# Today's vet visit - Mazuri insectivore diet



## NoDivision (Aug 29, 2010)

So this morning I took both boys to the vet for a full checkup. Watson had to be anesthetized for the vet to be able to get a good look at him, which scared the crud out of me, but he handled it just fine. He's a big healthy boy and all is well.

Sherlock, on the other hand, the resident extremely picky eater, the vet is a little concerned about. He's skinny - which of course I'd noticed, but she confirmed that he's a bit too skinny for her liking. His skin in a bit loose and he doesn't have good fat stores. 

We talked about food for a bit and how most hedgehog foods are no good. And also that for a long time they were giving carnivore diets (i.e cat food) to hedgehogs because it is the closest fit, but that insectivores have different protein needs than carnivores and often carnivore diets can be a little too high in protein, or the wrong kinds of protein, which, paired with a very active hog, can leave them underweight. Seems to fit with Sherlock, especially since his diet isn't very diverse. 

So she sold me a little bag of Mazuri Insectivore diet and suggested adding some of this to his blend. (She also suggested crushing up cat kibble to coat it with, which was one of my hints that my vet is pretty knowledgeable.) It is TINY little kibbles, and it looks and smells pretty good (I think smell is a big factor with Mr. Picky) But before I try and feed it to Sherlock (god knows if he'll even eat it) I just wondered if anyone else has fed it?

Here's the breakdown and ingredients. It looks okay to me, but if anyone sees anything that sticks out as not good, please let me know. 



Description 
Mazuri Insectivore diet is designed to simulate the high protein, high fiber diet of insectivorous animals. It has been tested in a wide range of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians as a replacement for all or some of the insect component of the diet. 

Features and Benefits 
- Designed to be complete and balanced for insectivores . 
- Highly fortified - May be fed with fruits, greens, etc. 
- Contains fish oil - Rich source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids 
- Contains lecithin – Rich source of phospholipids 
- Contains high fiber - Helps simulate the chitin component of the insectivore’s diet. 
- Highly palatable. 
- Contains natural vitamin E. 
- Contains taurine - at levels that meet recommendations for carnivores. 

Guaranteed Analysis 
Crude protein not less than ....................... 28.0% 
Crude fat not less than .............................. 11.0% 
Crude fiber not more than ......................... 13.0% 
Ash not more than ....................................... 8.0% 

Ingredients 
POULTRY BY-PRODUCT MEAL, GROUND SOYBEAN HULLS, GROUND WHEAT, DRIED BEET 
PULP, GROUND BROWN RICE, DEHULLED SOYBEAN MEAL, DRIED EGG PRODUCT, 
GROUND ASPEN, PORCINE ANIMAL FAT PRESERVED WITH BHA, POULTRY FAT 
PRESERVED WITH ETHOXYQUIN, DRIED APPLE POMACE, POWDERED CELLULOSE, 
BREWERS DRIED YEAST, DRIED WHEY, WHEAT GERM, SHRIMP MEAL, FISH MEAL, 
LECITHIN, SOYBEAN OIL, FISH OIL, PHOSPHORIC ACID, CHOLINE CHLORIDE, 
MENADIONE DIMETHYLPYRIMIDINOL BISULFITE, DL-METHIONINE, SALT, TAURINE, 
TAGETES EXTRACT, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE, TOCOPHEROLS, THIAMINE 
MONONITRATE, D-ALPHA-TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, L-ASCORBYL-2-POLYPHOSPHATE, 
CHOLECALCIFEROL, INOSITOL, BIOTIN, VITAMIN A ACETATE, FOLIC ACID, 
SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, RIBOFLAVIN, VITAMIN B-12 SUPPLEMENT, CALCIUM 
PANTOTHENATE, DRIED POULTRY LIVER, NICOTINIC ACID, POTASSIUM SORBATE, 
CANTHAXANTHIN, FERROUS SULFATE, NATUAL MIXED TOCOPHEROLS, COPPER 
SULFATE, ROSEMARY EXTRACT, MANGANOUS OXIDE, ZINC OXIDE, FERROUS 
CARBONATE, ZINC SULFATE, CALCIUM IODATE, CALCIUM CARBONATE, COBALT 
CARBONATE, SODIUM SELENITE.


----------



## kelybely (Oct 19, 2010)

I dont have anything specific to say about their insectivore diet, but they make one of the worst commercial foods for ferrets so I would be carefull. Hopefully this diet would be better then that. :roll:


----------



## NoDivision (Aug 29, 2010)

Hmm, good to know. I'd never heard of them before, though I vaguely recall that some of the animals at the zoo I work at might have some Mazuri food.


----------



## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

As hedgehog foods go, it isn't horrid but anyone I know who has tried it, hedgies wouldn't touch it. In a mix it is okay, but not good enough on it's own.


----------



## fracturedcircle (May 31, 2010)

by-product as the first ingredient can never be good. they are clearly very cheap about their ingredients.

my opinion.


----------



## NoDivision (Aug 29, 2010)

fracturedcircle said:


> by-product as the first ingredient can never be good. they are clearly very cheap about their ingredients.
> 
> my opinion.


Yeah, I didn't like that either :\ I mean I'm not wild about the ingredient list as a whole but I'm willing to try a little bit added into his diet if there's nothing strictly *bad* about it.

I kind of suspected that my vet might make diet suggestions and went in telling myself that I know cat food is good for our guys and kind of figured I'd just smile and nod and then ignore the advice XD But I thought I'd at least give it a try so that if it doesn't work I can just say that it's not for me.


----------



## fracturedcircle (May 31, 2010)

NoDivision said:


> fracturedcircle said:
> 
> 
> > by-product as the first ingredient can never be good. they are clearly very cheap about their ingredients.
> ...


let us know how it goes.


----------



## fracturedcircle (May 31, 2010)

P.S. LizardGirl has tried different things to plump up her Inky, i believe. why don't you contact her?


----------



## NoDivision (Aug 29, 2010)

Thanks for the tip, I may do that.

I have noticed that he's been leaving his bowl empty, which he didn't used to do, so I'm definitely starting to give him more food overall - his appetite seems to have grown a lot. And more mealies!


----------



## toblerone (Mar 28, 2011)

Huh, I didn't even know an "insectivore diet food" existed! And i'm really glad you little ones are eating a lot more!!!  
This post sparked a thought though, what would happen if you fed your hedgie only insects and not cat kibble? Would it be healthier for them or detrimental?


----------



## fracturedcircle (May 31, 2010)

toblerone said:


> This post sparked a thought though, what would happen if you fed your hedgie only insects and not cat kibble? Would it be healthier for them or detrimental?


the general opinion is that they wouldn't get enough variety and vitamins. long-eared hedgies in Russia do get up to 90% insects (*not* mealies) but i don't know how different the dietary needs of aphs and long-eareds are.


----------

