# Spike's Delight?



## JLB92 (Oct 27, 2014)

I am looking for some reviews on Spike's Delight commercial hedgehog food. I know quite a few breeders feed their hedgehogs this food along with a high quality cat food. 

I was in the process of transitioning my hedgies food from Exotic Nutrition hedgehog food to Innova cat food. He loved the cat food and would actually pick the kibbles out of his old food. Unfortunately, after a few days on the cat food/hedgehog food mix, he stopped pooping as much as he used to and now he is constipated and straining to go. 

I brought him to a 24hr emergency vet last night because he was only able to pass one little dropping which was vibrant green and sticky. He was also laying on his stomach stretching his back legs out and up. The vet did not have an exotic DR on shift, so they were not really able to help much. Basically they told me that I need to transition him back to the commercial hedgehog food and he should be okay. 

Exotic Nutrition hedgehog food is loaded with freeze dried meal worms which I read is not good in high quanities because it can cause impaction. I was looking into Spike's Delight a bit but need some help/reviews with it. The company makes 4 versions of the food, so which is the best choice?? Would it be a good food to feed him by itself because his stomach can't handle the cat food? 

All responses would be very helpful. Thank you!


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Which Innova food are you feeding? It could just be the whichever formula you're using is too low in fiber for him & he needs a food with more. Hedgehog foods do tend to have higher fiber, but they also have awful ingredients. Spike's is one of the best ones available, but I'd still only feed one of their formulas, the Ultra Diet. I really don't like the ingredients of the other foods in their line.

Honestly, most vets don't know much about nutrition, and even less about hedgehog nutrition. A lot of them recommend hedgehog food without even doing much research into it or the ingredients used in it. Most of them really have completely awful ingredients, and some are downright dangerous. Like I said, Spike's is one of the acceptable ones, but it's also quite expensive. IMO, I would try finding another good quality cat food with a higher fiber content (maybe closer to 10%) & see if your little guy does better on that.


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## Akells23 (Jul 22, 2014)

My little one was given Spike's Ultra by her breeder so I have continued to give it to her because she absolutely LOVES it. But, Spikes Ultra is the absolute only hedgehog food I would ever feed her. 

I get Spikes Ultra from my breeder for only $12 (Millermeade Farms, critterconnection.cc)


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## TikkiLink (Dec 4, 2013)

^ we have the same breeder and I buy it from them too because it's SO much cheaper. But I am seriously thinking of getting my hedgie off of that food. Not only is she super fat and lazy even though she eats less than a tablespoon a night, but her belly is constantly making gurgling sounds and it makes me wonder if the food gives her constant belly aches! It also often has sharp pieces of bone or something sticking through the food, so I throw out those pieces of food because I worry about them stabbing her mouth and throat!


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## Prickerz (Sep 17, 2014)

Good idea! Cat kibble is just so much better


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## Akells23 (Jul 22, 2014)

TikkiLink said:


> ^ we have the same breeder and I buy it from them too because it's SO much cheaper. But I am seriously thinking of getting my hedgie off of that food. Not only is she super fat and lazy even though she eats less than a tablespoon a night, but her belly is constantly making gurgling sounds and it makes me wonder if the food gives her constant belly aches! It also often has sharp pieces of bone or something sticking through the food, so I throw out those pieces of food because I worry about them stabbing her mouth and throat!


I have been thinking of getting Pip off it as well-- she recently started gaining weight (especially in her bum!). I just get so worried about changing her food and her not liking it or it not being an actual high quality cat food.

I never noticed that about the sharp pieces-- I will def be looking more closely from now on-- thank you!!!


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## JLB92 (Oct 27, 2014)

Thanks everyone for all of the feedback! 

The Innova formula was the regular cat food (in a red bag). I was trying to find the weight control one which had more fiber and less fat than the one I got. I could not find the one I was looking for, so I got the other one just to to try it out with him to see if he would even like it before I purchased the 6lb bag of the weight control blend. 

I really would prefer him to be off of commercial hedgehog food completely, but I am really afraid to try cat food with him again because I don't want him to suffer again with not being able to make a bowel movement. 

Does the Spike's Delite really contain a lot of sharp kibbles??


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## TikkiLink (Dec 4, 2013)

I took a picture of the very first one I ever found (below), but have come across much sharper, thinner pionted pieces since. I started finding them when I stopped using a measuring spoon and filled her bowl by hand, because they'd poke me. I've probably found a couple dozen in the past year, but sometimes I don't catch them until I'm dumping the uneaten food out! So it's not like it's a ton of sharp pieces, but it's enough to concern me, especially if I'm not catching them all and she happens to bite down on one the wrong way.


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## JLB92 (Oct 27, 2014)

Wow! That does not look safe! It looks like a hedgehog quill! 

Hm, now I don't know whether to purchase Spike's or not. It is so hard to find a quality food to keep my hedgie on. 

All I know is the Exotic Nutrition food I have my hedgie on is not good based upon the ingredients.


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## TikkiLink (Dec 4, 2013)

I'm worried about the same thing with finding a food. Most people i've seen who use Spike's rave about their hedgies loving it and prefering it to other foods, which makes me worry that my girl may refuse to transition to a new food properly and might just eat less like she refused to transition to the tapwater at our new apartment and just drank less. As of now, I can't get her to eat anything but Spike's and worms and cat treats that are no better than Spike's. She won't even try new food anymore, not even cooked meat!! Of course, that could just be her personal taste and personality too.

Really, it's up to you. I always panic when I order Spike's because I have to depend on the postal system and can't just run to a store. But I will say that my breeder ships the next day and it always arrives quickly. I don't know how long it takes to arrive if you order from PetPro, but it's double the price!


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I've heard numerous other complaints about sharp pieces in Spike's Delight food. One other picture I saw looked a little like plastic, but Tikkilink's picture looks like a bone splinter or something. I was looking at the ingredients for the Ultra food and I wonder if it's a chicken or fish bone that didn't get ground all the way down in the meals? I don't blame you for being worried about them, that looks nasty! :?


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## TikkiLink (Dec 4, 2013)

Yeah, that's what I think the things I've been finding are. They're super hard like bone fragments, even the really sharp thinner ones. I had wondered if this was an issue that I'd run into with pet food in general, but maybe not?


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I don't recall ever having that issue with a cat food, but I'm not sure if there are others who may have experienced this with other cat food brands besides the ones I used. I haven't heard of anything specific other than with Spike's. I wonder if it has anything to do with the process they use for making their kibble, extrusion. They sell a number of other animal foods, but I don't know anyone who uses any of them, so I don't know if it's an issue with all of their foods or just the hedgehog one.


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## TikkiLink (Dec 4, 2013)

Yep, I just found other threads and places online where sharp pieces of food in Spike's were discussed, even for causing injury. That, and I keep seeing Spike's associated with weight gain. Now I'm definitely getting her off this food!


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## JLB92 (Oct 27, 2014)

I am so glad I posted this topic because you guys have been so helpful with all of your information! 

Tikkilink, if you happen to try a high quality cat food and it works with your hedgie please let me know! 

At this point, it seems like Spike's may be off of my list of things to try with my little guy. It may be a great food from all of the reviews but I don't want to worry that he is going to get hurt from eating it. 

I guess I should try to get the Innova weight management formula cat food and try a few kibbles to see if it contains more fiber, otherwise I don't know what else to give a try! I feel bad to keep trying different foods because my hedgie struggles to go to the bathroom, but I guess it is trial and error. 

Lilysmommy, thank you as always for all of your input on the topic! And thank you Tikkilink as well! I appreciate it, really.


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