# Is Hedgehog food really not okay?



## HaineTheHedgie (Feb 27, 2019)

I went to the vet since my hedgehog has been scratching a lot and I was worried it might be mites. The vet checked and couldn't find any. He gave her a shot to treat any possible parasites since she did not seem like she would take oral medication. He advised me to mix in hedgehog food with the Rachel Ray Nourish cat food I've been feeding her if the itching doesn't stop since it's likely a nutritional issue. He recommended Oxbow, but they don't make hedgehog food. So I purchased Mazuri hedgehog food, which seems to have mostly good reviews. I plan to start mixing that in with her cat food when it arrives in the mail. I'm confused since most owners here say hedgehog food is bad, but most vets seem to say it's good. Hedgehogs also seem to be the only animals that aren't supposed to eat the food made for them. So I'm just really confused as to what I should do. I tried bathing her and changing the type of bedding before taking her to the vet. I just want her to stop being so itchy and if it's a nutritional problem I just want to know what to feed her that will help...


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## Ria (Aug 30, 2018)

Hedgehog food doesnt have the right neutrients for pgymy hedgehogs it also contains a lot of things like wheat which you should food. I'm pretty sure some are to high in fat as well (not sure just what I read) 

Hedgehog food is desinged for wild hedgehogs, and even then its not the best thing out there for them, it contains a lot that hedgehogs dont need much but barely anything that they do need (again from what I read and seen of the few I looked at)

They ideally need a more meat based food, which cat food are. And most people use a mix so that they get differnt things from differnt ones.

Theres a neutritional guide in the stickies which explains it all really well that I think you should have a look at, there an advanced as well which goes into a lot more detail that should help too, but dont feel you have to read it.

You also need insects because these give some neutrients that they wont get form any dry food.

Although I didn't think that neutritional problems caused itching
Have you cheked for dry skin ?? That can make some itch


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## HaineTheHedgie (Feb 27, 2019)

She does have dry skin, which the vet said could be due to a nutrient deficiency. I have tried feeding her meal worms as well, but she does not seem to like them. She likes crickets more, but does not always eat them when I try to give them to her. I also tried bathing her with Aveeno oatmeal extract baby wash as well as changing her bedding from pine shavings to Kaytee Clean and Cozy unscented bedding.


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## Ria (Aug 30, 2018)

Give the bedding a few days it might help a little but lets see.

Hedgehogs naturally suffer with dry skin, and bathing too much can make their dry skin much worse as well, but some suffer with it worse than others anyway.

Some dont like meal worms, I know that Holly doesnt. I give roaches, brown and black crickets, locusts, orange woodlice and calci worms. Holly's favourite is the roaches haha. Also she prefers when I leave them hiding around her cage (I gutload and freeze them so they are dead) as opposed to giving them through bonding time. 
When she was only eating crickets, she went off them a bit, I gave her a few days break from them and then gave to her again and she loved them. We also then started expanding for more variety in her diet. 
She did have grasshoppers, but they actually made her poo a bit green so we cut those out (not all hedgehogs are the same though)


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## Ria (Aug 30, 2018)

There are loads of ways of helping with dry skin

Flaxseed oil on their food twice a week. Capsules are easier and last longer, either 1 capsule a week, half a capsule each day, or 2 capsules a week, 1 capsule each day

Coconut oil or theres a hedgehog coconut oil thing (cant remember the name but its pretty much coconut oil) you can rub this on their backs, best done when they are in spiky balls (make sure its room temp and not cold or hot) you dont have rinse it but you can bursh it with water after for peace of mind. This can be used daily though most recomend only every other day.

Hypocare spray also can be rubbed on their backs this is also best done when they are in spikey balls, again make sure its room temp not cold (it can pretty cold you can warm it up under your top if you dont mind doing that or wrap it in blanket will help) this can be used daily. 

Oat baths do help but these can't be done very often because its done in water and doing too much can make it worse


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## HaineTheHedgie (Feb 27, 2019)

Okay, thank you, Ria. I've only bathed her once in the month since I've had her since I read on here that the occasional bath can help with dry skin. I'll try expanding her insect diet and maybe introduce a second cat food instead of the hedgehog food.


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## Ria (Aug 30, 2018)

Theres a list in the stickies of brands that are good you could have a look at those, 

If she spits up the roach the first time eating dont worry, the second time they dont, sometimes they forgot to give it that extra chew and then it doesnt go down right (Holly did it and I thought she was sick but then actually thats all it was lol) Not all hogs do it, but I thought I'd let you know incase.


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## Aj.t (Jan 29, 2019)

Hey there! Yeah, unfortunately I have yet to find a hedgehog specific diet that provides the correct nutrients with the right ingredients- bummer! It’s very misleading when you get multiple different recommendations but I always think of it this way- hedgie specific foods are like McDonald’s. Will it kill you if you eat it every day? Maybe not. But will you be healthy in the slightest? Absolutely not. It does boggle my mind that nobody has ever made a quality dry diet for hedgehogs, but cat food is a great alternative. There are many different brands, flavors, and compounds that provide great nutrients. And to make things better, they’re a whole heck of a lot cheaper than hedgie diets! 
Definitely try Ria’s recommendations; I occasionally supplement Christina’s diet with fresh fruit, cooked veggie, and sometimes hard boiled egg or cooked chicken. Make sure each item is safe for Hedgies before giving it to them!
Hope this helps 🙂


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