# Food mix



## Episong (Nov 26, 2016)

My wife and I are getting ready to adopt a baby hedgehog. I have been trying to plan out food so its not a big step to go buy food when its time. Having read a few articles and seeing whats good and whats bad and somethings to avoid I have come to these few foods.

From what I can tell they are all owned by different companies and seem to be a good mix of foods. The first two are the ones I am pretty sure I want to do. Knowing hedgies can be picky about foods I was thinking about throwing a third food in the mix just incase one of these becomes unavailable. Let me know what your thoughts are.

BLUE Basics® Limited Ingredient Grain Free Indoor Adult Cat Food

ingredientseboned Duck, Duck Meal, Pea Protein, Tapioca Starch, Peas, Canola Oil (Source of Omega-6 Fatty Acids), Pea Fiber, Natural Flavor, Potatoes, Fish Oil (Source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids), Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, Potassium Chloride, Pumpkin, Dried Chicory Root, Flaxseed (Source of Omega-3 and -6 Fatty Acids), Potato Starch, Taurine, Caramel, Alfalfa Meal, Vitamin E Supplement, Mixed Tocopherols (Natural Preservative), L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Sulfate, Parsley, Kelp, Blueberries, Cranberries, Barley Grass, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Turmeric, Ferrous Sulfate, Nicotinic Acid (Vitamin B3), Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Oil of Rosemary, L-Carnitine, L-Lysine, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Copper Sulfate, Biotin (Vitamin B7), Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Sodium Selenite, Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Calcium Iodate, Dried Yeast, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma Longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract and Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract

Nutritional information:
Crude Protein (min) 30.0%
Crude Fat (min) 14.0%
Crude Fiber (max) 6.0%
Moisture (max) 10.0%
Magnesium (min) 0.07%
Taurine (min) 0.15%
Vitamin E (min) 300 IU/kg
Omega-3 Fatty Acids* (min) 0.75%
Omega-6 Fatty Acids (min) 2.0%
Vitamin C* (min) 100mg/kg
*Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles.

Simply Nourish® Indoor Cat Food - Natural, Chicken & Oatmeal

Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Rice Flour, Tomato Pomace, Canola Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavoring, Dried Chicory Root, Choline Chloride, Flaxseed, Dried Cranberries, Dried Carrots, Dried Sweet Potatoes, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate [Source of Ascorbic Acid], Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Pantothenic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin), Potassium Chloride, Minerals (Salt, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Taurine

Nutrional info: Crude Protein (min)32.0%
Crude Fat (min) 10.0%
Crude Fiber (max) 5.5%
Moisture (max) 10.0%
Ash (max) 7.5%
Linoleic Acid (min) 2.7%
Calcium (min) 1.0%
Phosphorus (min) 0.9%
Potassium (min) 0.6%
Magnesium (max) 0.05%
Zinc (min) 175 mg/kg
Selenium (min) 0.30 mg/kg
Vitamin A (min) 15,000 IU/kg
Vitamin E (min) 200 IU/KG
Taurine (min) 0.20%
Omega-6 Fatty Acids* (min) 1.4%
Omega-3 Fatty Acids* (min) 0.35%
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)* (min) 100 mg/kg
*Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles

These are the two I am debating between.

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets Cat Food - Grain Free, Green Pea & Duck

Ingredients: Peas, Duck, Duck Meal, Pea Protein, Canola Oil, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Taurine, DL-methionine, Natural Mixed Tocopherols, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Folic Acid

Nutritional information: Crude Protein (min) 30.0% Crude Fat (min) 12.0% Crude Fiber (max) 4.0% Moisture (max) 10.0% Taurine (min) 0.16% Omega-6 Fatty Acids (min) 2.3% Omega-3 Fatty Acids (min) 1.0%

If I did this one it would be lighter in the mix due to the fat content.

NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® For Finicky Felines Adult Cat Food

Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Pea Protein, Whole Brown Rice, Whole Grain Oatmeal, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Salmon Meal, Potato Protein, Flaxseed, Brewers Rice, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Natural Flavors, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Potassium Chloride, Soybean Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, Salt, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Iron Proteinate, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Niacin Supplement, Selenium Yeast, Manganese Proteinate, Biotin, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Calcium Pantothenate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Rosemary Extract, Decaffeinated Green Tea Extract, Spearmint Extract

Nutritional information: Crude Protein (min.) 36.00%
Taurine (min.) 0.18%
Crude Fat (min.) 19.00%
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) (min.)* 50 mg/kg
Crude Fiber (max.) 4.00%
Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)(min.)* 0.06%
Moisture (max.) 10.00%
Omega-6 Fatty Acids (min.)* 4.00%
Calcium (min.) 1.20%
Omega-3 Fatty Acids (min.)* 0.30%
Vitamin E (min.) 250 IU/kg

We would also be supplementing his/her diet with insects, fruits, and vegetables; as rewards and extra fiber.


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## Gloriahedgie (Nov 11, 2016)

If you want a 3rd I would definitely do the Natural Balance. Keep in mind you need to transition your food slowly from what the breeder was feeding over to your food. You also only want to introduce one new food at a time so you can watch for any stomach upset or other issues.


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## Episong (Nov 26, 2016)

Thank you for both those pieces of advice. I already found out what the breeder uses so we will start the tradition once we get the little guy.


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