# Need Advice. I can only find Castor & Pollux dog food



## Littlefootsmama (May 23, 2010)

Hi everyone,

I am trying to figure out a mix for Little Foot and Gizmo and I want to buy them Castor & Pollux cat food; however, I cannot find the cat food in my area, only dog food. I checked the ingredients versus cat and dog and they don't seem to differ too much. The only thing I noticed is that the fat and protein is a little lower, but still acceptable for hedgehogs. Would I be able to put them on the dog food or should I order the cat food online? I wanted to have them on something I can purchase around here, but I also want what is the best for them so I need some advice. =)

Thanks,
Autumn


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

Dog food is typically lower in protein than cat food. Nutritionally there is nothing wrong with it but it is usually too hard for hedgehogs. Some people feed dog food that they have broken up or crushed into smaller pieces. 

I'm betting that the store that sells the dog food could order the cat food from the same supplier. Talk to the manager and find out how much the minimum order would be (Usually it will be about 4-6 small bags) and if they are willing to order it for you regularly, ask neighbours and friends with cats if they want to buy some from you. It will probably be cheaper for them and for you.


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## Littlefootsmama (May 23, 2010)

Thank you =) Yeah I found out it through PetCo for cheaper; however, I work at petsmart so I felt kind of awkward doing so. haha! I am going to talk to my store manager next week to see if I can put in an order through our store. There was like a 10% difference in protein between the dog and cat food -- I didn't want to take the risk.


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

My manager let me order Quigley's food through our store for cost because it's not something that we carried. I just paid for the minimum order and then sold/gave away bags to friends and family.


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## fracturedcircle (May 31, 2010)

what made you choose this food, if i may ask?


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## Littlefootsmama (May 23, 2010)

I chose this food because it has no corn, no wheat and no soy. It also contains all real ingredients and in addition to the kibble there are real pieces of fruit and veggies mixed in adding additional vitamins and minerals to their diet. It also has flaxseed and fish meal which gives the hedgie their omega 3 and 6.

Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Ground Whole Grain Barley, Cellulose, Brewer's Rice, Rice Protein Concentrate, Ground Flaxseed, Chicken Fat preserved with Mixed Tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), Natural Chicken Flavor, Cultured Whey, Dried Beet Pulp, Salmon Meal, Sodium Bisulphate, Dried Carrots, Dried Bananas, Dried Apples, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Dried Blueberries, Dried Papaya, Choline Chloride, Taurine, DL-Methionine, L-Carnitine, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Niacin, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganous Oxide, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of Vitamin B1), Riboflavin Supplement (source of Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B6), Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin K1 Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Folic Acid, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Cobalt Carbonate, Yeast Culture (Saccharomyes Cerevisiae), Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma Longbrachiatum Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract and Fermentation Solubles.



GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
Crude Protein, min………………..…………………………36.00%
Crude Fat, min………..……………………………………11.00%
Crude Fat, max………..……………………………………14.50%
Crude Fiber, max………..………………………………… 8.50%
Moisture, max………...……………………………………10.00%
Calcium, min…………………………………………………1.00%
Phosphorus, min………………………………………… .0.80%
Magnesium, max…………………………………….… 0.12%
Taurine, min….. ……………………………………………0.125%
Omega 6 Fatty Acids, min………………………………….2.00%*
Omega 3 Fatty Acids, min…………………………………0.30%*
L-Carnitine, min…………………………………………… 70 mg/kg*


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## fracturedcircle (May 31, 2010)

Littlefootsmama said:


> I chose this food because it has no corn, no wheat and no soy. It also contains all real ingredients and in addition to the kibble there are real pieces of fruit and veggies mixed in adding additional vitamins and minerals to their diet. It also has flaxseed and fish meal which gives the hedgie their omega 3 and 6.
> 
> Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Ground Whole Grain Barley, Cellulose, Brewer's Rice, Rice Protein Concentrate, Ground Flaxseed, Chicken Fat preserved with Mixed Tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), Natural Chicken Flavor, Cultured Whey, Dried Beet Pulp, Salmon Meal, Sodium Bisulphate, Dried Carrots, Dried Bananas, Dried Apples, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Dried Blueberries, Dried Papaya, Choline Chloride, Taurine, DL-Methionine, L-Carnitine, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Niacin, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganous Oxide, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of Vitamin B1), Riboflavin Supplement (source of Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B6), Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin K1 Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Folic Acid, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Cobalt Carbonate, Yeast Culture (Saccharomyes Cerevisiae), Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma Longbrachiatum Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract and Fermentation Solubles.
> 
> ...


oh. do let me know how it goes. i don't want my boys to eat corn either!


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## Littlefootsmama (May 23, 2010)

I just got it in the mail today, so I will let you know!


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

I think the protein levels are too high, but you should wait for someone else to comment about the nutritional value... because I'm definitely no expert.


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## fracturedcircle (May 31, 2010)

Littlefootsmama said:


> I just got it in the mail today, so I will let you know!


did you get the cat kind?


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## Littlefootsmama (May 23, 2010)

Yes I got the cat kind! Protein should be between 30-35%; one percent higher should not make much of a difference especially in a mix.


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## fracturedcircle (May 31, 2010)

Littlefootsmama said:


> Yes I got the cat kind! Protein should be between 30-35%; one percent higher should not make much of a difference especially in a mix.


why Indoor as opposed to this one? http://www.castorpolluxpet.com/store/na ... ne_formula


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

The fat in the regular adult formula is too high.


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## Littlefootsmama (May 23, 2010)

The fat level is higher in the Indoor and Gizmo eats like he has never seen food before in his life, so I don't want him gaining a bunch of weight.


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## fracturedcircle (May 31, 2010)

Littlefootsmama said:


> The fat level is higher in the Indoor and Gizmo eats like he has never seen food before in his life, so I don't want him gaining a bunch of weight.


so which did you get exactly?


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## Littlefootsmama (May 23, 2010)

I got the food in the green striped bag which is the indoor formula. I bought a 3 lb bag for now to make sure the boys like it. So far it has been a huge hit; I picked out dried banana from little foot's visor today -- crazy eater.


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## fracturedcircle (May 31, 2010)

Littlefootsmama said:


> I got the food in the green striped bag which is the indoor formula. I bought a 3 lb bag for now to make sure the boys like it. So far it has been a huge hit; I picked out dried banana from little foot's visor today -- crazy eater.


this one? http://www.castorpolluxpet.com/store/na ... ne_formula


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## Littlefootsmama (May 23, 2010)

Yup! That is the one


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