# Mixes: how much high quality is good?



## Zalea (Sep 12, 2008)

I recently decided that I'd like to try to switch my hedgie off the mix that he's on, or at least add a couple of better quality foods (I bought the mix I have from the breeder and I'm not all that impressed with the ingredients of the foods that are in it). I started looking at different information trying to figure out the best foods to add to the mix, and came across some opinions that too many high quality foods in a mix can cause FLD rather quickly. I'd like to try a few of the different foods on the list that Reaper put together, and I'm planning on adding at least one of them. My question, though, is: how much high quality is too much? Most of the information I've read says to try mixing at least two high quality and some "junk food" type food. Would having 3 or 4 of the foods on the list mixed together be okay since they have lower fat content, or would the fact that there would be so much meat involved make FLD more likely? I guess what I'm asking is: is it better to have 2 or 3 high quality foods that have great meat ingredients with a few different lower quality foods to go along, or would just using a mix of a few different high quality foods be an okay way to go?


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## PixiesExoticHedgies (Sep 4, 2008)

Zalea said:


> and came across some opinions that too many high quality foods in a mix can cause FLD rather quickly.


I've only seen this opinion on one website. It is totally untrue. Here's some discussions about food mixes. Along with the formula that I've made for my hedgies, after chatting with the HHC members and referring to Reapers food list.

http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=265&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=food+mix

http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=495


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## Zalea (Sep 12, 2008)

I saw it on one website and on some other forums. For all I know, it was the same person talking but I'm not sure. I figured it's better to ask about it and find out than to just guess and be totally wrong. 
Thanks for the link. I somehow missed reading that first thread. The site I read it on is actually different from the one quoted on there, though. 
So I guess the verdict is generally that 3 or 4 of the different foods from the list would be fine to gradually switch to for a mix?


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

I don't think having high quality foods in a mix could be a bad thing. If the food was very rich, you might want to have a smaller portion of it, but that doesn't mean you have to have some crap food for that reason. The "french fries" reaper talks about are just like for us- I wouldn't want to eat salad everyday, it's kind of like a bit of junk food mixed in. Although, I'm not sure hope crap food would compare to higher quality food in the pet world. :? 

I feed a mix of 6-8 foods (changes once in a while) with Special Kitty Kitten as Inky's junk food, because it has higher fat. I would never feed it on its own, though.


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## Zalea (Sep 12, 2008)

Yeah see I thought high quality would be a LOT better than not. That's why I decided to ask and find out what the general consensus is. When it comes to something so easy to prevent, like giving the right foods instead of the wrong foods, I want to try to do everything right that I can and have as much information about it as possible from people who have had a lot of experience. The thing I probably worry about most when it comes to my hedgie is food! I think I'll try to find some foods with better quality ingredients and a lower fat content and make my own mix from there. Thanks for the advice.


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