# What should I feed my Hedgie???



## Hedgielover1 (Mar 30, 2016)

Hello! The pet store we normally get are hedgie food from has stop carrying it, and no other stores carry it. I have tried both wet and dry cat food, but she won't eat them. I have also tried soaking the dry food in water, she ate it but she then had diarrhea, is this normal? Does anybody have any ideas on what to try, or is the dry cat food, ok?
Thanks in advance,
Hedgielover1


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## shinydistraction (Jul 6, 2014)

Hedgehogs don't take well to sudden diet changes. It can cause tummy upsets and even food strikes.

What exactly are you feeding? What have you tried? Is there another flavor of what you were feeding that is still available, or do they not carry the brand anymore at all?


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## Hedgielover1 (Mar 30, 2016)

I have tried cat food. They don't carry any type of food at all. I just gave her some cat food soaked in water, and she ate it.


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## shinydistraction (Jul 6, 2014)

I was hoping for a more specific answer. What brand? What formula? There's tons of cat foods out there and non of them are the same.


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## Hedgielover1 (Mar 30, 2016)

It's Pet Pride for All Stages of Life, does that help?


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## Hedgielover1 (Mar 30, 2016)

She is eating it now, so was it just a first time thing?


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## shinydistraction (Jul 6, 2014)

Ok, so a google search really isn't coming up with food by that brand name. I came across one called Pride from Nature's Variety. Is that what you're meaning? I was hoping to see the quality of the food, but since I can't find exactly what you're talking about, that will be hard.

If you can't find it anywhere, you really don't have a choice. You're going to have to switch foods. What to get is going to depend largely on what's available to you locally unless you're able to place orders online.

In general, you're looking for a food that has 30%-35% protein and 10%-15% fat. The first ingredient should be a named meat (poultry is not good enough, it should say chicken or turkey, or specifically what it's made from). You also want to avoid large amounts of fillers. Fillers would be things like grains, rice, oddly high amounts of peas etc. Ingredients are listed in order by weight, so be mindful of that if you see something like chicken as the first ingredient followed by peas, pea protein, pea husk. Suddenly you're food contains more peas than anything else.

You want to stay away from lower end brands as they are mostly filler and have lots of mystery ingredients. Things like Purina or Friskies unless they are the best foods available.

What stores around you carry pet foods? That will give you an idea of what will be available to you.


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## Hedgielover1 (Mar 30, 2016)

Ok thank you. Yes that is what I mean. Not many, we have a Pet Smart and a Walmart.


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## Hedgielover1 (Mar 30, 2016)

We just ordered some of her normal food online, and this is what we will continue to do I guess unless the pet store gets some of it in stock.


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## Hedgielover1 (Mar 30, 2016)

Wait that food isn't what we have. I think it is a Purina brand of food.


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## shinydistraction (Jul 6, 2014)

Petsmart over Walmart for sure. Really, you're just going to have to go have a look and try one out to see if she'll eat it. 

Just to avoid this situation from happening again; once you find a good quality food that she'll eat and after she's been on it for a few weeks with no tummy upset and giving you good poops, I would consider adding a second food. Preferably from a different brand. Just in case one of them is suddenly no longer available, you'll have the second food to fall back on.


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## Hedgielover1 (Mar 30, 2016)

Ok thank you soooooo much for your help and time, I think I have it now. She will be back on her normal food in no time now.


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## Hedgielover1 (Mar 30, 2016)

I really, really appreciate your help and time!


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

What is her normal food that you ordered? Purina isn't a good brand to be feeding.


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## Hedgielover1 (Mar 30, 2016)

Buttercup and I thank you! Is there someway I close this thread?


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

We don't close threads. Are you able to tell us what you were feeding before? if it's a hedgehog food it most likely isn't good for him. He needs to be on a high quality cat food, not purina.


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