# Baby Food Question...



## nibletsmom (Dec 20, 2010)

For those of you that use baby food as part of your hedgehogs food, I have a question...

How do you properly store the baby food without wasting it? I finally found some baby food that my super picky Niblet enjoys. I purchased the smallest jar available but I noticed that on the top it reads, "good for 2-3 days after opening." Well after 2-3 days, there is still quite a bit left in the jar, so I have been having to throw it out.

I was wondering if anyone has had experience freezing the baby food to keep it good. Also, how much and how often do you all recommend supplementing his diet with the baby food.

Niblet is currently eating a mix of blue buffalo and wellness and there is a small amount of Vita hedgehog food mixed in (it was what he was used to eating when he came to us months ago...so we left it in the mix). He also gets about 4 mealies 2-3 times a week.

He currently weighs 161 grams and is very active. He wheels pretty much all night and maintains his weight at a steady 160-161 grams. I wanted to supplement his diet with the baby food since I felt he was a little on the small side and he is so active.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


----------



## greenbeansrabbitry (Sep 10, 2008)

How old is Niblet?

I freeze my baby food in ice cube trays and it keeps just fine. I feed a little every night, they love it. The longest I've had to keep some frozen was just a couple days though, I have 8 hedgehogs, so it gets eaten pretty quick :lol: There are a few others on here that freeze it too, I'm sure they'll chime in here soon!


----------



## nibletsmom (Dec 20, 2010)

greenbeansrabbitry said:


> How old is Niblet?


Niblet will be a year old at the end of October!

He is a very picky eater. We have tried all sorts of things from fruits/veggies/chicken, etc...and he won't touch it. But he loves the baby food....the chicken and gravy especially!

Edited to add:
He eats the Blue Buffalo/Wellness mix and eats very well.


----------



## ReginasMommy (Apr 13, 2011)

I don't have much baby food experience, as Regina doesn't really like it, but I would like to request more pictures of Niblet. I love your signature pic and your avatar pic, and I want more


----------



## nibletsmom (Dec 20, 2010)

Oops...I just realized a typo! Niblet weighs 261 grams (not 161). My mistake!



ReginasMommy said:
 

> I don't have much baby food experience, as Regina doesn't really like it, but I would like to request more pictures of Niblet. I love your signature pic and your avatar pic, and I want more


I love this! Niblet is quite the little bachelor and cutie. I have never seen a little animal with such a personality!

Let me see if I can get you some pictures. [attachment=0:3dg57jys]263643_531460508787_206600041_31060914_5302672_n.jpg[/attachment:3dg57jys]

Well I got one to attach...the others are too large. Let me see if I can resize a few others for you.


----------



## ReginasMommy (Apr 13, 2011)

Yaaaaayyyy!!! Thank you!

Every time I see one of your comments, I get so distracted by Niblet's adorable happy face, that I usually end up just looking at the picture hehehe :lol: Not to mention, Niblet is a PERFECT name!

Photobucket works well for online pics. You can upload them to photobucket and then post the link to the album, so you don't have to worry about resizing (I agree, it can be a pain, especially when there are so many cute pics to post!)


----------



## CinderSmoke (Jun 6, 2011)

I store baby food in tiny Glad containers. It stays fresh long enough for Jeremiah to eat it all (usually about 5 days). I think the lid on the baby food jars has something to do with the short recommended lifespan.


----------



## casxcore (Jul 28, 2011)

I know I'm a little late on this but what kind of baby food do you guys give them? Are there certain requirements like the dry cat food & wet cat food? I want to get Walter some but I'm not sure what to get. :? 

He is apparently a really picky eater. So far I've tried mealworms, crickets, apple.. he only eats his kibble. (Which I am in the process of picking out new dry food to make a mix to switch him to, currently thinking Wellness, Natural Balance & Authority Adult). :shock: 

Anyway, I'm looking for more treats to give him & I was thinking baby food & wet cat food would be good things to get but I'm not sure which ones. (I am also considering picking up ferret treats and hedgehog mix to use as treats but I'm scared I'll buy them and he wont end up liking them :?)


----------



## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

casxcore said:


> I know I'm a little late on this but what kind of baby food do you guys give them? Are there certain requirements like the dry cat food & wet cat food? I want to get Walter some but I'm not sure what to get. :?
> 
> He is apparently a really picky eater. So far I've tried mealworms, crickets, apple.. he only eats his kibble. (Which I am in the process of picking out new dry food to make a mix to switch him to, currently thinking Wellness, Natural Balance & Authority Adult). :shock:
> 
> Anyway, I'm looking for more treats to give him & I was thinking baby food & wet cat food would be good things to get but I'm not sure which ones. (I am also considering picking up ferret treats and hedgehog mix to use as treats but I'm scared I'll buy them and he wont end up liking them :?)


I just kind of get whatever, honestly. I don't stick with a particular brand or with just organic. I look for whatever has different veggies or fruits that I can offer, so I have a good variety of veggies, fruits, and meats. Make sure the fruits and veggies are on the safe list though - viewtopic.php?f=6&t=60&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=fruit+and+veggie

For wet cat food, as long as it's treats, the protein won't be too much of an issue, but just be careful with how high it is. The percentage on the can doesn't figure in the moisture content, so you have to calculate the dry matter percentage (viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11177).

I'd be careful with the ferret and hedgehog treats. Make sure you check the ingredients and analysis. Ferrets need high protein levels, so the treats may be high in protein as well. And most things that are targeted at hedgehogs like food and treats are actually dangerous for our little guys. Something else that makes a better, and usually well-received treat with hedgies is just plain cooked meat like chicken or turkey. Watermelon is also a popular one.

Edit: I forgot to add that another thing that I've heard (and experienced) is usually well-liked is the Wellness Healthy Indulgence pouches. They're basically chunks of meat in gravy and they smell good even to me! :lol: Lily really likes the ones I've tried with her, and there's several other people who've found that their hedgehogs really like them too.


----------

