# Same brand, different kibble :(



## Sar-uh (Sep 6, 2011)

It's been a stressful couple of days 

Petunia's on antibiotics and had a fecal test sent in for having dark green poo, however I began to wonder if maybe her food was expired. I ordered it from Amazon, and simply didn't think to check the date. I looked today and saw that it had been rubbed off. Eek! I could very well be giving Toonie old food.

I went to Petco yesterday and bought some new food. The kibble looks totally different... at first I thought "Dang, this food was really stale!" But it seems like more than that. It's a different color, and the shape is not as flat.

She didn't eat it. So she didn't eat last night  I suppose I'm going to have to do a slow change like I would if I were introducing a new food.

Do kibble colors and sizes vary within the same brand? These are both NB Green Pea and Duck, and the ingredients are the same.


----------



## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

There can be different kibble size and shapes within brands, for example, the lite version can be different than the regular. Also, food that comes from a different plant can be slightly different so that the same formula may be slightly different. Every so often it seems companies decide to change shapes, sizes and even formulas without warning. 

I personally would be nervous getting food online because I always like to see the expiry date on the bag before I buy it. I've gotten expired food from stores before but it was easy to exchange, not so much if purchased online. 

Try mixing a bit of the new with a bit of the old to mix the smells. That may help her decide to eat it. Another thought, perhaps the old food is different in hardness, perhaps softer, easier to crunch.


----------



## Sar-uh (Sep 6, 2011)

Lesson learned. I will not be buying food online any more.

I'll try mixing the two in a baggie and see if that helps. If not, maybe I'll moisten the food to see if it makes it easier to eat.


----------



## raerysdyk (Oct 21, 2011)

You could probably try calling the company up, too. If you have both of the barcode numbers (or whatever they would need off the packaging) they could probably tell you if there is any difference in the product. Just an idea, if you wanted to know more about the differences in the two bags.


----------



## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

NB changed their kibble many months back. You may be able to find the thread on it, but many people had problems getting their hedgies to eat the new kibble. It used to be my boy's fav, but now he eats it as a last resort and only if I've cut it in half. 

So yes, your old kibble is most likely well over the expiry date since my boy is WELL into his new NB bag.


----------



## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Immortalia said:


> NB changed their kibble many months back. You may be able to find the thread on it, but many people had problems getting their hedgies to eat the new kibble. It used to be my boy's fav, but now he eats it as a last resort and only if I've cut it in half.
> 
> So yes, your old kibble is most likely well over the expiry date since my boy is WELL into his new NB bag.


Yup, this. I use this kibble as well, and have also been using the new bag for quite awhile. Lily's a bit iffy on it too now, though she'll usually still eat a few kibble from it each night.


----------



## Sar-uh (Sep 6, 2011)

Oy vey. Well, if she won't eat the new stuff, maybe I should switch her to a different food all together.


----------



## CourtneyFaye (Jul 31, 2011)

I have NB and it looks like that. It's also my girl's favorite out of her mix :lol:


----------



## Sar-uh (Sep 6, 2011)

Petunia has only eaten about 10 kibble for the past two nights, even though I put a mix of the old and new (with mostly old). She even left meal worms untouched :shock: She has dropped 17 grams since Monday. She's still quite active on her wheel at night. She's passing dark green stools because of the antibiotic (or so I hope that's what it's from). 

How can I get her to eat? I have yet to try to moisten her food, maybe I'll do that tonight. I'm so worried about her. Thankfully, her behavior is totally normal, but I hope she isn't hiding something serious.


----------



## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

That's a lot of weight loss. 
I'm no expert but maybe a vet visit is need? 
Is the new kibble harder? Maybe it hurts her teeth?
Maybe try giving her something like chicken? If she likes it rubbing the chicken on the food to get that sent?
I'm just throwing thoughts out there.


----------



## Sar-uh (Sep 6, 2011)

ShutUpAndSmile said:


> That's a lot of weight loss.
> I'm no expert but maybe a vet visit is need?
> Is the new kibble harder? Maybe it hurts her teeth?
> Maybe try giving her something like chicken? If she likes it rubbing the chicken on the food to get that sent?
> I'm just throwing thoughts out there.


I'm still waiting for the vet to get back with me about the fecal test. I may have hubby call her today, though, since I'm getting ready to go to work.

I'm not sure if the kibble is harder than the old. What I can't understand is why she won't even eat the old stuff that she likes. When I hand feed her mealies, she snarfs them down like she's starving, but obviously I don't want to feed her those alone.


----------



## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

Maybe she wont eat it because it smells like the new stuff? x:


----------



## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

The antibiotic may be upsetting her tummy but that should apply to the mealies too. I wonder if she has suddenly decided she no longer likes that kibble. 

Are you weighing her the same time each day and charting if it's pre or post poop? To get a really accurate weight, weigh her morning and evening at the exact same time. They have normal ups and downs and a good poop and pee can drop weight by 30g's. Weighing morning and evening will show if she is really going down in weight or if it's just a normal fluctuation. 

I suggest start syringing her, just so you know she is getting some food and also to get her used to being syringed.


----------



## Sar-uh (Sep 6, 2011)

I cleaned her bowl and just gave her the old food, and thank goodness she finally ate. She had 35 kibble last night, and is putting on some weight (went from 281 g yesterday morning to 288 g this morning). Still not pooping a great deal, but I was actually rejoicing this morning when she pooped while I was holding her in my lap. I never thought I'd be so happy to have a hedgehog poop on me :lol: Since we put a couple drops of flax seed oil on her food last night, I think that helped her pass things along.

So, new plan: try to wean her off of old food slowly with new food. If that doesn't take, I have some Solid Gold to try her on.

Thanks for all the input. Nancy, that's a great point about weighing times, I will do that from now on, at least until we're through this. I was totally ready to start syringe feeding, but I'm going to hold off for now since she's gotten her appetite back.


----------

