# Which one(s) is the best?



## tatistheory (May 6, 2012)

Hello everyone!

First of all, I came here because I know some of you are experts in everything hedgehog-related and can give me serious advice. I'll appreciate everyone's opinion, but please don't judge me if I've made some mistakes..

Well, I live in Chile, where hedgehogs aren't that common as pets and we are still learning about what's best for them. I know hedgehogs need good quality cat food, which is quite limited in my country as we don't have all the brands you have in the US or Canada. I used to feed my first and second hedgies Royal Canin Kitten 36, but my vet (who's a really good exotics vet) told me that my hedgie (who was 3 months old at that time) was a little chubby and that was because of the cat diet. He recomended what most hedgehog owners (who are well informed) in my country feed their hedgehogs with: mazuri insectivore diet. So I changed her diet and have been feeding her with that for almost a year now, along with my other newest hedgie. They aren't overweight, they haven't gotten sick, they are actually doing fine. However, I have seen a lot of comments saying that mazuri is not quite right for hedgehogs (really, I don't think there is a single brand that's perfect for them..) but what can I do? I want them to have a really good quality brand of food, but I don't know how.

Here is a list of premium cat food available in my city:

- Royal Canin
- Hills
- Iams
- Nutrience
- Star pro
- Pro Plan

By the way, is it true that cat food makes them fat? Do you grind the cat food before feeding your hedgies? what I remember from feeding my babies with royal is that they had to bite really hard each kibble, and the vet told me this could damage their teeth and that he has seen some cases of hedgehogs biting really hard their tongues. Mazuri's kibbles are really small and appropriate for their size (that's what I like the most about it)

I'm sorry for the long post!!! and thank you, I appreciate your help!

Fran


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## Keosha (May 13, 2012)

Hello Fran!

I do believe that majority of owners use a mix of 2 or more high quality cat foods as a staple for their hedgehogs diet. As for mazuri's insectivore diet I have heard of it, and as far as I know some owners choose to use it in a mix with several different high quality cat foods. As for the brands you've listed I know that many owners choose to use Royal Canin in their mixes, however I do not know from personal experience as I do not use it in my mix.

As for cat food making a hedgehog fat, this is not entirely true. Some owners do choose to feed kitten food which has a much higher fat content then that of most cat foods. However, if your hedgehog is fed a balanced of high quality cat foods with adequate protein, fiber, and fat that is suitable for them (Depending on age, activity level, etc) as well receiving daily exercise in the form of a wheel, playtime, etc then there is no need to worry. 

Determining a healthy hedgehog is not so much about weight as it is about body shape. I myself have some larger ladies however, i know they are healthy due to their overall appearance. If you hedgehog has extra skin folds/pockets underneath where their armpits or thighs are located, or they are unable to ball up completely then they may be considered obese or overweight. From above your hedgehog should have an teardrop appearance, if your hedgehog is shaped like this ) ( they may be in fact under weight. Some hedgehogs do have an | | shape, if they are overly active and run a lot.

I personally grind my food with a coffee grinder, but only just started doing so recently. If the food pieces are to large there is a a change your hedgehog may choke, however I was more concerned about the wear on their teeth. Grinding the food is a personal preference that some owners like to do, and others do not. 

Perhaps, if you are able to find a site without outrageous shipping costs you could consider purchasing the cat food online, this was you have access to a much larger variety. If this is not possible, I might suggest locating a reputable breeder in your area (If this is possible) as many breeders, (not all) choose to sell their own mixes to the public. 

I hope i could be of some help!


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## tatistheory (May 6, 2012)

Hello Keosha!

Thanks a lot for your help! I have considered purchasing online, but I'd have to know what brand to buy and the cost of the bag of food plus shipment (yeah, I think it'd be quite expensive...)

Noelia, one of my girls, had little bags under her back paws, that's why the vet told me she was a little overweight, but nothing serious yet. Now she doesn't have them and she looks like a teardrop from above. Both of my hedgies are quite active in their wheels, so I think they're ok, but I wouldn't want Noelia to be overweight because of feeding her another brand of food :/ maybe mazuri is just fine? I mean, I complement it with chicken, mealworms, cooked carrot and tuna (sometimes, and not everything at once). By the way, Royal canin is gaining bad reputation here since people say they don't sent it from France anymore, but now they make it in Argentina, so it's composition changed (?? I have no idea if this is true) Some hedgehog owners here have changed their hedgie's food to Pro plan instead.

Sadly, hedgehog breeders in Chile are not very good and I'm sure they do not over think what they feed their hedgies with. Most of them just use royal canin, some of them even feed them with low quality cat food. Yeah, I don't trust them... I wish they were like the breeders in the US...

Thanks a lot!!

Fran


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## Keosha (May 13, 2012)

Your very welcome Fran, I'm glad to be of some help! As for the Royal Canin, I really haven't a clue as to who manufactures it or if the ingredients have changed as I don't use it. Here is another helpful link that I forgot to link in my original post! I am not sure as to what brands you have available in Chile, but here is a great list of foods!http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/CatFoodChart6.html the foods listed in green are hedgehog safe and recommended, so hopefully some of them are available in your area. There are several other foods listed that are not in green, but they are simply there for comparisons sake.

I hope you are able to find a good quality food that is suitable for you and your hedgies!


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## Draenog (Feb 27, 2012)

I have a mix of Royal Canin & Iams. I use the low fat diet ones, a couple of them are suitable for hedgehogs. But I'm not sure if there's any difference between ingredients/types of food from the same brand between your country and mine. You might just have to check the bags for their ingredients and nutritional values to see if it's suitable for hedgehogs.


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## tatistheory (May 6, 2012)

Thanks a lot guys!!! I checked the list. Of all the brands in green, in Chile (I think) we only have royal canin, and I actually tried one of them once, Royal Canin sensitive 33. I used it once to feed a really sick hedgie I had (who sadly died at 6 months old) but thought it was only for animals with weak stomach. I think I'll mix my mazuri with RC sensitive.

Thanks! I really appreciate your help!


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## Draenog (Feb 27, 2012)

Did you check the contents and the nutritional values? Cause you can't just give every type of RC, some of them are not suitable for hedgehogs. At least the first ingredient (preferably more if possible) should be meat. Fat content between 9%-15% and the protein between 28%-34%
Do you have RC Fit 32 over there? Iams also has some suitable ones.


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## tatistheory (May 6, 2012)

Hi Draenog,

I based my decision on the link shown above, it lists the brands that are appropriate for hedgies (in green). I still have to compare the ingredients in the list with the ones we can buy in Chile since I am not sure they are the same. I'm not sure if we have Fit 32, but I'll check, thanks!!

btw, I love watching Loki's pics on facebook x)


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## Draenog (Feb 27, 2012)

When I looked it up (the RC Sensitive 33 - but it's called Sensible instead of Sensitive? At least the one I could find) it said it has 22% fat which is really high, but maybe it's a different one? I found it here on the English website: http://www.royalcanin.co.uk/products/pr ... ensible-33

Edit: checked the list - do you mean Oral Sensitive 30? So 30 instead of 33. 'Cause that one is lower in fat (14%) I guess you mean that one then?

And thanks, glad you like them!


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## tatistheory (May 6, 2012)

Lol I think I got confused, I know it's called sensible 33 in Chile, I just thought it was translated in English as sensitive, since it's for sensitive cats? xP guess not. So that would mean it's not appropriate since it's not on the list. Guess I'll have to keep searching!!


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