# Changing up raw diet proteins?



## lilsurfergrlsp (Dec 13, 2013)

Hey everyone! 

So I was just wondering, does anyone on here feed their hedgie more than one protein? Just because lately I've been feeding Tansy the whole ground chicken mix off of mypetcarnivore.com, but since she's so picky, I've been hesitant to try other proteins. She did like the whole ground beef mix I gave her, but since I bought the young beef mix (only 1% fat), I though it didn't contain enough fat for her, since she's a runner and small enough as it is. 

I wanted to try the ground rabbit mix they offer though. However, I'm wondering if it would be okay to switch back and forth between proteins (assuming she likes it), and if so, how do I avoid tummy issues? I have a digestive enzyme probiotic for my dogs, so maybe if I start adding that to her food it would help? 

Thanks in advance!


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

I would suggest do a mix of all the proteins you want to do every day. Of course, adding each new protein to the diet slowly. If you mix the proteins she may be willing to eat it because her favorite is in the mix. 

I do a half raw diet with the other half being kibble because I want that mix of proteins. In the past two months or so, I have gotten my well eating hedgehogs on a mix of venison, turkey, lamb and duck all in kibble. The next kibble will be adding some fish to their diet salmon and tuna. Their raw meats consist of beef and rabbit. I mix Rose's because she likes the beef but doesn't care for the rabbit. When I mix them, she eats both. 

I hope that makes sense. Basically, add in the new proteins slowly but do a full mix so that she has the same mix of proteins every night and you don't have to worry about tummy issues.

Eta - Also the probiotics mixed in will help her tummy when adding new proteins to her diet.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I can think of two options and I'm not sure if the one would work for hedgehogs. I know with dogs, once they've been introduced to a protein, you're fine to switch proteins out day by day, mix them together, etc. (except possibly for very sensitive dogs). Given how easily hedgie digestive systems are upset, though, I'm not sure if the same approach would work for them. If you do want to experiment, you could go slowly, mixing the rabbit in with the chicken & working your way up until you reach 100% rabbit. Then try alternating them each night & see if she handles it alright. 

The other option is as Desiree said - just mix all of the proteins together & feed each night (once you've worked your way up). You could also do a combination of the options - do a chicken + rabbit mix, and then a beef + something else mix, and alternate those if she has no issues with it. With Lily, I alternated her baby food mixes every night (one with turkey + veggies & fruit and one with chicken + veggies & fruit, different veggies/fruit in each mix as well) with no issues from her. They weren't her main diet though, so that could make a difference, as well as individual hedgie sensitivity. 

Personally, I'd want to give the alternating thing a shot, at least. :lol: If you do want to try it, the digestive enzymes would probably be a good idea, just to help out. At any rate, I don't think they'd hurt at all. 

Also just a note, rabbit's still pretty lean, though not as much as the young beef. If you're looking for higher fat foods for her, maybe check out the lamb grind as well? It's 20% fat, even higher than the chicken. The ground goat is also 15%, equal to the chicken. Having two higher fat foods to balance out the lower fat rabbit & beef would probably work out pretty well, I would think. You could up the amount of higher fat meats if you notice any weight loss.


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## Draenog (Feb 27, 2012)

I switch and never had any problems. I use rabbit, deer, horse, cow, chicken, lamb, duck, turkey... I think that's about it. Oh and the occasional tiny bit of fish 'cause they like it.


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## gracefulchaos01 (Mar 19, 2014)

I switch out a different flavor of food every night within my list of what is ok. Some nights, fish, some nights chicken, some beef, turkey, rabbit. And I mix and match raw and canned and commercial raw. Only when I introduce a new food is it just the one food so I can get an idea of how they handle it.


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## lilsurfergrlsp (Dec 13, 2013)

As always, you guys give such great advice  I'm glad everyone's hedgies didn't have any issues! 

I think I'm going to do a mix for her, and alternate it every few days or so. I alternate proteins with my dogs too, so probably switch her schedule to match theirs. And thanks for the heads up about the fat contents, Lilysmommy!

So I'm thinking, I'll do a mix of the young ground beef and chicken for a couple nights, then the rabbit mixed with the lamb or goat mix. I might go with the goat since it's the same fat percentage as the chicken, so I don't confuse myself. And of course, her flax seed oil, eggshells, and a sprinkle of the digestive enzymes. And mealworms every other day. Phew, my pets eat better than me! 

And Desiree - just a quick question, do you feed your kibble at the same time as the raw diet, and in different bowls? Or do you do the kibble in the AM and raw in the PM? That's what I do for my dogs since I've heard they digest it at different times, and I'm wondering if that's the same for hedgies? 

I'm thinking of putting Tansy back on her BB kibble too, because she doesn't like fruits and veggies and I'm worried her diet isn't balanced enough. Or would adding some of the Nature's Variety Instinct Raw bites (the ones I started her off with before using the ground mixes from my pet carnivore) help balance it out too? Sorry for all the questions!


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

I feed them everything at night.

My routine is at night I check everyone's food so see how much has been eaten. My good eaters get a eyeball check and my bad eater gets her food counted. They have separate bowls for raw and kibble. Then I refill the food bowls and put them in the cage. Sometimes Rose will come out and nibble on her new food but mostly she waits for the good stuff. I cut up a raw beef medallion into 1/4 and each of my hedgehogs gets one and a teaspoon of the wet food. I put this food in their cage and normally before lights out every one has eaten their raw beef. The wet food is the next to go and I assume everyone sort of snacks on the kibble throughout the night. I never feed them bugs in their cage. I feed those in the playpen(pool) before night time bonding. 

I don't know if it's the same for hedgehogs and dogs but I find that all my hogs eat their raw food first. So it's kind of the same as feeding them two different times. When they wake up, that is their morning and the first thing they eat is the raw food. If that makes sense. 

Sorry if that was a little ramblely... I had a midterm today and my brain is kinda wonky.


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## sheap (Mar 12, 2012)

lilsurfergrlsp said:


> I'm thinking of putting Tansy back on her BB kibble too, because she doesn't like fruits and veggies and I'm worried her diet isn't balanced enough. Or would adding some of the Nature's Variety Instinct Raw bites (the ones I started her off with before using the ground mixes from my pet carnivore) help balance it out too? Sorry for all the questions!


Using a commercial raw can definitely help balance out the nutrients. And if you are worried about her not eating fruits and veggies, you can always put a few veg in the food processor (or blender) until they are chopped very fine then mix that with your ground mixes from MPC. Usually hedgies don't even notice they are eating the healthy stuff along with the "good" stuff :lol:

It reminds me of that Chef Boyardee commercial from a few years back where the dad is reading the can of ravioli's and he says "Oh hunny, did you know that this has a whole serving of vegetables?" but before he can say "vegetables" the mom starts making noise to keep her kids from hearing it! :lol: SOO applicable for hedgehogs! LOL


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## lilsurfergrlsp (Dec 13, 2013)

Thanks for the tips! I think I'll try the bended veggie and fruit mix first, then if she's not having that then I'll do the kibble mixed with raw. Hopefully she'll eat both but you never know with hedgies! And if all else fails I'll order the raw instinct bites again, unfortunately they're hard to find near my college.


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