# New Hedgehog owner, Is this Nature's Recipe cat food good to feed my new hedgie??



## PrincessPeaches (Aug 14, 2014)

I got my first hedge hog two days ago from someone I knew. She is already 14 months old. She was being feed some sort of cheap cat food from the dollar store, and I wanted to switch her to a food that is better for her. I just bought Nature's Recipe, Grain Free-High Protein, Indoor w/ Hairball control, Chicken and potato recipe. 

Main Ingredients:
Chicken, Chicken meal, turkey meal, toatoes, peas, fish meal, poulry fat, ect

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein 40%
Crude Fat 15%
Crude Fiber 7%
Moisture: 10%


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

Protein is a little high. The max should be 35 %. You can balance it out by getting a food that's 30% and putting it in her mix.


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## PrincessPeaches (Aug 14, 2014)

Does anyone know what will happen if hedgehogs get to much protein?


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## Charlie's mommy (May 16, 2014)

It can cause digestive and kidney problems I believe


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## PrincessPeaches (Aug 14, 2014)

Okay, but if I mix the 40 percent with a 30 or lower it will balance out?


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

Yep it should be fine if you mix.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Yup, high protein stresses the kidneys, especially when it's dry cat food. Without as much moisture as would be present in natural food, if the hedgehog doesn't drink much either, the kidneys have to work hard to process & excrete excess protein. Usually it's more of an issue with poor quality protein (such as plant proteins for carnivores), and for hedgehogs that already have kidney issues or might be prone to them. But since hedgehogs aren't carnivores anyway, it's still best to try & keep the protein percentage around 35% or below, just to be safe, especially with dry kibble.


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