules sometimes being rancid even before being bought. Personally, I prefer capsules since you use a very small amount for hedgehogs, unless you're getting an oil that you plan to use for you or other pets as well. Just check the expiration date, check the capsule's smell when you pierce it, and research your brand.

There are other reasons to check the source as well - for fish oil, you want to make sure the oil comes from a good quality fish (such as salmon) and not one likely to be contaminated with toxins. You may also want to consider the company and whether they support sustainable fishing & ethical fishing methods. Look for a company that has had a third party conduct testing on their oil & had the results published. Ethical concerns are an issue for coconut and palm oil as well, and it'd be a good idea to check the company to see whether they are fair trade & sustainable (which Sunshine Factor is). And one more note for coconut oil - you want to make sure it's NOT the refined stuff sold for cooking. It should be raw coconut oil, and should smell & taste like coconut.

Check the packaging as well - I know for fish and flaxseed oil, you want the container to be dark-colored, which can help prevent the oil from UV damage. Make sure you check out the best way to store your oil. Fish oil and flaxseed oil are best stored in the fridge to help extend their lifespan.

As far as amounts, start slowly with only a few drops of oil on the food once a week. Work your way up from there, but I wouldn't do more than oil on the food 2-3x/week. Too much can cause diarrhea and could also have an impact on weight gain since oil is fat.

*Pumpkin & Fiber Supplements*

Sometimes a hedgehog can have a bout of constipation or hard poop. If this is a rare occurrence, pumpkin can help move things along. Make sure you get the plain canned pumpkin - NOT pumpkin pie mix, which has spices added to it.

If constipation is a regular thing, first check to make sure your hedgehog is not dehydrated & is getting plenty of water. Dehydration can cause constipation or hard/dry poops. If your hedgehog is not drinking enough, you may need to switch water sources, increase the amount of moisture in the diet, or see the vet to see if there's a medical reason for the problem. If there's no dehydration or if you just want more fiber in the hedgehog's diet, you can try to increase the amount of veggies in the hedgehog's diet or you can increase the amount of insects with hard exoskeletons (mealworms, crickets, roaches). My preference would be to increase insects as they're more species appropriate. Veggies can help as well though, if you can get your hedgehog to eat them.

*Probiotics*

Probiotics can be very useful for numerous situations, such as when a hedgehog is adjusting to a new diet, or if they're on antibiotics. Probiotics are a broad name for good bacteria that flourish in the intestines and stomach, and are part of a healthy intestinal tract. These bacteria colonies can be disturbed if your hedgehog has diarrhea from switching foods too quickly, and they can be decimated if your hedgehog is on antibiotics. Antibiotics are designed to kill bacteria & they don't distinguish between good & bad.

There are two main options for probiotics - Bene-Bac and acidophilus. Bene-Bac can be bought from your vet or the pet store. It comes in gel and powder form, though you may only be able to find one or the other in the pet store. It will have instructions on the package for dosage, or your vet will be able to give you instructions for dosage. Acidophilus can be found in human pharmacies, located near the vitamins. They come in capsules that can be pulled apart so that you can sprinkle the powder on or in your hedgehog's food. If you decide to get acidophilus, get the highest bacterial count that you can find. Dosage isn't exact, a pinch or so will work well enough.

If you're giving probiotics to help a hedgehog that is on antibiotics, make sure you don't give them at the same time or your probiotics will be useless. The best time to give them would be a few hours after the medication, so it has a chance to help a little. You can give probiotics for a week or two after the medication is finished, or until your hedgehog is having normal poops again.

*Glucosamine*

Hedgies over two years old are considered to be middle-aged to elderly. Older hedgehogs can have issues with arthritis like other older animals. Sometimes supplementing glucosamine can help support the joints & prevent or alleviate arthritis. It's not a bad idea to consult your vet to see if they feel it's necessary to supplement this, but you don't have to buy it from your vet. I used glucosamine sold for cats for my first hedgehog. If you want to use human glucosamine supplements, check with your vet first to see if they're appropriate and if they would be effective, and also to get the proper dosage.

Keep in mind that glucosamine is not a cure for arthritis - if your hedgehog is already arthritic, pain medication may very well be necessary to help keep them comfortable, and you should discuss that with your vet.

*Herbal Supplements & Essential Oils*

Some people like to use herbs and essential oils for medical problems for themselves & for animals. While this is okay to try, *always work with a vet to do this*. Hedgehogs are still quite new as pets and there's a lot we don't know about them. Some essential oils can be toxic, and some herbs can be toxic or be easily overdosed. Herbs also have the potential to increase or conflict with the effects from modern medicines, so that's another reason to be honest with your vet about any of these supplements that you may want to give to your hedgehog if they're on or going to be put on any medications. Some herbal supplements can be very helpful, such as slippery elm powder for diarrhea, or milk thistle for liver support. But please still discuss these with your veterinarian before you try them with your hedgehog.


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## nuttylover

Hi!  I was wondering can I use Virgin Coconut Oil? A company is marketing this to pet shops and I was wondering if it would be alright to spray this on my hedgie's food and skin (the manufacturer said that it is pure coconut oil). Thank you so much


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## Lilysmommy

Yup, that's fine! I should've added a note (and will do so now), with coconut oil, you want to make sure it's NOT the refined stuff for cooking. It should say raw or non-refined on it, and you don't want it to be hydrogenated either. I'm guessing this stuff being sold in the pet store would fit those requirements. However, check the cost. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the cost was higher than it would be to just buy a jar of raw coconut oil at the store.

I'm also curious if they'll have a note on it to keep the bottle in a warm location or what. Coconut oil solidifies under 76F, which is what the melting point is (unless it's hydrogenated). Can't imagine it'd go through the spray bottle well if it's solid!


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## nuttylover

Thank you so much Lilysmommy! You are the best <3


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## Reaver-rade

*Food Mix*

Hi,
I just ordered an organic food mix for my giant African land snail and was wondering if I could safely add it to my hedgies food as well. Unfortunately I couldn't find something on all the ingredients:

Organic cat biscuits 
Organic Spirulina 
Marigolds 
Dandelions 
Cornflower 
Rose petals
Calcium powder
Mealworms 
Sunflower seeds

Do you think this would be safe?


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## FinnickHog

It should be safe but I don't think it would benefit his diet at all. Do you know what brand the cat biscuits are so we can dig deeper?

Also I adore giant African land snails! My little Gabe was one of my favorite pets ever!


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## Reaver-rade

Hi,
thanks for the quick answer! Also always great to hear from other snail enthusiasts 
The cat food is apparently Orijen Cat and Kitten.
I thought the dried food might be beneficial because it has meal worms and seeds and other ingredients in it. My little lady is very picky with food and doesn't eat any insects..she absolutely freaks out when I offer her meal worms in any form(alive, dead, cut up, cooked,..) and hates kibble or wet Applaws food which is what I feed my cats. So I usually mix freshly cooked chicken, eggs (,...) and veggies or fruit with cat food..but am always looking to improve her diet of course.


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## nikki

Dried mealworms aren't good for hedgehogs and have been known to cause intestinal blockages. Seeds are not good for them either. I wouldn't feed it to my hedgehog.


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## HarryAzhar

I have been using Natural Grain Free Dry Cat Supplement from renowned brand. It has inside formula made up with protein rich with turkey, chicken & cranberries but i am not sure that chicken and cranberries are good fit with each other or should i change that dry food?


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## nikki

The chicken and cranberries are safe to feed to hedgehogs so they would be fine in a cat food.


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## Amy J. Villasenor

Have you ever tried petbounce for arthritis pain in dogs?


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