# Creating a balanced diet for a hedgie who won't eat kibble



## SnufflePuff (Apr 16, 2009)

Not sure if this should go on the health board or this board, cause it's a mix of both.

I've been having a bit of frustrating time getting Chloe back onto her hard kibble. She was never a picky eater before but never has been a big eater either - she ate a ton as a baby but as she got older her norm was 20-30 kibble per night + bugs. As some may know she went completley off her dry kibble for about 5 days a few weeks back when she developed a URI (I syringed fed as well as supplemented with bugs, scrambled egg, cottage cheese, whatever she would eat during this period). As soon as the URI was being treated kibble consumption slowly resumed and even got back up to about 20-25 kibble per night for about a week. 

She is now off the antibiotics but I've noticed the past few nights her kibble consumption has been dropping a bit. It's not like she doesn't have an appetite, she instantly consumes the 6 mealies and 3-4 waxworms I feed her a night, and this morning she very willingly took 5ml of baby food (which I syringed since she only ate 11 kibbles last night) it's more like she's being really picky.

Upon my vet's reccommendation I've been slowly mixing in kitten or high fat "tasty" foods but she'd rather eat her natural balance green pea & duck and a few kibbles here and there of the other food. She's lost a lot of weight. She was at a steady 550g maybe a month ago and is now at 470-480g (weight loss from the sickness + the weight she's been continually dropping from not eating enough fatty foods and increased wheeling).

What I'm wondering is can I mainly feed her other foods to help get more food into her (to help her gain weight and prevent FLD)? I was thinking of maybe syringing her 10-15ml of baby food a day, offering natural balance green pea & duck wet cat food (if she'll eat it) and scrambled egg at night, and feeding her extra bugs (say 10-15 mealies a night + 5 waxworms or cut-up superworms)?

I would still leave her fresh kibble at all times, but if I'm feeding her all this other stuff she probably won't be so inclined to eat her dry kibble so I'm torn - I'd prefer her to eat more kibble but at the same time I really just want her to eat more period, no matter what it is. 

I just really need her appetite to pickup. She checks out fine otherwise and the vet is convinced she's just being a picky hedgie. I keep trying to run a fecal but I cannot ever get a fresh enough sample (this hedgehog will not poop other than at night!) but hopefully I can get one over the next few days to rule out internal parasites - but as the other 2 are negative we're pretty sure it's just her being fussy.

I'm gonna try put flax seed oil on her dry food tonight, because that always seemed to make her eat more in the past. *fingers crossed*

Any thoughts?


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

I would definite try wet or pouched cat foods. I recently tried Wellness Healthy Indulgence cat pouched foods and so far he's gobbled it up. It's the Chicken, Crab & Herring formula... Inky's pretty picky with wet foods so maybe she'd like it? It's really healthy, so maybe... otherwise, there are tons of great canned foods out there to try.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I agree with LG! Those are Lily's favorite treats, when she smells them her nose starts going crazy. :lol: I wonder if it would work to continue syringing her food and slowly decrease the amount you syringe her each day and see if she picks up eating more of her kibble again. Hopefully the flaxseed oil works! I know Lily eats more on those days as well. Good luck with her. Your hedgies seem to give you a lot of trouble, but they're very lucky to have such a dedicated hedgiemom.


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## SnufflePuff (Apr 16, 2009)

Thanks LG and LM! 
I actually have some of the wellness healthy indulgences on hand, I tried feeding some when Chloe wasn't eating anything but I'll try again cause I froze the rest plus I have another pack.

Question - do Inky and Lily prefer it with the sauce/ juices or without?

Chloe is eating a bit better so I'm not syringe feeding just offering baby food on the side which she seems to be eating. Her fecal sample is negative too so now I just gotta feed her more tasty treats!

Thanks again!


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Lily usually gets it without the gravy and seems to like it that way. The last time I froze a package of them, I drained most of the gravy out and put the meat chunks in a container to freeze, then just dripped a couple of drops of water on them when I went to heat them back up. I also liked to cut each chunk of meat up into two or three smaller pieces, to make it easier for her to chew. I was afraid of her taking too big of a bite in her excitement and choking (kind of like a kid with meat, really).


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

I do the same as Lilysmommy. I cut each piece in two (they are pretty big to start, and Inky is used to his food in small pieces), and give him that with a bit of the gravy. Not enough to be soupy, but maybe a teaspoon or so. I ususally use just enough to evenly coat the other treats that are in the dish, which are usually mealies, mealie pupa, and a couple of his favorite kibble.


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## SnufflePuff (Apr 16, 2009)

awesome, I will try that!

Thanks again!


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