# Wondering if I should change my Hedgehogs food



## Indy09 (Jan 24, 2016)

Hello,

I re-homed Truffle (formally Fleur) on Sunday and she came with a bag of food from her previous home. She is on....

*Royal Canin Fit32:*

Composition:
Chicken meal, brown rice, corn, corn gluten meal, chicken fat, natural flavors, pea fiber, grain distillers dried yeast, dried beet pulp, vegetable oil, fish oil, calcium sulfate, potassium chloride, salt, DL-methionine, hydrolyzed yeast, choline chloride, taurine, sodium tripolyphosphate, vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), niacin supplement, biotin, riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), D-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A acetate, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid], trace minerals (zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, copper proteinate), marigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.), rosemary extract, preserved with natural mixed tocopherols and citric acid.

Protein:32% Fat:13% Fibre: 5.8% 

I don't like the amount of grains that are listed and the number of unpronounceable ingredients. I would prefer her to be on a more natural cat food with natural ingredients. The three I have been looking at are&#8230;.

*James Wellbeloved light with turkey:*

Composition: Turkey meal (28.0%), brown rice, white rice, maize gluten, poultry gravy, potato protein, turkey fat, tomato pomace (3.0%), sugar beet pulp, alfalfa meal, whole linseed (1.5%), pea protein, potassium chloride, seaweed, omega oil supplement, chicory extract (0.25%), calcium carbonate, carrot, sodium chloride, cranberry extract (0.05%), glucosamine (0.045%), nettles (0.025%), yucca extract (0.02%), chondroitin (0.005%)

Protein:34% Fat:10.5% Fibre:3%

I am not sure again about the amount of grains again with this one though.

*Wainwright's Light Turkey and Rice:*

Composition: Turkey Meal (38%), Brown Rice (31%), Barley, Pea Protein, Poultry Fat, Digest, Minerals, Linseed (1%), Yeasts, Lucerne, Seaweed Meal (0.5%), Prebiotic-Mannan Oligosaccharides, Cranberry Extract Powder (500mg/kg), Rosemary Extract (300mg/kg), Yucca Extract(100mg/kg)

Protein:32% Fat:10% Fibre:2.5%

I don't like that the "digest" has no name.

*Arden Grange Adult Light Cat Food with chicken:*

Composition: Fresh chicken (26%), potato (26%), chicken meat meal (22%), pea starch, egg powder, chicken digest, salmon oil, yeast extract, malt extract, pea fibre, chicken oil, minerals, prebiotic FOS, prebiotic MOS, cranberry extract, glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin, nucleotides

Protein:30% Fat:11% Fibre:2.4%

This is the one I like the sound of most but the potato concerns me along with the pea ingredients.I am also not sure how much chicken it will actually contain because some is listed as fresh. I like the fact that it contains prebiotics.

I know it is down to my hedgehog which food she will eat and what I like may not be what she likes etc. I just want to try and do my best for her and I prefer to know what exactly I am feeding her. Could I have some advice about what I should do please? I have read the guide to food on here but I am by no means an expert, I could be completely wrong about all of this! Should I change her food once she has settled in or leave her on what she is eating now? Sorry for the long post (I am a new owner who is probably over thinking everything).

Thank you!


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Reading ingredient labels can feel like it's a science experiment gone awry. It's understandable you want the best for her. 
I don't see anything WRONG with the food she is eating. But that is different from less than ideal, which is different for each of us. 
If it were me, I'd gradually introduce a new food once she is settled in. However I have different standards than you. Personally I'd be going for a different source of protein. I look at protein in fairly vague categories. Chicken, turkey, duck, geese ect.... Those are poultry. 
Cow and buffalo/bison... Same thing. 
Hopefully you get the idea. Different meats offer variety (as much as it can in kibble). While I love chicken in my diet, I have no intention of that being my sole source of meat. 
In pet foods they have grain free types, but those generally have more peas than anything. They have limited ingredient diets, the lists are generally just as long. 
Here is my suggestion... Sit down and figure out what you need to see in a kibble. Write it on a list. Then figure what is a deal breaker for you. If everything else is checked off but one would you be OK with bending on something. That will help you prioritize what you need in the food.


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## Indy09 (Jan 24, 2016)

That is great advice, thank you! I know her last owner tried to introduce different kibble into her diet but I think it was turkey/chicken based again. I believe Truffle refused to eat it. I do not know how many attempts were made to introduce the new food to her (I know they can be fussy little creatures).

It is difficult here in the UK to find a food that is not either poultry or fish because beef and pork is seen as bad for cats. I will have a look around and see if I can find a new protein source and go from there. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my post


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Keep in mind you can use dog foods too, just have to crush or cut the kibble so it's small enough for hedgie to eat.  Dog foods tend to have a greater variety of proteins.


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## Indy09 (Jan 24, 2016)

I will have a look at dog food, thank you. I wasn't sure about it because it seems to be lower in protein. But I guess if you feed it with a good quality cat food it balances it out


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