# Safe food for hedgehog?



## SordidPeanut (Jul 13, 2016)

I've been looking everywhere but can seem to find out if the brand of food I have for my hedgehog is good. So maybe someone here can help me out! 
I have Whole Earth Farms dry cat food turkey and duck flavor grain free and wellness dry cat food chicken flavor grain free as well. I'll give a little bit of the WEF wet cat food (also grain free) every week to week and a half. I also supplement food with a few freeze dried meal worms and keep an eye on poops. They're normal. Is this an okay diet? Any recommendations? 

P.S I know the freeze dried mealies aren't the best to feed but I've been told that it's ok as long as they don't start getting firm poops or constipated. Is that info right?


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

Can you post the ingredients and nutritional information for the food.


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Or links to the companies listing for the particular foods.


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## FinnickHog (Dec 1, 2014)

If this is the Whole Earth one: http://www.feedgoodness.com/recipes/grain-free-recipe-with-real-turkey-duck

It's not terrible. I laughed a little when I saw that the "duck" they're so excited about is 9th in the list, which is quite a ways down for it to be in the title. It's also mildly amusing that there's likely nearly as much chicken in this product as turkey, even though it's being marketed as "turkey and duck." I really don't like the "natural flavor" that's 6th on the list, either. I'd classify this as a lower-mid range food. It's probably okay, but there's some iffy marketing practices with where the duck is on the list and that "natural flavor" is a bit concerning.

I've done a lot of research into Wellness, since my hedgie used to get a flavor or two of theirs. They don't have a dry cat food grain free chicken formula. Unless I'm completely blind, I'm guessing you mean this one? http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/product-details.aspx?pet=cat&pid=18&dm=completehealth

It's not grain free, it has rice in the name. There's also a lot of it, and it's split into two in the ingredients list to make it seem lower. That's the only problem with it I can see. Other than that the list is honest and no really bad ingredients stand out. I'd rank this a bit higher than the Whole Earth. If this isn't the one your feeding, toss us a link to the one you have!

Which wet Whole Earth foods are you using? I think this is all of them here: http://www.feedgoodness.com/products?cat1=2&cat2=all

Again, not awful. But "natural flavor" is 4th or 5th in these foods, which is really high in my opinion, considering it could literally be anything that tastes like what they were going for. I'm really curious as to what it is, since there's so much of it. Other than that, the food isn't terrible. Again, mid range, and the natural flavor really worries me.

It's ultimately up to you if you keep feeding these. I don't love them but I'm really, REALLY picky. Nothing identifiable in them seems dangerous, but we have no idea what one of the ingredients is.

Oh! And as for the dried mealworms, stop feeding them. Impaction can happen at any time, there's no pre-warning like poops getting gradually worse, and it can be bad. Try to find some in a can, they're still moist that way.


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## SordidPeanut (Jul 13, 2016)

Sorry for my late reply but thank you for some critique. I only feed WEF because it's also what my dog and cats eat so it's easiest to come by and has a pretty high rating in the dog and cat reviews. As for the wellness it is grain free but it's wellness CORE. my apologies (link) http://m.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/wellness-core-indoor-dry-cat-food

I'll look around but the only pet store near me is petco and they don't carry canned mealworms. They also barely ever have anything other than mini mealworms. I guess I can look around online and see what I can find.


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## FinnickHog (Dec 1, 2014)

That food is fine. It's the same as the other Wellness one I thought you were feeding, only they've split potatoes instead of peas.

My only beef with the WEF is that natural flavor. I just wish I knew what it was! It's in all of them!

If you're willing to order bugs, the Can'o' line by Zoo Med is excellent and usually a pretty good price on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Labo...ie=UTF8&qid=1468613017&sr=8-3&keywords=can'o'


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Natural flavor scares me. I've seen the things cats and dogs will eat if given the opportunity to pick what they want. I don't think they are flavoring it for the infant/toddler/dared teenager that might randomly eat a piece of kibble. They are flavored for their target audience so cat food natural flavoring could be essence of low flying bird or slow mouse bullion.


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## FinnickHog (Dec 1, 2014)

Oz's favorite food ever was the severed fish head he found on the sidewalk in the middle of summer two years ago. If he had it his way, "natural flavor" would be rotting fish head left out in the sun. That's what worries me :lol:.


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Fish parts are popular, any animal guts are always on the menu of their dreams, but the finest of all doggy delicacies is dead deer butt.


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