# help!!!



## 3dgsuperfan (Sep 12, 2011)

I have been feeding my hedgehog vita-vittles ferret diet for the passed year. He really likes it and it's easy for him to chew as he has lost most of his teeth from old age. Well he ran out of food so I went into town to buy him another bag yesterday only to find out they do not carry it anymore!!!! So I had no choice but to get him something else so I bought him purina cat chow, crunched it up and sprinkled water on it to make it easier for him to eat but he doesn't seem to like it. Typically while i'm cleaning his cage and fluffing up his fleece bed he is eating but last night and tonight he just sniffed the food and went back in his hut. Now this morning I noticed he ate a little but I'm worried he doesn't like this stuff. When you have to switch their food does it normally take them a while to adjust to it? I know that his stomach will be upset for a few days from switching his food like that but will he start eating again like he was or does this mean he just doesn't like it. I've tried to look for vita-vittles online to order it but I can't even find any place that has it in stock... I don't know what to do.


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## SouthernSweet (Jul 25, 2012)

Strange that it's out of stock everywhere. Perhaps it's discontinued?
I don't believe most Purina food is recommended. (Only One Beyond)
Here's a list of recommended cat foods for hedgehogs: http://www.volcanoviewhedgehogs.com/kibble--produce.html
Maybe using a higher quality food will have better results for the transition. I know my hedgehog prefers the higher quality food to the food she was on with the breeder. Try returning the Purina to the pet store and get a new food/flavor


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## Heavenly Hedgehogs (Mar 19, 2010)

It may be a good idea to pick something up that' would be a better brand for him if you can. 
A couple of times when I haven't been having much luck right away with feeding when I have taken in a rescue, I will buy a good brand in dry and a can of wet, and I find by adding a bit of wet food that this seems more tempting to them. Then, once he is eating well, you can cut back on the wet til it is gone.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I would definitely try a different food - Most Purina foods are crap, and Cat Chow is included in that. Some brands that are often mentioned on the forum a lot are Solid Gold, Natural Balance, Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul, Innova, and Blue Buffalo. Fromm's has been getting mentioned more as well, and I've seen people say that it's a softer and smaller food - so that may help him chew it, though you might still have to wet it down. While you're out getting a new food, look for either small animal Benebac or acidophilus (found in a store with a pharmacy section - it's near the vitamins). You can sprinkle some on his food to help him out with the sudden food switch. If he doesn't eat tonight, you may need to syringe-feed him tomorrow night, hedgehogs go downhill quickly without food.


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## 3dgsuperfan (Sep 12, 2011)

I don't think I can take it back since it's opened. but I'll definitely try something else since that kind is not recommended. I've been doing some research this evening and it seems like a lot of people go with the chicken soup for cat lovers but I don't ever remember seeing that in stores anywhere. I don't have any major petstores around here like petsmart and petco... I would go to tractor supply to get his vital-vittles. I hate to keep waisting money buying different foods till I find one he likes but I guess I don't really have a choice cause it's not like I can take him with me and make him pick it out himself (wish it was that easy) I'll just have to donate what he doesn't eat to the shelter. Thanks for everyones quick response, that's why I love this forum.


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

Tractor Supply should have Chicken Soup and 4Health, both which are excellent foods. Chicken Soup in particular isn't carried in the big chain stores, only small privately owned pet stores and farm supply/feed stores.

Anyway, this should help: http://www.volcanoviewhedgehogs.com/kib ... oduce.html


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Check with the store anyway - I know some pet stores allow for food returns, even if opened, as long as more than half the bag is left. So there's a possibility.

For foods...TSC does have some good brands, even if it doesn't have Chicken Soup. Looking at their website, 4Health, Taste of the Wild, Blue Buffalo, and Wellness are all on there, and all have great ingredients. Taste of the Wild might not be an option, you'll want to check protein levels - try to stick to under 40%, at the very least, preferably around 30-35%. Wellness is also one that tends to not get mentioned because a number of people have found their hedgehogs have loose poops when fed Wellness, which is thought to be from how rich the food is. You can definitely give it a try if you're interested, just keep that in mind. Blue Buffalo is a commonly used food though, and a good one, and 4Health looks like a good one (but I have no experience with it, nor have read anything about it).

Also, it might be a good idea, once you have one food that you've found that he's doing well with, to look for a second food to mix in with it. A mix is often recommended for the reason you found - if you run out of one food, at least they still have one other food that they're used to and will eat, so you won't be running into issues trying to get them to eat something new. Good luck!


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## 3dgsuperfan (Sep 12, 2011)

I don't remember seeing chicken soup at tractor supply but I'm pretty sure I remember seeing 4health because I remember thinking I had never heard of that brand before and was afraid to try it.. so I will have to stop tomorrow after work and see if they have Blue, if not i'll get 4health. Thanks for that website moxieberry and everyone else for your help. I'll keep you guys posted!


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## 3dgsuperfan (Sep 12, 2011)

actually looks like 4health might be better than blue? it has more fiber and wouldn't that be better for them?


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## Heavenly Hedgehogs (Mar 19, 2010)

3dgsuperfan said:


> I don't think I can take it back since it's opened. but I'll definitely try something else since that kind is not recommended. I've been doing some research this evening and it seems like a lot of people go with the chicken soup for cat lovers but I don't ever remember seeing that in stores anywhere. I don't have any major petstores around here like petsmart and petco... I would go to tractor supply to get his vital-vittles. I hate to keep waisting money buying different foods till I find one he likes but I guess I don't really have a choice cause it's not like I can take him with me and make him pick it out himself (wish it was that easy) I'll just have to donate what he doesn't eat to the shelter. Thanks for everyones quick response, that's why I love this forum.


Some of the stores, like petvalu have a few different upscale cat food sample bags for $1 that you could always buy and try out.


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## 3dgsuperfan (Sep 12, 2011)

hes actually been eating the purina cat chow, every little crumb and was going to just keep him on that but decided to go ahead and get 4health indoor cat formula since its a much better brand and inexpensive. Im going to start with it tonight. I started breaking this food up and its just taking forever and I don't even have a full baggy yet! So I was wondering if it was necessary to break it up or if just sprinkling water on it would be good enough to moisten it up for him to eat...


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## shmurciakova (Sep 7, 2008)

Do you have a little food chopper? I have this little bitty food processor thing that would probably work well for breaking up kibble. They must be pretty cheap at Wal-Mart or some place like that. Anyway, since he has lost many of his teeth I think adding water would be a good idea anyway. Poor guy, maybe you can just add water to soften it.
Good luck with everything,
Susan H.


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

If you add just enough water to cover the bottom of the bowl, and lightly toss the kibble in it so they all get a little wet, it's enough to soften them without actually turning it into mush. For a hedgehog with not very many teeth left, you want it to be soft from dampening it, or tiny enough pieces that it doesn't have to be crunched on (basically a coarse powder).


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

I have had a few hedgies in the past that needed softened kibble and I have one right now that gets hers softened. I just add a enough water to cover about half of the kibble and put it in her cage about an hour before "lights out". That way its soft enough for her when she gets up to eat but isn't mushy.


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