# Trying Honest Kitchen



## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

So I got some free samples of honest kitchen. I really like this company and what they add (and don't add) to their food. So I'm going to try it tonight and if I like it, I will buy them a bigger pack. 

Here are they two I got in them sample. 

Turkey Recipe Embark

Protein - 29.00%
Fat - 18.00%

Turkey, organic flaxseed, potatoes, celery, spinach, carrots, organic coconut, apples, organic kelp, eggs, bananas, cranberries, tricalcium phosphate, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, potassium iodide, potassium chloride, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate.

Beef Recipe Love

Protein - 31.00%
Fat - 16.00%

Beef, sweet potatoes, potatoes, organic flaxseed, organic coconut, parsley, chard, papaya, cranberries, pumpkin, honey, tricalcium phosphate, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, potassium iodide, potassium chloride, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate.

I definitely wanted to try some others especially the Zeal (fish). 

I'll update tomorrow or Monday and let you know what the hedgies think.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Can't wait to hear what they think! I really think this brand could be a good wet food option for more hedgehogs if we continue to have hedgies that like it. I think Kalandra mentioned that none of hers she tried it with liked it, but I'm still cautiously optimistic as more people give it a try. I want to get some to try with future hedgies as well, especially to be used with petsitters when I'm away, if they like it.


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## lilsurfergrlsp (Dec 13, 2013)

Ahh! I love new food choices. So, this might be a stupid question, but what exactly is this food? Is it wet food, or like food you add water to? It looks interesting! I'm debating whether or not to switch Tansy's food, only because the raw diet has gotten a little time consuming to prepare. But are the protein and fat percentages something to be worried about (also because Tansy hasn't been running as much so I'm cautious about the fat content)?


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

Honest Kitchen is made from dehydrated food. It comes dry and you add water to reconstitute it.


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## MomLady (Aug 14, 2010)

My Nara ate the Prowl which is their chicken for cats. 

This is human grade food and they are very careful about where all the ingredients come from. 

It is dehydrated and you can mix up as needed and make it thicker or thinner by adjusting the amount of water. It is about the consistency of pate. 
They do have samples available to see if your little beast will eat it. There's also no reason that you can't get the dog kind since its not kibble. They also have base blends that you can add your own protein to, so you could do raw feeding or use any meat you have available. 
I like the options they provide. Let's face it, the small box is going to last awhile, since hedgies don't eat much as compared to cats or dogs. So the cost per meal is going to be pretty low when you figure it that way.


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

We tried the beef last night. So far everyone has tasted it. Penny and Rose ate the most, River ate a good portion of hers and Winter tried it but didn't seem thrilled about it. I consider this a success. I will try again tonight with the same kind. I'm trying different consistencies to see what they like. I'm going to try less water tonight. I also need small bowls to put it in because it just spreads all over their ceramic bowls.


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

No one liked the thicker consistentcy. Little butts. I'll try a thinner consistency tonight.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

I tried it a couple of times and never found anyone that would eat it consistently. Not even the girl who was very unpicky. They would nibble a little on it when it was first put in and then either consider it not food the very next night, or give up on it a couple of nights later. I tried it with 7 different hedgehogs, same result. The stuff smells amazing, but I guess not good enough for them. A shame as I had really wanted to replace the canned foods I was using for a hedgehog with dental issues.

I have a sample packet of either the chicken or turkey variety of Stella & Chewy's I still need to try. Won't be too much of a test as I only have 1 hedgehog at the moment and she's just happy to have regular meals no matter what they consist of. Hmm, maybe she is a good test after all.


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

Thanks! I was glad to get the samples for free!

It does smell good to me too. Which is so weird that they don't like. Silly gooses. I'll try again until I finish these packs. If someone is eating it regularly I will buy it but if not no biggie. :grin:


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## lilsurfergrlsp (Dec 13, 2013)

So, I ordered some different samples and I can't wait to try them out!

But, I saw that Honest Kitchen also makes a type of food called their base-mix, which only has different fruits, veggies, and some grains, and you mix in the raw protein. I LOVE that idea, especially since I won't have to cut up and cook the veggies and stuff myself - plus I love the raw meat from mypetcarnivore.com so I definitely want to keep it in the diet.

What are you guys' opinions on that? I would definitely use it for my dogs as well. Here are their different base mixes:

*Hale* - the only base mix with grains:

Ingredients:
Organic oats, organic millet, organic flaxseed, organic buckwheat, dehydrated carrots, dehydrated peas, dried apples, dehydrated sweet potatoes, dehydrated chard, organic quinoa, dried parsley, dehydrated green beans, organic chia seeds, tricalcium phosphate, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, potassium iodide, potassium chloride, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, thiamine mononitrate.

*Preference*:

Ingredients:
All ingredients dehydrated: Sweet potatoes, peas, cabbage, organic coconut, apples, spinach, pumpkin, bananas, celery, organic kelp, honey, tricalcium phosphate, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, potassium iodide, potassium chloride, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, thiamine mononitrate.

*Kindly*:

Ingredients:
Dehydrated carrots, organic flaxseed, dehydrated parsnips, dehydrated peas, dehydrated celery, dried organic coconut, dehydrated pumpkin, dehydrated chard, dehydrated organic kelp, dried marjoram, dried garlic, tricalcium phosphate, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, potassium iodide, potassium chloride, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, thiamine mononitrate.

I'm leaning more towards Preference, but I'm not too sure about the coconut or honey. Thoughts?


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

Preference is the one I like too but peas are pretty high up on the ingredient list. Not a big concern but something to be wary of. I do like Hale too, even though it is grain based. Not all bad grains though. I don't know about Kindly because of the garlic??


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I like Preference best as well, but I think I like all of them. I looked at using those mixes briefly when considering diet options for my dog, but ended up not using them. I definitely like the idea of using them for hedgies though, paired with lots of insects & some raw grinds! I'll be waiting to see what your animals think of the samples you ordered, especially if you try one of the base mixes!


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## MomLady (Aug 14, 2010)

My son did try the Prowl. He said it was ok, but bland. I would have tried it, but I am vegetarian. It does smell good. 

I think I remember getting an email from them that they have new flavors available in the dog food.

I will definitely try feeding it to my next hedgie. :grin:


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## lilsurfergrlsp (Dec 13, 2013)

MomLady, I agree, it actually does smell really good haha! I was tempted to kind of try it out myself.

Tansy kind of liked Prowl. I did the usual chopstick trick, and she licked it off the stick! But when I put the whole bowl in her cage, she turned her nose up at it and ate her usual food instead. Oy, these picky hedgehogs! I'll try again tonight.

And I tried the Zeal with my dogs, and they loved it! I think I'll be adding the base mix to their food now. I'm going to try Preference! Thank you so much Desiree, for sharing this new food!


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## PennyRosa (Mar 2, 2014)

I just ordered some samples too!


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## PennyRosa (Mar 2, 2014)

Update - Penny LOVED it. I don't remember the name of it, but it was turkey mainly.

When I put her back into her cage today, she ran right over to the bowl and started eating it. We will see if she continues to eat it tonight but she was excited to try it which is saying a LOT for my hedgehog.


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