# My hedgehog isn't eating as much? help



## Monstertard78 (Sep 14, 2012)

So when i got him the owner had a bunch of his food that came along with him already, and he liked it i guess. It was old and stale but he seemed to eat it just fine cause im sure thats just what hes use too. I gave him some meow mix and he really liked it but didn't seem to be eating as much for some reason. I took him in to the vet for his final revolution (he had mites from the last owner...-_-) and i asked him about it and he recommended getting Purina brand. I'm not sure if he said Purine One or just regular Purina. So i got him the regular Purina (not Light cause he lost like 20g in 2 weeks) and so i mixed in the new food with his old food so he can get use to it. He still hasn't been eating as much as he use too for some reason. I woke up this morning to check and he had mushed food all over his cage and blankets. Is that something bad or should i be worried over it? I keep his cage warm 24/7 with a che lamp and thermostat so i don't think its too cold for him. Please help. Thanks


----------



## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Do you have a thermometer to track temperature? You'll want to make sure you know the numbers too, but glad you're keeping him warm!

To be honest, both Meow Mix and Purina foods are no good. The only Purina food that would be okay to feed is Purina One Beyond, which has better ingredients. I would suggest getting a better quality food and see if he eats more. Some brands that are popular on here are Blue Buffalo, Innova, Natural Balance, Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul, and Solid Gold. They're a little more expensive, but keep in mind that hedgies don't eat much anyway, and they're just SO much better for them. Better food = better health = happier hedgehog and less vet bills. That goes for any animal, really.

The other possible cause of eating less could be that he's having trouble with the kibble size, if they're big or weird-shaped. That will also be helped by a different, hopefully. How old is he? If he's getting older, 2-4 years or older, it could be that he's having trouble crunching food up no matter the size or shape. Having food all over his cage makes me think either he doesn't like it, or he's having trouble eating it. If he's having trouble eating even a new food, I would try crushing it up for him, or soaking it in a bit of water to make it softer. Measuring, counting, or weighing the food is a good idea too, to keep track of how much he's eating, and if he starts eating more once there's a change in food, etc.


----------



## Monstertard78 (Sep 14, 2012)

alright cool thanks! i'll go check out those brands when im doing my errands. but Yes i do have thermometer so i can see how hot it is inside his cage and for the most part its a constant 76-78 degrees at all times. He is two year old. approx anyways. and The old food was hard and like in a X shape but he still ate it just fine. He certainly loves his meal worms and i feed him those every night. The vet is not much of a hedgehog person it seems like so i had a feeling he didnt know exactly what to do.. sadly.. I'll make sure to weigh him and his food everynight too.


----------



## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Yeah, sounds like it's most likely food brand then, everything else looks good! I would check around a bit and see if you can find a vet with more hedgehog experience, but if your current vet is at least willing to do research and look stuff up for you guys, that's a good thing too. Good luck and let me/us know if he starts eating more with a new food!


----------

