# Spikes Dinner NOT Spike Delight?!



## Tasha (Feb 24, 2009)

Hi

After reading that adding a bit of Spikes Delight hedgehog food as a "junk Food" can help keep their diet interesting i went out and bought what i thought was spikes delight, but is actually called Spikes Dinner!  

So can anyone please tell if this is ok to add as a junk food please?

Ingredients
Rice chicken meal sugar beet poultry fat minerals and vitamins

Nutritional Information
Oil 12% Protein 25% Ash 9% Fibre 3%

Thank you for helping out someone who obviously has problems reading!


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

Honestly, I don't understand this thrend here of adding "junk" food in the mix. Can anyone light me up about this?


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

> Having one "junk" food in your hedgies mix is a common practice of many breeders and enthusiasts. Gail Dick of Millermeade Farms explains it as the "french fries" of your children's diet. You don't want your kids eating nothing but french fries but some is ok and can make them happy. So having one "junk" food in your mix is fine. Finding out which "junk" food your hedgie likes is another matter. The other benefit seems to be if you feed your hedgie nothing but the absolute best food it may be actually too rich for them and can cause kidney and liver problems.


Here is what Reaper wrote when he first mentioned "junk food". I personally think that if your hedgie likes a healthy food just as much as a low quality food, why offer the low quality stuff? Inky seems to think his Natural Balance Green Pea & Duck is his "french fries". Although, if it feeding only good foods causes renal problems, well, there is a good reason.

I suppose it was suppose to be more of a "if you need to give a crappy food it's okay", and not "ohmigosh I need to feed a crappy food!"


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

I kinda see the point, but if you give good food but the light version, it shouldn't be too rich. There are some quality food I steer away cause they are hig in fat and proteine, I kinda like to be in the middle of the road. I won't, personally, add any junk (and certanly not hedgie food), I can consider the Royal Canin as junk anyway


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I don't agree with feeding the junk or crap food but there are different qualities in what is considered crap food. For instance, Royal Canin is a better quality junk than Walmarts Special Kitty. I feed good quality foods but they aren't the top quality as I feel those are too strong and too high in protein. I know many breeders feed Special Kitty and I have thought of adding it to my mix many times but then I read the bag again and can't do it. :lol:


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## Reaper (Aug 22, 2008)

I would consider RC junk LOL. One of the trends I have heard about regarding "junk" food is this. Many breeders have found that feeding too rich of a diet actually results in a shorter lifespan. Hedgies in the wild are opportunistic scavengers so the though is that they may be kinda geared more towards needing lower protein and fat numbers for optimum health. And these same breeders who add a junk food swear the longevity of their herds have increased. I am a strong believer in moderation and even the all organic, human grade, top of the line foods can be bad if not balanced with some foods that while not detrimental or toxic are not extremely high quality ingredients either. I also believe the best way to increase our quilled ones lives are: providing an environment free from predators and temperature controlled. (a cage and heating system) and then Diet, Diet, Diet. Prevention is the best medicine and by providing a healthy diet you can provide the best chance for a long and healthy life.


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

So you think the benefit of adding a crapier food (and sometime even crapier than Royal Cannin) with questionable ingredients (some said to lead to cancer) are better than a diet of organic/human grade/holistic food. I'm not trying to argue or start a fight, just to understand. Because I've always been told lesser quality food made with dead animals and all can make hedgehog sick. I understand that a food with 38% of proteise and 15% fat isn't goood either, that's why I didn't add Origen to my mix.


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## Reaper (Aug 22, 2008)

No. Garbage is still garbage. I would NEVER recommend a food containing animal digest. My junk food is Spike's Delight Premium. My hogs have been on it from the breeder and I think it may be a comfort food. Things like Royal Canin or Felidae are what I would consider a junk food. Things that may contain a few food fragments and fillers and are not the absolute best foods. But still don't contain toxins or artificial preservatives or such. My hedgies don't always eat a lot of the Spike's but it is there in the mix if they want it.


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## Tasha (Feb 24, 2009)

Ok, now im a bit confused! :?

Im trying to create a balanced, healthy, interesting diet for Henry and have been struggling a bit. Hence when reading about it being good to add a 'junk food' i tried to get some.

I didn't realise however that Royal Canine is seen as junk food because im already feeding him that as part of his daily mix!!

His current diet is royal canin 32, Purina One Natural chicken & Joe & Jills 100% natural (ingredients on this forum question. viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2274). Then on different nights he gets treats of chicken, crickets, mealworms, pears & apples (still trying different fruits & veggies).

Is this ok? would adding a hedgehog food now & then be a good idea & if so is the one mentioned any good?

Please be aware that i have a a lot of trouble getting extremely good cat food due to living in UK.

Thanks everyone.


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## AAdict (May 2, 2009)

would be interested in hearing the replies too xx


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

well Purina isn't a really good brand, but again, I'm not in the UK and I don't know what's out there.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

FiaSpice said:


> well Purina isn't a really doog brand, but again, I'm not in the UK and I don't know what's out there.


Both of these Purina Cat foods are approved and are on reapers list  
Purina ONE Natural Blends Adult Cat Chicken & Oat Meal Formula 
Purina ONE Natural Blends Adult Cat Salmon & Brown Rice Formula


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

IMO Purina One is a crap quality food.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

Nancy said:


> IMO Purina One is a crap quality food.


Yeah maybe so but these 2 r on the list 
Purina ONE Natural Blends Adult Cat Chicken & Oat Meal Formula 
Purina ONE Natural Blends Adult Cat Salmon & Brown Rice Formula

I don't like any other purina products but IMO the Natural Blends Variety is OK IMO


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

I really don't like the first ingredients
Purina ONE® Natural Blends Chicken & Oat Meal Formula + Vitamins & Minerals

Chicken, corn gluten meal, poultry by-product meal, oat meal, brown rice, whole grain wheat, whole grain corn, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), soy protein isolate, natural flavor, dried beet pulp, dried egg product, phosphoric acid, potassium chloride, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, canola oil, soybean oil, malted barley flour, salt, dried cranberries, dried spinach, choline chloride, calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, taurine, Vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, niacin, ferrous sulfate, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), manganese sulfate, riboflavin supplement (Vitamin B-2), Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), copper sulfate, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), calcium iodate, sodium selenite.

http://www.purinaone.com/Products/Produ ... a29e5b9859


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

FiaSpice said:


> I really don't like the first ingredients
> Purina ONE® Natural Blends Chicken & Oat Meal Formula + Vitamins & Minerals
> 
> Chicken, corn gluten meal, poultry by-product meal, oat meal, brown rice, whole grain wheat, whole grain corn, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), soy protein isolate, natural flavor, dried beet pulp, dried egg product, phosphoric acid, potassium chloride, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, canola oil, soybean oil, malted barley flour, salt, dried cranberries, dried spinach, choline chloride, calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, taurine, Vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, niacin, ferrous sulfate, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), manganese sulfate, riboflavin supplement (Vitamin B-2), Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), copper sulfate, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), calcium iodate, sodium selenite.
> ...


The 1st ingredient is chicken whats wrong with that?
The 2nd ind. is corn gluten meal i don't like anything corn.
Not the best feed in the world i know this but if it is available in the UK might be better than some of that other stuff.


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

well it's more of the by product and corn I don't like. I'm not saying "OMGZZZ YOUR ARE SO BAD YOU FEED BAD STUF" I'm saying it's not the best food, but I'm no in the UK to know what's available there.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

FiaSpice said:


> well it's more of the by product and corn I don't like. I'm not saying "OMGZZZ YOUR ARE SO BAD YOU FEED BAD STUF" I'm saying it's not the best food, but I'm no in the UK to know what's available there.


I agree it's not the best food by a long shot and i don't know what is available in the UK either


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## Tasha (Feb 24, 2009)

The only brands in UK on reapers list is Purina & Royal Canine.

There are other types of cat food that seem good quality but not sure are brands like Hills Science, Joe & Jills & James Hill (I think thats what its called) but when mentioned on here they have not really been appropriate.

I want to give Henry the best, but im finding it difficult. If anyone knows of any brands in UK that are better than what im giving i would be so greatful to hear!


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

I did'nt see Reaper's list, but I found another list by Toe (Chins n Hedgie) that may help you
http://www.toejob.org/junk/cat_food_for_hedgies.html


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## Toe (Jan 2, 2009)

FiaSpice said:


> I did'nt see Reaper's list, but I found another list by Toe (Chins n Hedgie) that may help you
> http://www.toejob.org/junk/cat_food_for_hedgies.html


I visit this site too, you know. 

I think Reaper updates his more continuously than I do. I generally do periodic reviews of all of them, rather than adding new ones as I find them. (Which reminds me, I'm about due for an update...) If you're interested in the selection criteria I used, I posted it over on Hedgehog World. I'm thinking about changing the criteria a bit, though. I'm considering breaking it into two lists, one for 'generally ok' and the other for 'suitable only when used in a balanced mix'.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

LG has a list of foods and it has a whole lot of foods listed the ones written in green are on reapers list.
LG's list is at http://hedgehogcentral.com/CatFoodChart6.html


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

Toe said:


> FiaSpice said:
> 
> 
> > I did'nt see Reaper's list, but I found another list by Toe (Chins n Hedgie) that may help you
> ...


Sorry I didn't notice.


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