# Stella & Chewy's Freeze Dried Dinners



## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

Hey HHC! It's been a long long time!

Kashi is 3.5 years old and still going on strong, but I have been wanting to change his diet for a long time now. I've had him on various kibbles all his life, but seeing as both my cats and dogs are fed prey model raw now, I am looking at more natural options for him at the moment. Also because of his age, I would like to get him on some soft food since I worry that his teeth are getting worn out.

So right now Kashi is on a mix of PureVita chicken formula for cats and Now! Small Breed formula for dogs. His poops are great and he seems to be at a great weight. I think I've noticed him struggle to break up the kibble more lately, so I've been trying to get him to eat softer foods.

I've tried various canned foods for cats and no luck. I was thinking my next option would be to maybe try a freeze dried raw.

So here's the ingredients list and the nutritional analysis:
http://www.stellaandchewys.com/dog-driedchicken.php

It's 42% protein, but you have to add water, so I am assuming the protein levels are brought down when you add water or am I completely off about this? :lol: I am very knowledgeable when it comes to dog/cat nutrition, unfortunately, I only know the basics when it comes to hedgehog nutrition (despite Kashi being with me for so long).

I've tried The Honest Kitchen as well, but it wasn't much of a hit with Kashi. He wasn't that big of a fan even though it had more ideal levels.

So anyway... thoughts?


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

The protein levels aren't brought down exactly, as far as I know, water being added would mostly serve to help the kidneys process the higher level of protein.  It's why canned food is better for cats - the extra moisture added helps their kidneys process the protein.

It sounds like a nice diet! Though I'm wondering how you might be able to work it so that there's somewhat-fresh food available for him throughout the night (one of the issues of feeding hedgies raw!). I would imagine it'd get kind of yucky halfway through the night (and potentially dangerous, being raw?) if you add water and stick it in his cage at the beginning of the night...I wonder if you could do two dishes? Perhaps one plain with water, for right away, then another with an ice cube in with it or something, so it can slowly melt for a couple hours & rehydrate that bowl for later on?


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

Lilysmommy said:


> The protein levels aren't brought down exactly, as far as I know, water being added would mostly serve to help the kidneys process the higher level of protein.  It's why canned food is better for cats - the extra moisture added helps their kidneys process the protein.
> 
> It sounds like a nice diet! Though I'm wondering how you might be able to work it so that there's somewhat-fresh food available for him throughout the night (one of the issues of feeding hedgies raw!). I would imagine it'd get kind of yucky halfway through the night (and potentially dangerous, being raw?) if you add water and stick it in his cage at the beginning of the night...I wonder if you could do two dishes? Perhaps one plain with water, for right away, then another with an ice cube in with it or something, so it can slowly melt for a couple hours & rehydrate that bowl for later on?


Good point.

I wonder if I could leave a little bit of it out (just enough for the hedgehog to finish eating in like an hour or so), and then have some live mealworms or something to supplement... Or do you think that would be nutritionally incomplete?


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

It might throw levels off a bit, I'm not positive. Though it could help if you dusted the mealworms with calcium at least, since most insects have more phosphorus than calcium (which is why reptile people have to dust them). I'm wondering if he would still get enough to eat doing it that way? So many hedgies eat several times throughout the night, though I don't know if Kashi's eating habits are like that or not. 

I forget, have you tried things like baby food? I know you've tried a lot with the picky stinker. :lol: Maybe a good option would be starting out with the rehydrated raw food, then having a frozen cube of mixed baby foods in a bowl to thaw over the course of the night & be available for his later meal.


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

Lilysmommy said:


> It might throw levels off a bit, I'm not positive. Though it could help if you dusted the mealworms with calcium at least, since most insects have more phosphorus than calcium (which is why reptile people have to dust them). I'm wondering if he would still get enough to eat doing it that way? So many hedgies eat several times throughout the night, though I don't know if Kashi's eating habits are like that or not.
> 
> I forget, have you tried things like baby food? I know you've tried a lot with the picky stinker. :lol: Maybe a good option would be starting out with the rehydrated raw food, then having a frozen cube of mixed baby foods in a bowl to thaw over the course of the night & be available for his later meal.


Yeah I've tried baby food... he just anointed with it lol never ate it 

I wonder if I could maybe rehydrated some of the freeze dried stuff and make little icecubes of them in an icecube tray. It would be basically a similar idea, just that it would thaw over time?


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Ah, yes, that sounds like it'd work! If you go ahead and give it a shot, come back & let us know how he likes it! Or if he turns his nose up at that too. :roll: :lol:


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

Lilysmommy said:


> Ah, yes, that sounds like it'd work! If you go ahead and give it a shot, come back & let us know how he likes it! Or if he turns his nose up at that too. :roll: :lol:


Haha yeah. I'll try with a sample bag this weekend when I stop by to get food for my cats


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