# How much do breeders charge for their MIXES?



## PixiesExoticHedgies (Sep 4, 2008)

I've seen several people talking about purchasing 'hedgie mixes' directly from their breeders. 
I wondered how much they charge and how much do you get?

Pixie


----------



## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

You have to order it and they send it through the mail. You can order as much as you want.


----------



## PixiesExoticHedgies (Sep 4, 2008)

But how much do they charge and how much do you get?


----------



## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

When I've purchased food from breeders it has been a per lb price and I got to determine how much food. As to the price, if I was selling food I would base it on what foods I'm mixing and how much they cost me. Then determine if I'm providing it at cost or trying to make a little profit.


----------



## PixiesExoticHedgies (Sep 4, 2008)

Kalandra said:


> When I've purchased food from breeders it has been a per lb price and I got to determine how much food. As to the price, if I was selling food I would base it on what foods I'm mixing and how much they cost me.


I'm bumping this question, in hopes of getting replies with actual prices paid for premium food mixes, from other breeders. I have my mix together and ready to start selling it. But, I'd really like to get a basic idea of what other breeders are charging. I plan to sell it by the pound and I don't want to be way out of the ballpark, on MY prices.

*Pixie's Premium Hedgie Mix* 
_all dry cat foods can be found on Reaper's recommended food list and contain less than 15% fat_

1) Blue Spa Select Lite - Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe
2) Natural Balance - Reduced Calorie Formula
3) Solid Gold Katz-N-Floken - All Life Stages 
4) Purina ONE Natural Blends - Salmon & Brown Rice Formula
5) Authority Hairball Control - Weight Management Formula
6) Kashi Cereal - Summer Berry Granola _(human food)_

I've studied ingredients and tried to come up with a *Premium Hedgehog Mix*, that contained a wide variety of meat choices, along with several veggies and fruits. Here's some highlights of these foods.

*Meats: * Chicken, Salmon, Lamb, Duck
*Grains:* Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Wheat, Barley, Oats, Buckwheat, Sesame Seeds, Rye
*Veggies:* Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Eggs, Spinach, Beets, Chicory Root, Parsley, Rosemary 
*Fruits: * Strawberries, Blackberries, Kiwi, Cranberries, Tomatoes

Pixie


----------



## Gnarly (Aug 29, 2008)

Hamor Hollow sells their mix for $10 for 2.5lbs 
Hdgehogs by Vickie sells a 2.5lb mix for $10 and a 5lb bag for $15

These are the only two foods I know of sold by breeders.


----------



## PixiesExoticHedgies (Sep 4, 2008)

Thanks Gnarly. Now I need to find out what foods they have in their mixes. At $10 per 2.5 lbs, that just barely covers MY cost for the food mix I have con****ted.


----------



## juggalicious (Oct 8, 2008)

Hey, let me know when you get ready to start shipping  I'll buy a couple pounds!


----------



## PixiesExoticHedgies (Sep 4, 2008)

Already got people lined up and waiting.....  
When I figure out a final price per pound, then I'll post the mix on the FOR SALE page. I have chosen some fairly expensive foods for this mix, thus I know I'm going to have to charge more than $10 per 2.5 pounds. Obviously, I'm adding this to my business to make money and help cover hedgie expenses. At first, I plan to put all profits into an Emergency Vet fund. But, at the same time, I don't want to over charge other hedgie owners, b/c I feel the food needs to be affordable, so people will puchase it and be able to feed their hedgies a premium mix.....which is much better than the cheaper store bought brands. I guess I just need to decide on a price and see how it sells. I can always make a price adjustment later, if necessary.

Pixie


----------



## Reaper (Aug 22, 2008)

One thing to keep in mind when feeding foods not specifically produced for hedgehogs is: There has been so little research on what a mixed breed pet hedgehog nutritional needs are, so when offering foods made for human consumption you need to remember the added vitamins are for a huge mammal. Too much of most vitamins and minerals can cause problems if not be downright deadly. Calcium, potassium, and sodium come to mind first but I am sure there are others. Most experts are of the mind that if you feed a mix of quality cat foods with vitamins added at the level needed for a cat you are relatively safe. Hedgehog vitamin requirements are different than that of cats but you SHOULD be safe. Calcium levels seem to be the biggest concern as too much calcium can lead to the formation of kidney stones and skeletal joint problems. So if also adding human foods with added vitamins to the cat foods with added vitamins it is possible to be overdosing your hedgie on vitamins and/or minerals. I really wish to discuss this with a veterinary nutritionist to obtain their advice to be sure but so far I have had no luck. You need to decide what to feed your hedgie in the end but vitamin overdosing is a concern to keep in mind.


----------



## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

One thing I want to suggest is you keep all bags and lot #, receipts and close track of who bought foods from which batch. In the event that there is a health issue with the food, you want to be able to immediately contact those who bought the food. Also keep very close watch on recalls of foods. 

I also recommend you carry insurance just in case someones animal gets sick and/or dies from the food and they decide to sue you. With the recalls there have been and are still having, you want to be protected from lawsuits.


----------



## PixiesExoticHedgies (Sep 4, 2008)

Nancy said:


> I also recommend you carry insurance just in case someones animal gets sick and/or dies from the food and they decide to sue you. With the recalls there have been and are still having, you want to be protected from lawsuits.


This makes total sense. But in order to do carry insurance, it would make the foods WAY to expensive to sell.

:?: What if I post a "fine print clause" along with the description, stating that I am not responsible for any health issues that may arise due to the feeding of my food mix. Since I'm feeding the same mix to my own hedgies, then I'd hope I would be aware of any problems that may arise. If there are problems with the foods, due to recall.....the buyers were not suing the pet stores, they were suing the manufacturers.

Do the other breeders carry insurance? Gosh, I didn't know this was going to get to so technical. I was just hoping to fill a void, where hedgie owners needed a food mix without the expense and waste of purchasing in large amounts.


----------



## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I think I'd ask a lawyer. I'm not sure if putting a disclaimer would work or not unless the buyer signed it. I know when I was making up my contract for buying a baby, I was told by a lawyer that once it was signed by both parties, it was a binding and legal contract. 

I don't know if the others carry insurance or not but petstores sell unopened bags, therefore, fault lies with the company. Because you are opening the bags and reselling the food, it might be argued that the company is no longer responsible. I'd check it out and make sure nobody could come back on you.


----------



## PixiesExoticHedgies (Sep 4, 2008)

What about the bags of food that are GIVEN to the people that purchase hedgies from me? 
Should I stop giving a bag away with the hedgie? I always give a ziplock bag full, so they can continue to feed the baby's the same food I have.


----------



## Gnarly (Aug 29, 2008)

PixiesExoticHedgies said:


> What about the bags of food that are GIVEN to the people that purchase hedgies from me?
> Should I stop giving a bag away with the hedgie? I always give a ziplock bag full, so they can continue to feed the baby's the same food I have.


You should continue to give people the bags of food, you don't want the babies to start getting upset tummies from a drastic switch in food. 
I would say give a sandwich bag sized amount of food, that's enough food for a baby hedgie for a few weeks.


----------



## PixiesExoticHedgies (Sep 4, 2008)

Internet laws, state that if you check the "I accept" box, then it is supposed to be as good as a handwritten signature. So I'd assume that I would be okay, as long as I have an agreement that they have to accept, before shipping their food. 

But I was thinking, I could sell them a sample bag (sandwich sized = 1/2 pound) and ship it with a handwritten agreement that they could mail back to me, in order to purchase further product. Or I could email the agreement, have them print it out and mail a signed copy back to me. Then ship the product.


----------



## zoologist (Sep 2, 2008)

would you really trust the person to mail it back to you? they could just claim they never recieved it with the food.

however, i'm interested in your hedgie mix and would like to purchase some when you're ready to sell!


----------



## Gnarly (Aug 29, 2008)

PixiesExoticHedgies said:


> Internet laws, state that if you check the "I accept" box, then it is supposed to be as good as a handwritten signature. So I'd assume that I would be okay, as long as I have an agreement that they have to accept, before shipping their food.
> 
> But I was thinking, I could sell them a sample bag (sandwich sized = 1/2 pound) and ship it with a handwritten agreement that they could mail back to me, in order to purchase further product. Or I could email the agreement, have them print it out and mail a signed copy back to me. Then ship the product.


Just like Zoologist said, I wouldn't really trust someone to send it back to you. I would think customers would be unlikely to return the form, as they have to put a stamp on the envelope and put it in the mailbox; as simple as it sounds, people seem to get very hung up on that.

I would consider an online form, where, when they type their name in it would work just as a signature. I've seen this on many websites, though I don't know the legalities of it.


----------



## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I think getting some insurance would be so much easier and safer.


----------



## PixiesExoticHedgies (Sep 4, 2008)

Guess I'll start typing up a Purchase Agreement. I'll require it to be signed and returned, before shipping (they can print it, sign it, and mail it with their payment). This should be just a legal as the purchase agreement signed for hedgehog purchases. I'll also post it online and have them check the agreement box every time they reorder.


----------



## Gnarly (Aug 29, 2008)

Nancy said:


> I think getting some insurance would be so much easier and safer.


That is definitely the safest way to go about it.


----------



## PixiesExoticHedgies (Sep 4, 2008)

I found this posted on another website (name with held), please tell me this isn't true....



> I like Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul, Purina Kitten Chow, Purina One Healthy Weight, Fancy Feast Dry and others of equal quality. Avoid foods adding too may 'high quality' foods as a diet too high in protiene and other 'high quality' ingredients will lead to fat and lasy hedgehogs.


 :!: Purina Kitten Chow....Fancy Feast.... :?

=================================================

Found this as well:


> Your hedgehog requires a diet high in protien (above 30%) and relatively high in fat (10-20%).


 :?: Reaper, I know your food list contains foods under 15%. Would it be okay to add a slightly higher food to a MIX, rather than feeding it alone on a daily basis? I ask because I found a couple other high quality foods that offered a greater variety of meats/veggies, but they the would be around 18% - 20% fat.

*EDIT: *
Just found this on another site:


> Most caretakers mix several high-quality, low-fat cat foods to ensure nutrition and aim for a protein content of higher than 30% and a fat content of less than 12%. Approximately 10 to 12% fiber is also suggested. Normal cat food is high in fat and iron so indoor or light formulations are generally more appropriate. "High-quality foods" means foods in which the primary ingredient is meat, not a meat byproduct.


 :arrow: This contradicts the first statement posted above.

And yet another:


> Typically, our mix includes a large proportion of Nature's Recipe Puppy and Authority Adult Cat, with smaller amounts of other foods such as Eagle, Pedigree puppy, Spike's Delite, Maxx Nutrition, Purina One, and Eukanuba mixed in. We mix in baby food oatmeal flakes with the dry food, in order to increase the fiber content, and try to offer treats several times per week to increase variety.


 :?: What about the PUPPY food......is it okay for hedgies? 
:?: Do you recommend the added fiber via oatmeal flakes?

Pixie


----------



## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

The first and second quotes are a bunch of baloney. (or bologna, baloney looks better :lol: )
High quality ingredients are best, whoever wrote that must just want to save money. :? 
Too high protein can cause renal failure, and too high fat makes overweight hedgies.

A higher fat food is fine in a mix as long as it is balanced with lower fat foods for those that don't need the extra weight.

Puppy food, if high quality, should be fine ingredient wise (though double check to be sure), just make sure the kibbles are not too large or hard.


----------



## PixiesExoticHedgies (Sep 4, 2008)

okay, so obviously from the previous post, I have been on a "food mix" google hunt tonight. If you have any opinions on the quotes from other websites, please feel free to express yourself! I would like to offer a good premium quality hedgie mix, so your opinions are most welcome.

Also, I'm not finding any disclaimers on any of the other websites. I imagine a lawsuit is not something that most have considered. I don't see the insurance as being a resonable financial fee to acquire, just to sell the food mix. I had called about a similar insurance (regarding another business) and it was over $1500 per year. I want to offer this food so it will help other hedgie owners. Any profits will be returned into improving my own breeding herd. I don't expect to sell it and make major profits on it. Thus, I think having them sign a purchase agreement before shipping, should be sufficient enough.

Pixie


----------



## Gnarly (Aug 29, 2008)

Puppy or dog food is alright to feed, just like LizardGirl said, just make sure the kibble is small enough, or crush kibbles to bite sized pieces.


----------



## PixiesExoticHedgies (Sep 4, 2008)

LizardGirl said:


> The first and second quotes are a bunch of baloney. (or bologna, baloney looks better :lol: ) High quality ingredients are best, whoever wrote that must just want to save money. :?


I won't state the website specifically (unless you PM me), but the first quote did come from a previously mentioned breeder and thus explains how they are selling it $10 for 2.5lbs

Pixie


----------



## PixiesExoticHedgies (Sep 4, 2008)

Gnarly said:


> Puppy or dog food is alright to feed, just like LizardGirl said, just make sure the kibble is small enough, or crush kibbles to bite sized pieces.


I figured that SIZE was the biggest issue with the Puppy or Dog food. I had one of the sales reps at the pet store pushing me to purchase their product to add to my mix, but she was not allowed to open a bag (nor did she have samples) to show me the size of the kibbles.


----------



## PixiesExoticHedgies (Sep 4, 2008)

LOL! I just received two PM's from other members wanting to know where these quotes came from. In order to keep myself on neutral territory, I'll supply you with the GOOGLE search that I ran. You won't need to go past the first page, and you'll be able to locate each quote for yourself. If you have any trouble locating one of the quotes, let me know.

:arrow: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=hedgehog+food+mix

Pixie


----------



## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

Found them, thanks.


----------



## PixiesExoticHedgies (Sep 4, 2008)

> It's great to hear someone is dedicated to making sure what they are supplying is best regarding the hedgehog's welfare! So many people are out just to make money. It is very convenient for people as well. I bought at least 2lbs of each kind of food I wanted before I got Inky (and since then, bought many more) and I haven't used half of it. I ended up tossing the stuff that wasn't used after 6 months, and buying more. I have a lot now, but it sure would have been nice to "food pool" with someone when I had to make an initial purchase. ~ *PM from LizardGirl *


This is why I am spending sooooo much time and effort into researching my own Premium Mix. I want to make sure it is GOOD for the hedgehogs. Thus, I figured the more information and opinions that I could acquire, would result in a good formulation that contains a wide variety of meats, veggies, and fruits.

Pixie


----------



## Gnarly (Aug 29, 2008)

PixiesExoticHedgies said:


> Gnarly said:
> 
> 
> > Puppy or dog food is alright to feed, just like LizardGirl said, just make sure the kibble is small enough, or crush kibbles to bite sized pieces.
> ...


Well as long as you crush it, it doesn't seem like a big deal to me what size it was when you first bought it.


----------



## PixiesExoticHedgies (Sep 4, 2008)

According to the GOOGLE searches I've run, it seems that $4.00 per pound is the average cost charged for LESSER quality food mixes. Thus, I'm going to set my price at $6.00 per pound for my ALL PREMIUM quality food mix. I will be charging actual shipping costs, and I'm looking into the Flat Rate costs as well. I'm hoping to have this up on my website in the next couple of days. If you are interested in purchasing *Pixie's Premium Hedgie Mix*, please *PM* me and I'll give you payment instructions. Once it's uploaded to my website, I'll post it on the FOR SALE forum. I hope this will help to fill a void, in the search for hedgie food mixes. I will continue to research new products on the market, and thus the formula may change from time to time. Any changes will be posted on my website. Thanks for everyone's assistance!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Pixie's Premium Hedgie Mix* 
_All cat foods can be found on HHC's recommended list & contain less than 15% fat_

1) *Blue Spa Select Lite* - Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe
2) *Natural Balance* - Reduced Calorie Formula
3) *Solid Gold Katz-N-Floken* - All Life Stages 
4) *Purina ONE Natural Blends* - Salmon & Brown Rice Formula
5) *Authority Hairball Control* - Weight Management Formula
6) *Kashi Cereal* - Summer Berry Granola _(human food)_

*Meats: * Chicken, Salmon, Lamb, Duck
*Grains:* Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Wheat, Barley, Oats, Buckwheat, Sesame Seeds
*Veggies:* Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Eggs, Spinach, Beets, Chicory Root, Potatoes
*Fruits: * Strawberries, Blackberries, Kiwi, Cranberries, Tomatoes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


----------



## lilhoglet (Aug 28, 2008)

Sounds yummy... well not for me, but for a hog  lol

I was wondering - how long does a lb of food last for one hedgie?


----------



## PixiesExoticHedgies (Sep 4, 2008)

lilhoglet said:


> I was wondering - how long does a lb of food last for one hedgie?


I'm not sure, because I feed an entire herd of hedgies. 
Maybe someone with just one hedgie could post a reply for you.


----------



## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

I have just Inky, and I can give you a guess at how much they eat (though he eats a lot!!!)

He went through a gallon (no idea how many lbs) from late June to new years. That was him as a baby. Then, he usually eats about a cup a week.


----------

