# Not Eating? We have progress check latest post!!



## Cinder (Jun 24, 2010)

i just got my hedgehog two days ago and i've yet to see him eat it dosnt look like he's touched his food i feed him a mix of sunseed sunscription diet and friskeys indoor cat food along with some chicken canned cat food to soften it and make it tastier for him he's only 6 weeks old also i know this dosnt belong here but he sleeps alot is this normal or is it just because he's in a new home?

Its been three days and he still hasnt eaten idk what to do should i syringe feed


----------



## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

*Re: Not Eating?*

Sunseed is ok to feed but not the best... also I don't think Friskies is on the dry cat food list you can find on the forum... so I dunno if it's good for your hedgie.
He might not be eating that much because he's trying to adjust to the new environment, and also baby hedgies tend to sleep a lot.


----------



## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

*Re: Not Eating?*

Hey, welcome to HHC!

Where did you get your hedgie? Did they tell you what they were feeding him?

Hedgehogs need to have the same food they were eating before, to help them adjust to their new homes. Sometimes they will go on food strikes and like to scare us as new owners.  If you can't get the food he was eating before, just try to get him to eat the new food the best you can. You can put pieces in with him where he sleeps, if he's to shy to come out and eat.

Now for the food you are currently trying to feed him- both those foods are extremely low quality and I wouldn't recommend feeding them. Friskies is one of the most awful, disgusting cat foods out there, and Sunseed isn't good as a staple diet. You should look at the stickies in this section of the forum, and find a good high quality cat food or two for him. If you could get those soon and try feeding them instead of the Friskies and Sunseed, it'd be better for him and you might have better luck with getting him to eat.


----------



## Cinder (Jun 24, 2010)

*Re: Not Eating?*

well i checked the bag and its like 30% protien and like 9% fat so i figured it was okay then the sunseed sunscription is 37 protein and like 12 fat the canned cat food isnt the best but i thought it would make it tastier for him i'm just concerned its been two days and i looked at the hedgie food list and sunscription was on it the indoor cat food is what he was being fed before and i used the same can of cat food she gave me with him (who was supposed to be a her btw)

also i got him from a women off CL she tried selling "her" with her mom boy am i glad i didnt take that deal ><


----------



## Sunshiner (May 12, 2010)

*Re: Not Eating?*

Friskies isn't the best cat food. I use Purina 1 chicken and rice for cats, maybe you could try that? If you just got him 2 days ago, maybe he is to excited to eat.


----------



## Cinder (Jun 24, 2010)

*Re: Not Eating?*

i'll give the pruina a try idk he just sleeps alot and he was up and about last night but didnt touch his food but when i take him out he's active and curious


----------



## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

*Re: Not Eating?*



Cinder said:


> i'll give the pruina a try idk he just sleeps alot and he was up and about last night but didnt touch his food but when i take him out he's active and curious


Maybe you should let him settle and leave him alone for a couple of days. I know it's really hard, but he's probably just having a hard time adjusting. I'm not sure if it'll help with his food, but yeah... that's what most people suggest when you first bring a hedgie home.


----------



## Cinder (Jun 24, 2010)

*Re: Not Eating?*

yea ive decided i'm going to just take him out for the 30 minets of bonding time then leave him be other then that i hear about people getting bonding bags for them dose anyone on here do that? i have sugar gliders so i'm not in short supply of bonding bags lol


----------



## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

*Re: Not Eating?*



Cinder said:


> yea ive decided i'm going to just take him out for the 30 minets of bonding time then leave him be other then that i hear about people getting bonding bags for them dose anyone on here do that? i have sugar gliders so i'm not in short supply of bonding bags lol


I have something like a bonding bag that I made at home (a snuggle sack), it's basically the same thing 
I pretty much keep my hedgie in the bag or in the pocket of the hoodie while I'm at home and then when he wakes up I put him in his cage so that he can do his business (eat, pee, poop, etc) and then I play with him around 11 pm or so for about an hour and then put him back so that he can run on his wheel and do what he pleases for the rest of the night.

Try keeping a schedule, it might help him get used to the new environment faster


----------



## Cinder (Jun 24, 2010)

*Re: Not Eating?*

i definatly will my and my bf were taling a hedgies a great pet for us because we have so much in commen lol alls we do is sleep


----------



## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

*Re: Not Eating?*

For food there is more to look at than just the protien and fat content, you have to look at the ingredients. You want a high quality cat food, not the ones in the grocery store, that has sometype of meat or meat meal as the first ingredient. You also want something that doesn't contain corn or other fillers because hedgehogs can't digest it. If you look under the nutrition section you'll see a list of recommended foods.

Have you counted his food to see just how much he's eating at night? Also try putting some food in his bed with him, sometimes that helps.


----------



## Cinder (Jun 24, 2010)

*Re: Not Eating?~ 3 days & still hasnt!~*

its been 3 days and still nothing!


----------



## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

*Re: Not Eating?~ 3 days & still hasnt!~*

Your hedgehog REALLY needs to eat or fatty liver disease can set in, and could quickly become fatal. Go to your vet and pick up some Hill's A/D food, and start syringing. Also look around and pick up some higher quality foods- I'll bet something that smells like food (and not the nutritional equivalent of cardboard) would entice him to eat.

It is really critical that you get food into him ASAP.


----------



## Cinder (Jun 24, 2010)

*Re: Not Eating?~ 3 days & still hasnt!~*

i thought i'd feed him what he's on because thats what he was eating before its the exact food i got from the lady


----------



## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

*Re: Not Eating?~ 3 days & still hasnt!~*

you need to start syringe feeding him now, before permanent liver damage happens.


----------



## Cinder (Jun 24, 2010)

HE'S EATEN! today was the day i was going to syringe feed him so we started on that then i thought i should check his dish first lol and sure enough he's eaten or at least dug thru it we syringe fed him today anyway just to be super safe i'm so happy!! :lol:


----------



## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

Have you been counting his kibble each day before putting it in his dish? Sorry if this has done been asked did not see it lol.
Edit: I do see where Nikki asked if you were counting his kibble but I don't see your answer.


----------



## Cinder (Jun 24, 2010)

no i've been feeding him some wet food mixed in with his food because the lady said at 5 weeks his teeth are too tiny but i dont think he likes it i've had it smoothed out so i could tell if its been touched my boyfreind and i are going to seperate the foods and give him a few differnt choices and see what one he likes most


----------



## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

Cinder said:


> no i've been feeding him some wet food mixed in with his food because the lady said at 5 weeks his teeth are too tiny but i dont think he likes it i've had it smoothed out so i could tell if its been touched my boyfreind and i are going to seperate the foods and give him a few differnt choices and see what one he likes most


Wow he was only 5 weeks old and she let you take him home :roll: sounds like an awful breeder.
A great idea you have  I would offer only dry cat food in one bowl and in another bowl you can try that other crap and see what he likes most.


----------



## Cinder (Jun 24, 2010)

yea were going to offer him a few things and see if it works he's 6 weeks old now she also mis-sexed him i was under the impression i bought a female. she also wouldent let me in the door she met me on her porch the moment i pulled in


----------



## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

Cinder said:


> she also wouldent let me in the door she met me on her porch the moment i pulled in


God :x that's crazy!


----------



## Cinder (Jun 24, 2010)

not a great first time hedgie experiance But he's coming around great socially unballs right after i pick him up and loves nothing more then sleeping in my pocket he also fell asleep on my table whiles visiting with my family boy or girl the loves all the same


----------



## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

Cinder said:


> boy or girl the loves all the same


If he has what looks like a belly button he is a boy


----------



## Cinder (Jun 24, 2010)

yea i read about that and cinders definatly a little boy ^ ^


----------

