# Expired food



## blink182 (Sep 22, 2009)

Hi, I bought some food from that list on this forum. It was the only food they had from that list in town. Problem is it's been expired for 2 months, and so are the rest of that bags there. Ordering online is not an option. Is feeding expired food going to be a problem?


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## silvercat (Oct 24, 2008)

I wouldn't risk it. If your food was expired 2 months, would you eat it?


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## IowaMisty (Sep 21, 2009)

I'm still pretty new to hedgehogs, but I think with sugar gliders I've heard that expired food is more likely to carry aflatoxins. I would assume a hedgehog could get sick from aflatoxicosis as well, but I'm not sure. I don't know a ton about aflatoxins, but if I remember right, I think it can come from mold (generally from products with corn in them) and although you may not see the mold, it could be there. Also, I would assume the flavor wouldn't be as good if it's expired.

Incidentally, insects like crickets can also carry aflatoxins in their DNA (usually happens if they're kept in corn bedding or fed products with corn in them). Just to be on the safe side, we generally get our crickets from a lady who breeds them corn-free & feeds them higher quality foods, so they'll be more nutritious for our pets.

Misty


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

I wouldn't BUY expired food, but if I had a bag that's expired, I usually finish it unless it's been expired for a long time. Anyway, I figured out Litchi is picky and only like her food not expired.


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## blink182 (Sep 22, 2009)

I know this might sound mean but if it wont kill him, im going to use it. The expiration date it July 24. If its a serious health risk, as in death risk, I'll obviously reconsider. But my options are limited. According to my mom, buying food online is "unnecessary and silly, because its just a rodent thing."


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

Are you not able to return the food? You could return it, and get a bag that isn't expired. I'd be surprised if every single one in your area, or even in one store, was expired...

Tell your mom that by having a pet (and that hedgies are not rodents) you are responsible for its life. Members here are passionate about their pets and consider them part of the family. I believe our pets deserve the best we can give them, not just the cheapest possible because it is convenient.

Just my ten cents.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

You don't need to buy food online. Take the expired food back and get one that isn't. I wouldn't risk feeding a food that expired two months ago. If it makes the hedgehog sick you will be spending far more in vet bills than a bag of food costs.


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## Pipkin (Aug 26, 2009)

I would not have thought that expired food is good for any animal just like it isnt for humans. There is a reason for the expiry date. A couple of week expired is ok, but for you to have bought these bags out of date, surely they can be returned and exchanged? Unless you obviously bought them, knowing they were out of date i.e cheaper. 

I would not risk my little guy digesting somethings several months out of date. They only have little tummys, it could make them very very poorly.

I agree with Lizardgirl above.


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## krbshappy71 (Jul 17, 2009)

Not sure if your mom will let you do this, but what about asking on Craigs List if anyone hedgehog owners in your area would be able to loan you some food until you can buy more? I know I would help someone out and then later they could just repay me with the same amount when they did purchase it. Just a thought.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

For what little money you could be saving by giving your hedgie expired food, can easily turn into you paying it 100 times over at the vets if your hedgie ends up having digestive problems. 

Perhaps tell your mom that this "unnecessary and silly rodent thing." can end up costing over $100 at the vets, just from cheaping out on a $15 bag of food. 

Take the bag back to the store, you shouldn't have bought it expired anyways, should have complained to the store owner.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Over $100? Shoot it can quickly top $500+ or be the death of your pet. 

Food can expire before the expiration date on the bag depending on the conditions it is kept in. Old food quickly loses its flavor, its nutrition and can eventually turn rancid. So yes there is a risk that your pet could get sick and die from eating expired food. 

Return the food to the petstore. Even if the bag has been opened, return it. They should have removed that food from the shelf when alerted that it was expired. Shame on them for knowingly selling expired food. I would never use a petstore again that shrugged off selling expired food as ok.


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## blink182 (Sep 22, 2009)

Thanks for the help... there's only one pet store and theres walmart. All the foods at Walmart are expired except one and if I recall correctly it isnt good for hedgehogs. At the pet store they sell nutro which is what I bought expired; and all the senior, kitten, and adult bags are expired. Some more than others. So I sealed up the food and put it in a freezer. I also found out that the bag before this one had the same expiration date. Meaning it was expired for quite some time. Toward the end of the last bag he started to get diarrhea and still has it. Hes pretty old so I decided that I'm just going to buy the food from Walmart that isn't expired because at this point nutrition isn't the issue.


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