# Confused on food



## Kittiefurr (Jun 3, 2015)

So I've had my hedgehog on Purina Cat Chow for 2 months now. I've been reading a lot on what to feed her, and read that purina isn't that good for hedgies. I was thinking about feeding her a mix of Sun Seed and Blue Buffalo. Is this a good mix? Any other foods you would suggest?


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Sun seed hedgehog food?


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Also what blue buffalo formula were you looking at?


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## writergirlmel (May 16, 2015)

Here is a good starter list for foods that are fairly widely available, though I did see Kelsey mention that she'd like to rework the list because a few brands have slipped in quality.

Generally, hedgehog foods should be avoided because they are full of fillers, and some even contain things that are actually dangerous to hedgehogs (go figure). Sun seed has been listed by Kelsey as one that might be okay as part of a mix, but, personally, I'd be careful and would only even consider it as a small part of a diverse (4+) mix.

In general, when nutritional density is as important as it is with hedgehogs, an over-abundance of fillers is a problem regardless of what they are, but it's especially problematic if the food is weighted down with an abundance of something like corn.

Your best bet is to stick with high quality kibble that has a maximum protein DMB of 35% and has a fat DMB of under 15%. The most important ingredients are the ones listed before the first fat. That's the bulk of the food. You want to see a specific protein source as its meal (i.e. chicken meal, duck meal) or meat (i.e. chicken, duck) as the first ingredient, no more than one or two grains in that section. You don't want to see the following _anywhere_in the ingredients list: anything listed as a by-product (i.e. chicken by-product meal -- a.k.a. ground up chicken parts that aren't meat, like beaks); unnamed or generally named meats, meals, or fats (i.e. poultry, poultry meal, animal fat); anything not safe for hedgehogs (e.g. dried fruits and seeds, anything on the unsafe/toxic list); wood/cellulose (because a hedgehog shouldn't eat their bedding, even disguised as food); BHT; BHA; Ethoxyquin; and food dyes.

Remember, the earlier it's listed, the more it contributes to the food, for better or worse.


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## Kittiefurr (Jun 3, 2015)

I went with blue buffalo healthy aging cat food with 32% protein and 15% fat. I was planning on mixing it with the sun seed hedgehog food! Thanks everyone!


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Depending on your ratios, you will be high in protein. The sunseed is 38% minimum. 
Most hedgehog foods aren't recommended. Sunseed also contains freeze dried mealworms, not recommended. I would also bet that with sunseed your hedgehog will have more smelly poops.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

There is a very good chance that your hedgehog won't eat the Sunseed food, it would be better to mix in another good quality, low fat, cat food for her.


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Just for clarification, these are sunseeds ingredients up to the first fat.
Ingredients: Wheat Bran, Poultry Meal, Soy Protein Concentrate, Fish Meal, Shrimp Meal, Chitin Powder, Tuna Meal, Crab Meal, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Freeze Dried Mealworms, Fish Oil,


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## shinydistraction (Jul 6, 2014)

Yep. Looks as unhealthy as I was remembering. I would definitely go with another cat food for the mix.


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## writergirlmel (May 16, 2015)

What is chitin powder? I tend to distrust ingredients I don't recognize as being, you know, food or food-based. At least I can look at "soy protein concentrate" and realize it's a highly modified soybean product (that I don't want in my hedgehog's food). But I look at "chitin powder" and just think, "What the heck is a chitin?"


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Don't ask me, I am still working on crap, I mean mazuri.


I wonder if it's like chitlins???


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## writergirlmel (May 16, 2015)

Cursory google search reveals it's a component of fungi cell walls, arthropod & insect exoskeletons, the radulae of mollusks, and the beaks and shells of cephalopods (squid, octopus, etc). Looks like a common source of chitin powder is shrimp, and it's marketed to promote joint health in humans.


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Coming from a girl that hates them, chitlins sound better than that stuff. 
But think of all the bugs that die so we can have a questionable ingredient.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I like seeing the chitin powder in the food more than most of the other ingredients. At least we know hedgehogs can digest it! There are studies that show they have chitinase, an enzyme meant to break down chitin, in their digestive system. Far more appropriate than most ingredients in hedgehog foods, though the quality is still questionable without knowing the actual source & how it's processed & preserved.


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

That is the thing that is questionable, the many sources it could come from. While that could be a good thing that it could come from many sources, not naming them makes it impossible to know what your getting.


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