# Pinkies V Dubias Roaches



## chelsea.kang (Dec 2, 2011)

As an Xmas gift I was gonna get Marvin a nice tasty pinky but umm after watching he's eating habits I don't know if I can stomach it. I've had numerous reptiles I've fed pinkies and mice to... but hedgehogs just don't have the same quick and clean table manners reptiles do  . Marvin also like to annoit when he encounters a new food. Most of the time this involves spreading partially chewed food and foam ALL OVER himself. I can deal with mashed up cricket goo but pinky inners might be pushing it :roll: . So my question is pinkies v dubias roaches as an Xmas treat. Anyone know which one is healthier for them? Any opinions on which your hedgie seems to prefer? Marvin is young, 8 weeks and its just a treat so I'm not super concerned if one is a little fatty. Opinions on ease of digestion (esp the pinky)?


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I think either may end up messy, if he decides to annoint, but personally I'd go with the roaches...I feel like it'd be easier to watch, but that might just be me. I'm not sure which is more nutritious, but I'd think you'd be more sure about how healthy the roach itself is if you buy a few live, feed them some veggies and such for a day or two, then feed them to him, versus buying a frozen pinky that you have no clue how it was kept before being killed. I haven't tried feeding either one to Lily yet though. I haven't been able to bring myself to give her a pinky, frozen or not, and I haven't found anyone selling dubias around here.


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

The dubias would be far more nutritious than a pinky, and probably less messy. Course, keep in mind a roach is gonna run away a lot faster than a pinky, whether live or dead.


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## chelsea.kang (Dec 2, 2011)

Hahaha I can deal with that. I'm not squeamish when it comes to live bugs. I've never really been squeamish about feeding anything to any of my pets... and then I got a hedgehog. The chewing is what gets me I think, listening to him chewing up his very juicy bugs is eww. The chirping noises in between bites makes up for his poor table manners though  

Any gut loading specifics for roaches? If I recall calcium is a no no? Would they eat the gut load blend I made for my crickets today (productive Xmas I know ha)? Its lettuce, sweet potato, carrots, apples, and oranges blended in a blender and frozen in little ice cube trays.


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

The blend you mention sounds like an amazing choice to me! I always just do whatever fruits and veggies are sitting around.


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## ashh51191 (Dec 23, 2011)

Are pinkies really good for hedgies? Will they usually eat them? I dont want to get my hedgie one and then have her not eat it...


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

Haha, no, not really. Pinkies aren't very nutritious at all and pretty fatty.


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