# New Hedgie Owner! Feeding Issues!



## JackJack (Feb 17, 2009)

Ive had Jackson for about 4 days now, and he doesn't eat very much.
The pet store said he was born in November, and we even bought the food that they were feeding him, but he doesn't seem to touch it very much.
ive been giving him a piece of wet cat food once a day (i made sure it had no by products and less than 15% fat and all that) and he'll eat it but just one. I gave him a mealie too.
Hes been cuddling one of my tshirts that i wore to bed a couple nights so he could get used to my smell. 
He'll wander around when I just leave him on the bed, and block off the edges. He'll nibble on my fingers and toes and when i pull away he doesn't flinch. but he definitely doesn't like anyone else except my boyfriend who bought him as a present for me to valentines day  
I don't expect him to love me immediately by any means, Im just worried about his eating patterns or lack there of. I change the food everyday and have softened it in case it was too hard.
Or i'll feed him the cat food, and he'll eat it out of my hand, but not off the floor.
any tips? or should I just not hold him once a day and just leave him alone? 
He has a heating pad under one side of the cage and a wheel and a burrow and toys.
the cage is about 1.5 ft by 3 ft (i got a super deal from the pet store!) so its very spacious. 
maybe Im just over concerned, i tend to get like that.

any feedback would be wonderful!


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## JackJack (Feb 17, 2009)

oh yea i forgot to add, since hes so new, hes super huffy and sensitive to light, people, noise, anything, he'll puff right up. I try to only feed him when he gets up so I don't wake him up, cuz I know im not pleasant either when someone wakes me up!


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## Aleshea (Feb 13, 2009)

He needs to be eating more try to feed him caned cat food. Also you should take him to the vet for a check up just to be safe. As far as bonding just hold him everyday and talk soft so him also hand feeding meal worms helps a lot. I would get him a soft fleace blankie to snuggle in when you are holding him. Good luck with your new baby they are a true joy to have.


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## JackJack (Feb 17, 2009)

I really should look for a vet around here; it was really hard to find one in ann arbor.
I fed him a little canned food, he doesn't seem to like it anymore.
I did hand feed him 10 pellets or so just now, but he won't eat when the food is right in the dish. Is he the biggest baby or what? I got him a wheel to run in, and all hes doing is just sitting in it. I don't know if hes even used it yet.
I did put my hand in the cage and he didn't even flinch and just started sniffing my fingers, so thats a good sign! Hes still really jumpy tho, but I can't blame him. He can't just love me overnight, right?


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## Aleshea (Feb 13, 2009)

Maybe not overnight but he will come around soon as long as you give him lots of love. Is the food the same as they fed him at the pet store? If not be may just not like the new food you might have to try different kinds and see what he likes best!


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## dorasdaddy (Dec 23, 2008)

If you have a petco near by then go there to get the hedgies cat food, they have a 30 day return policy as long as you save your reciept. This way you can find out what he reallty likes with out it costing you an arm and a leg.


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## JackJack (Feb 17, 2009)

He might just be having a hard time adjusting.
The food is the same as they were feeding him at the pet store.
He did eat 10 or so pellets from my hand last night, and then ate about half the food in his bowl (theres just enough to cover the bottom and almost half is missing) 
And he won't use his wheel, he just sleeps in it and sleeps under it. Im afraid hes going to be a fatty!

Thanks for the Petco tip!


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## dorasdaddy (Dec 23, 2008)

what are you fedeing him currently? sounds like a commerciall hegehog food and most of those are junk at best and some are even lethal to our little ones


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## JackJack (Feb 17, 2009)

yea it is hedgie food, so Im gonna try and switch it asap. Ive waited this long because I wanted to make sure I didn't get anything that was bad for him.
hes adjusting a little better now, hes very VERY curious. likes to sniff everything. Im giving him shirts ive worn to bed so he can get used to my smell, and it seems to be working. 
Should I wait to put something of my boyfriends in (we live together but hes hardly ever here) so he doesn't get confused or frustrated with so many smells? 
I spend 85% of the time with him, feeding him, talking to him ect (the hedgie, not my bf haha)
He was born in november, so Im thinking maybe hes quilling or something, cuz he really doesn't like to be touched. but hes totally fine when i let him run around. But then not all hedgies like to be held anyway so maybe hes just an explorer and not a cuddler.


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## JackJack (Feb 17, 2009)

how long should i wait to feed him new cat food?
Should i blend it with the old food first to get him adjusted?
He was born in november and ive only had him a week.


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## dorasdaddy (Dec 23, 2008)

you can try blending it, but if he us like most other hedgies he wont even touch the hedgehog food after he gets a taste of the cat food.


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