# What should I do with the rest of the food?



## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

When I took Taco home, the breeder gave me a big sandwich bag full of Spikes Delite Pro. I've been slowly switching him to Solid Gold, which to me has been a success. Right now I've been doing 34/35 of Solid Gold and 4/5 of Spikes Delite. Should I just keep giving him some Spikes with his food? Or should I just trash it and go 100% with the Solid Gold?


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## ashleyyy (Sep 22, 2014)

I don't know much about Spike's Delite Pro. Perhaps, if it's not a high quality food, you could just cut it out completely at this point. Do you have any other types of foods to mix in with Solid Gold? If so, you can start to slowly introduce that. I know most owners do about 3 different types of cat food in a mix for their hedgie so they can get a variety of main proteins and nutrients, and to keep them from getting bored of their food. I personally only do two.

Just to speak from experience, I got my girl (who eats basically anything) on hedgie formula with a crummy cat food. I swapped out the cat food with one of the two she currently eats now, and was doing that with the hedgie food for a while. Then I got her second type of cat food, and switched her to that. I trashed the rest of the hedgehog formula (although I had 1/4 of a bag left) because it's just not worth feeding to her it's under-par food, especially when I had other high quality options available.


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## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

As of right now, no. I better start looking.


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

Spike's Delight is the best of the hedgehog foods and many breeders use it. However, it's not the best quality stuff when compared to the high quality cat foods on the market. It's up to you if you want to continue feeding Taco the food. It won't hurt if you want to finish up the bag.


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## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

Bought a bag of Innova's Nature Table. Hopefully Taco eats it up like the Solid Gold.


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## ashleyyy (Sep 22, 2014)

Keep us posted!! I hope he enjoys the mix


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## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

Last night I went with 35 of Solid Gold and 5 of the Innova. Right before I put Taco back in his cage tonight there 18 pieces of Solid Gold left and 2 of the Innova.


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## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

He must not be liking the new food too much. 12 of Solid Gold and 2 of the Innova still left.


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## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

Get home tonight to see 6 Solid Gold and still the 2 Innova sitting there.


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## ashleyyy (Sep 22, 2014)

Is it the same food? Maybe it's stale, so he doesn't want to touch it. Or maybe he just doesn't like it.


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

Mine play favorites. Penny doesn't really like the Natural Balance Green Pea and Duck so she saves it for lasts and it's what I find in her bowl in the morning. River doesn't like the Canidae Grain Free Pure Ocean and eats around that. Always find that one left in her bowl. As long as he is getting his required food source keep up with the switch until it is half and half. He might not eat half and half but he will eat. :grin:


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## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

Well yesterday morning did the same 35 Solid Gold and 5 Innova. Woke up this morning and there was 9 Solid Gold and 1 Innova left.


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## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

ashleyyy said:


> Is it the same food? Maybe it's stale, so he doesn't want to touch it. Or maybe he just doesn't like it.


He started on the Solid Gold about a month ago. I keep the food in a sealed container I got from the pet store. How long does dry cat food lasts before going stale?


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## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

Alex in Tampa said:


> Well yesterday morning did the same 35 Solid Gold and 5 Innova. Woke up this morning and there was 9 Solid Gold and 1 Innova left.


Speaking of the little devil:lol: He just woke up and ate 6 Solid Gold and the last Innova


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## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

He finished the rest of his food during play time. He also ate some turkey:grin: Finally he ate something other than dry food and mealies. So tonight I'm doing 32 Solid Gold and 8 of the Innova.


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## ashleyyy (Sep 22, 2014)

I should have saved some bland turkey for my girl! BOO! Anyway, I'm assuming cat food is similar to human food-- maybe sitting for 24 hours+ it may start to get stale? But it looks like he ended up eating it anyway!


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

He could just be slowing down on eating, either between growth spurts, or getting to the border of baby/adult (can't recall how old he is). I wouldn't panic much. Sounds like he's still eating a decent amount, and he is eating some of the new food, which is fine. They don't always eat all of the new food right away. Solid Gold is a big step up from Spike's, so it makes sense that he went right for that over the Spike's.


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## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

Woke up this morning to 6 Solid Gold and 2 Innovas left.


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## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

So tonight while in his playpen, he finished up his food. So tonight I'm going with 30 Solid Gold and 10 of the Innova.


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## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

Woke up this morning to 7 Solid Gold and 3 Innova


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## ashleyyy (Sep 22, 2014)

Yay awesome.


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## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

Last night I put 30 Solid Gold and 12 of the Innova. I woke up too 23 Solid Gold and 4 Innova left.


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## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

I'm back!!! I was gone for a week visiting family so I left my Dad to take care of Taco. I told my Dad to do 28 Solid Gold and 12 of Innova. He wasn't counting more just eye balling the food. He said every night except one the food was almost gone. The one night Taco didn't eat much, he actually counted. He ate only 10 piece of food that night. I did get home yesterday evening and to see 1 Solid Gold and 0 Innova. So last night I decided to go 25 Solid Gold and 15 Innova.


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## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

Woke up this morning to 11 Solid Gold and 1 Innova left. Then tonight I took Taco out and put him in the playpen, he finished the rest of the food.

So tonight I decided to do 20 Solid Gold and 20 Innova. He seems to be loving the food, so I decided to do a higher increase.


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## ashleyyy (Sep 22, 2014)

Perfect


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## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

So last night after I was done letting Taco play and stuff, he had 2 Solid Gold left and 2 Innova left. So I've decided to go with same amount.


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## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

Well Taco must be lovin it. I did 20/20 again and tonight all that is left is 4/4. I think I'm going to keep it to 40 total pieces until he starts eating more.


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## sc2001 (Oct 12, 2014)

My hedgie eats 70 pieces every night... Idk why she likes to eat SO much.... that's probably why she is getting fat. She's also a lazy butt. Lol!! 

I'm happy taco is liking the food!


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## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

70?!?!?! I thought 40 was a lot, Lol. I guess it depends in the Hedgie.


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## sc2001 (Oct 12, 2014)

Yeah it's so much. But limiting food isn't good so I let her have what she wants lol... I just try to get her to run around and swim to keep the weight down. So stressful!!


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## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

Came home tonight with 2 Solid Gold left and 0 Innova. I think I'm gonna bump it to 25/25 just to be safe. Don't want Taco to go starving if I can't get home on time. Which some days I don't get home until real late.


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## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

So tonight I've decided to up it 30/30 pieces. Seems like Taco been leaving 4-8 pieces each night. There was one night where there was still half his food left. Happens once, sometimes twice a week. I guess maybe he was just having an off night??? He also gained some weight. Before I left on vacation, I weighed him at 232. Tonight he weighed in at 256. He is 4 months and 6 days old. He doesn't look fat or anything. I guess the little guy is growing


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## Alex in Tampa (Oct 12, 2014)

So after taking him out, letting him loose in his playpen there is 1/1 left


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