# How much food? help please! :(



## Camii (Dec 30, 2010)

How much food should Pancake eat?..he is 7 weeks old..I feed him only with Royal Canin Babycat 34 and he refuses to run on wheel =/

Please help me


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

Most people here free-feed their hedgies, meaning there is food always available for them in their cage.

How long have you had your hedgehog? It may be that he just hasn't gotten used to his environment, which can make hedgies inactive for a temporary period.


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## Nebular (Dec 28, 2010)

Like Shae said, free feeding seems to be the most popular. They eat as much or as little as they want when it suits them. I have heard people rationing theirs to 1 - 2 tablespoons per day but I have yet to see anyone agree on a suitable amount. I think it largely depends on their activity level and metabolism. My little guy is almost 8 weeks old and I have him free feeding. A small dish usually lasts 2 days. Some people place a few pieces of food or a treat on the wheel to try bribe them into using it, so you may want to give that a shot if you haven't already.

I don't have a wheel for my guy yet, but if yours doesn't want to use his wheel just yet, you might want to try just taking him out of his home and letting him run around. I have a blanket that I bought from a fabric store that I just spread out and plop him down on. It gives him a chance to run around like an idiot and explore. I sit down with him and make sure he doesn't try to leave his little play zone where it's not safe. (it's not terribly dangerous off of there, but there's a power cable and a couple of small spaces he could crawl in to - it also keeps him from using my carpet as an outhouse)


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## Camii (Dec 30, 2010)

shaelikestaquitos said:


> Most people here free-feed their hedgies, meaning there is food always available for them in their cage.
> 
> How long have you had your hedgehog? It may be that he just hasn't gotten used to his environment, which can make hedgies inactive for a temporary period.


I have him since December 21
he doesn't walk around his house either =/ he just comes out to eat and drink water..then he goes back to sleep =/


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## Camii (Dec 30, 2010)

Nebular said:


> Like Shae said, free feeding seems to be the most popular. They eat as much or as little as they want when it suits them. I have heard people rationing theirs to 1 - 2 tablespoons per day but I have yet to see anyone agree on a suitable amount. I think it largely depends on their activity level and metabolism. My little guy is almost 8 weeks old and I have him free feeding. A small dish usually lasts 2 days. Some people place a few pieces of food or a treat on the wheel to try bribe them into using it, so you may want to give that a shot if you haven't already.
> 
> I don't have a wheel for my guy yet, but if yours doesn't want to use his wheel just yet, you might want to try just taking him out of his home and letting him run around. I have a blanket that I bought from a fabric store that I just spread out and plop him down on. It gives him a chance to run around like an idiot and explore. I sit down with him and make sure he doesn't try to leave his little play zone where it's not safe. (it's not terribly dangerous off of there, but there's a power cable and a couple of small spaces he could crawl in to - it also keeps him from using my carpet as an outhouse)


I've been free feeding him since he got home...but I think he is getting fat :lol: that's why I asked
The blanket seems like a good idea but few days ago I put him on my bed.. he got scared and he didn't even move u.u


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

He's probably just adjusting to his new home, you have to remember that everything is new to him, and everything he knew is gone. As long as he's eating good, and pooping normal, then I wouldn't worry to much about it. Give him some time to adjust and he'll figure out his wheel and become more active. Are you sure he's not out and about in his cage at night when you're sleeping? 

Also remember that he's a baby and babies sleep ALOT..just like human babies...lol

Don't worry about him getting fat, at his age he's still growing and needs all the food he's eating.


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## Puffers315 (Apr 19, 2010)

Another factor can be light, some hedgehogs might not be active unless there is total darkness for them, others won't care about mild light from a dim lamp, television or computer screen, a few rare ones might not mind regular light. But for example with my two.

Hester - Doesn't mind tv / monitor glow.

Loki - Unless there is total darkness, he won't come out except to eat, drink and use the bathroom.

But like Nikki said, also the fact that he's a baby, means he will sleep a lot. And indeed he may be coming out until after you go to bed, even if you're sitting still they are very aware (at least my guys are) that you're still up. Both of mine wait until I go to bed, and then its hedgehog party time into the dawn hours.


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## karennoel (Dec 20, 2010)

I give my hedgie Luna 2 tablespoons. One of each kind of her food. She doesn't eat all of it but close, but my cats are more than happy to eat what she doesn't as a snack. I give her a fresh 2 tablespoons everynight.


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## Killer quills (Jan 1, 2011)

This is exactly what my Millie did. She would only leave her igloo to eat drink and poop. As soon as she started trusting me and getting to know her environment a little bit better, and I adjusted the temperature, she is a wheeling animal. Every night I come home after work ( I work late) and see her on her wheel looking at me like I totally rudely interrupted it makes me laugh every time. 

I free feed her as well. Like they said, it's probably just growing and needs all the food it can get. Get it out to bond but also run around a little. Try to give it space to not feel so watched and maybe that will help it to actually roam a little. 

I got her on Dec. 18 so not too much before you got yours. She also doesn't like me to watch her wheel while in her cage. That also might be a factor for yours as well. Just give it time, keep bonding nightly. Try putting some pieces of food on it's wheel and in the morning if it's still there and hasn't moved, you know he isn't wheeling, but like others have said, he's probably just getting used to having a wheel, knowing how to use it, getting used to all the strange noises and smells, and between being a super sleepy baby, he might just be up when everything is silent. Patience is the best thing for it right now. I learned that.


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