# changing food.



## mariamilagros (Sep 27, 2014)

I've been monitoring my little guys food intake and guess who only eats the meal worms ! The place I got him from said no cat food or dog food.. what can I do he likes the wet food but that is only supposed to be given two times a week. (According to the pet store) I'm worried he's not eating and they weren't feeding him what there making us buy for him. And being that he was in a cage with many hedgies that they probably never noticed he only eats the worms. What can I do and what else can I feed him !


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

They're not making you buy anything, and they honestly aren't very knowledgeable if they said no cat or dog food. Both are perfectly acceptable for hedgehogs, and they're better quality than hedgehog foods in general. Most hedgehog foods are awful, and some are downright dangerous. Did you get your hedgehog from a pet store? They can't tell you what you can & can't buy for food for him. It's your decision. Personally I'd ignore their instructions if they're having you buy a hedgehog food. What food is he getting?

Here's a couple of stickies with info on cat foods & such - 
http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/foru...3034-beginner-s-guide-hedgehog-nutrition.html
http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/forums/12-diet-nutrition/23042-recommended-foods-list.html

You want to switch slowly unless he initiates a sudden switch himself (which he may, if he doesn't like his current food).

Also, how long have you had him where he hasn't been eating any food except mealworms? That's not enough and if he's not getting enough to eat & it's been a few days, you need to get him eating ASAP and may need to syringe-feed him.


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## mariamilagros (Sep 27, 2014)

they had me buy hedgehog exotic nutrition. they stressed that I could not take him home until I bought the food the vitamins and wet food. buy the time I was done and finally ready to bring him home I had spent like almost one hundred dollars on foods and vitamins. and he wont eat it. I stayed awake until 5 am when i put him back in his cage for food and water and immediately went digging just for the meal worms but on Saturday I gave him vitamins and wet food he ate only the wet food. but I know he's not eating enough I gave him some chicken Friday and Sunday. I also have 4 dogs that eat boiled chicken every night so I take a little out and give him some. but just a little bit.


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## gracefulchaos01 (Mar 19, 2014)

Actually with Sebastian I also was not allowed to buy the hedgehog without purchasing the food as well. The previous poster at least got something with a bit of nutritional value. I got pretty pet hedgehog food. Even the squirrels won't touch the stuff.


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

OMG! I can't believe that a store would do that. Not only are they giving bad advice but they are forcing you to buy horrible food and things you don't even need. This is just a way to make a quick sale and get a few more bucks. It's so wrong. 

Chicken isn't a bad idea especially if he will eat it. I would honestly go buy high quality kitten food and put that next to whatever he is eating. You don't have to spend a whole lot either, a small bag for 10-15$ will normally do it, sometimes you can ever find sample bags for cheaper. 

If he doesn't start eating soon like by tomorrow morning, you will have to syringe feed him. You can find a syringe in the babies section of a corner store or walmart etc. You can use wet kitten food and mix it with a little bit of warm water and suck it up in the syringe. He probably won't make it easy for you but if you can get it into the corner of his mouth, just squeeze a little, let him chew and try again. I find it easier to syringe feed when the hedgehog is wrapped in fleece and on it's back propped up against my knees. 

Good luck. I'm sorry you were given not so great advice. A baby should be exciting, not stressful.


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## mariamilagros (Sep 27, 2014)

I don't understand why they would do that they also tried getting me to buy a wheel that they said they need because all the other wheels are so bad for them and there backs. I think it was the wobust rodent wheel or something like that But I told them I had one. So a kitten food any type or a specific kind. They told me cat food was so bad for them. And they won't be getting the nutrients he needs. I just don't know what to get and I definitely don't want to get the wrong thing aND him get sick


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Stupid scamming petstores! Wish I could come over and give them a piece of my mind. 

I'm glad you didn't get the wheel. I'm guessing it was more expensive? They're idiots & wrong on that account too. Wodent wheels aren't good for hedgehogs because they'd be very annoying to take apart every day for cleaning, and hedgehogs like to get on & off their wheels quickly, sometimes while it's still moving. That's not at all easy & could be dangerous with the Wodent wheel. 

If he's eating the wet food, keep giving him plenty of that. Offer at least a tablespoon, maybe two. Like Desiree said, the chicken is fine too, though maybe not quite so much of that as the wet food. But for now, give him what he'll eat. It'll avoid the stress of trying to syringe feed (for both of your sakes!). 

For food to buy, look for Chicken Soup, Innova, Solid Gold, and Natural Balance. Those are probably the easiest to find, as far as I know. If you have a Petsmart near you, they also have a brand called Simply Nourish which isn't too bad. There's other good brands too, so if you're curious about one, just ask. The main things you're looking for are no or very few grains (corn, wheat, oatmeal, rice, soy, etc.), a meat or meat meal for the first ingredient (and preferably the second as well). You also need a protein percentage of 35% or less, and fat should be 10-15%. Each of the brands I mentioned have foods that fit the requirements. 

I'm sorry that you received such poor information and that you were forced to waste money on unnecessary and inappropriate supplies for your baby. If you can, buy anything else you need for your hedgie from another pet store. No sense in continuing to give this store your business when that's how they conduct themselves. I can understand just plain wrong information more than I can blackmailing customers into buying the wrong things.

Also, don't worry about making your hedgie sick. Right now, the most important thing is to make sure he keeps eating, which means finding a good food that he'll eat. Most of the time, sudden food switches are not a good idea for hedgehogs because it upsets their digestive system. But this isn't usually a very serious issue, and like I said, it's more important to find a food he'll eat right now. I just want to warn you that when you do get a new food, it's very likely that you might see some green poop. That's normal - it's just from the stress of changing to a new food. It'll go away in a few days, so don't get too freaked out by it. If you want to help ease the transition, you can get probiotics to help. Either small mammal Bene-bac (found in the small animal aisles at pet stores, or from vets), or human acidophilus (found in pharmacies, near the vitamins) will work, just a pinch of either thing on the food. 

Hang in there - you found the right place.  Hopefully we can get your baby settled on a good food and get you guys off to a better start!


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## mariamilagros (Sep 27, 2014)

Thank you guys so much. I atleast feel like I'm not alone. I wish it was legal to go back and tell them off and give them a piece of my mind. They made it seem so professional they gave me a little packet and everything. I just want the best for my little guy. I appreciate everyone's input.


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## Prickerz (Sep 17, 2014)

I would go back and return the food and the "vitamins"- even if the bag is open, as long as there isn't more than 1/2 gone they should take it back


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## mariamilagros (Sep 27, 2014)

We got nature's recipe. Grain free and he loves it! Hes doing awesome.


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