# too much protein..



## kat (May 11, 2011)

hey guys.. i would just like to share mustard's last visit to the vet because ive read in some posts that others use/used or is considering orijen to feed to their hedgie. im by no means an expert and maybe my hedgie was just sensitive(?) but none the less, i just want to share..

so she was having problems peeing so i brought her to the vet and had a urinalysis. the result indicated that she has way too much protein in her. she was on orijen cat foor (42% protein) for 1.5 months before learning (thanks to this wonderful site) that this is not a good hedgie food despite being a high quality cat food because of its high protein and fat percentage.

she is now on a cat food to help with her urine problem and is on extended baytril medication (from 10 to 14 days)


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## elise5211 (Jun 2, 2011)

wow, I had no idea. My hedgie has a high protein diet, so thanks for the warning. I'm going to start incorporating more vegetables in her diet.


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

I don't think anyone on here uses Orijen, precisely for that fact that it is just too high in protein, as you have learned.

For the future, just stick to around 30% protein and less than 15% fat ^_^

I hope Mustard feels better soon <3 I'll be sending healing vibes over her way <3


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

elise5211 said:


> wow, I had no idea. My hedgie has a high protein diet, so thanks for the warning. I'm going to start incorporating more vegetables in her diet.


You should switch her to a different food if her food has too much protein.

Veggies will not lower the protein intake, but it will help her gain fibre and other nutrients


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## elise5211 (Jun 2, 2011)

She has good cat food mixed in with junk kitten food that came with her previous owner, plus I feed her crickets. I was already concerned with overfeeding her, so this is more reason to adjust her diet.


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## kat (May 11, 2011)

shaelikestaquitos said:


> I don't think anyone on here uses Orijen, precisely for that fact that it is just too high in protein, as you have learned.
> 
> For the future, just stick to around 30% protein and less than 15% fat ^_^
> 
> I hope Mustard feels better soon <3 I'll be sending healing vibes over her way <3


yup. i learned that lesson the hard way. she is no longer on orijen. when i read it was bad i left my house right away and visited every pet supply store i could find (its very hard looking for good cat food her in the philippines). she is now on solid gold kantz and flocken (which took my a full day of research to find) and royal canine 27. im trying my best to find better food for her and i am getting her blue buffalo after she is well introduced to her 2 new kibbles


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## susanaproenca (Aug 14, 2010)

Thank you for sharing this, and I hope Mustard feels better soon! 

P.S: I have a Mustard too, it is the best name ever for a hedgehog! Heehee


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## kat (May 11, 2011)

shaelikestaquitos said:


> I hope Mustard feels better soon <3 I'll be sending healing vibes over her way <3


thank you 

i dont think she is feeling that bad though.. she gained 20g(post poop) to my surprise despite being "sick" and having a lower fat percentage diet.


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## kat (May 11, 2011)

susanaproenca said:


> Thank you for sharing this, and I hope Mustard feels better soon!
> 
> P.S: I have a Mustard too, it is the best name ever for a hedgehog! Heehee


thank you 

mustard is the best name! :lol: btw, your mustard is so cute! and also, my sister (who is reading this behind me) is begging me to tell you she finds pete incredibly adorable! i think she wants to kidnap pete :lol:


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

Sounds like you're being a great hedgie parent ^_^


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## pooka dotted (Jan 5, 2011)

I use Orijen, but it's such a small percentage in their whole diet. (prob ably makes up about 5-10% of the entire meal that day) ten percent at most. lots of veggies and insects and fruits, then a liiiiiiiittle bit of cat food


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## kat (May 11, 2011)

shaelikestaquitos said:


> Sounds like you're being a great hedgie parent ^_^


thanks.. i just can't stop beating myself up for letting this happen. i feel so guilty :|


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## susanaproenca (Aug 14, 2010)

kat said:


> susanaproenca said:
> 
> 
> > Thank you for sharing this, and I hope Mustard feels better soon!
> ...


Pete is my grumpy/shy ball of quills! It would be hard to kidnap her, unless your sister doesn't mind being pricked and poked and huffed at a lot! :lol:


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## kat (May 11, 2011)

pooka dotted said:


> I use Orijen, but it's such a small percentage in their whole diet. (prob ably makes up about 5-10% of the entire meal that day) ten percent at most. lots of veggies and insects and fruits, then a liiiiiiiittle bit of cat food


how do you get your hedgie to eat veggies??! :shock: Mustard wont even go near her chicken (one of her favorites) when it is mixed with a very small amount of shredded carrots.

i am also planning on giving her a piece or two once in a while as a treat when she is well because she love it so much.


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## kat (May 11, 2011)

susanaproenca said:


> Pete is my grumpy/shy ball of quills! It would be hard to kidnap her, unless your sister doesn't mind being pricked and poked and huffed at a lot! :lol:


she is currently viewing(stalking) pics of pete and is now extremely determined :lol: i think she wants to switch our mustard for your pete :shock:

ps: she is 10 years old and by no means a threat :lol:


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## pooka dotted (Jan 5, 2011)

kat said:


> how do you get your hedgie to eat veggies??! :shock: Mustard wont even go near her chicken (one of her favorites) when it is mixed with a very small amount of shredded carrots.
> 
> i am also planning on giving her a piece or two once in a while as a treat when she is well because she love it so much.


Well first thing I do is get out a bowl and said veggies/ fruits and chop them so so sooooo fine, I would probably reccomend using a food processor till it's a mush. Then I put a can of wet cat food in the bowl (Not the whole can and contents just the contents  ) THENNN I mix in said veggies, A capsule of flaxseed oil gets squeezed onto the mix too, then I measure out dry food. I add about a cup and a half of cat food in with it but it doesn't make up the bulk of the mixture, the veggies and fruits do. but the wet cat food is the glue that hold it together.

then I mix that all up and spoon out daily (nightly) meal sized dollops on a cookie pan with wax paper on it. Then I freeze the dollops and when they are completely solid I put them all in a container. Then at about 5 o'clock I put a frozen dollop into each of their bowls and it thaws by the time 11 o'clock rolls around.

I also put in mealies at this time so the mealies can eat the mixture and get gut loaded because everything I want them to eat is in the mixture. for a pickier hog probably more dry food at once, and a lil bit of veggies. Mine wont touch veggies when i handle them, or fruits, but if it is in the food bowl they eat it.


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## susanaproenca (Aug 14, 2010)

kat said:


> she is currently viewing(stalking) pics of pete and is now extremely determined :lol: i think she wants to switch our mustard for your pete :shock:
> 
> ps: she is 10 years old and by no means a threat :lol:


I might agree on a temporary switch... :lol: Pete is my fatso (almost 700g) so you guys are gonna have to buy a lot of food to keep her happy. :lol: :lol:


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## elise5211 (Jun 2, 2011)

pooka dotted said:


> kat said:
> 
> 
> > how do you get your hedgie to eat veggies??! :shock: Mustard wont even go near her chicken (one of her favorites) when it is mixed with a very small amount of shredded carrots.
> ...


Wow.


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## Noervor (Jun 13, 2011)

I also suggest to change her food because her food has lot of protein which is not good for her health.you should give her some other light food items which are easy to digest and good for her.Too much protein is not good for anyone.


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## kat (May 11, 2011)

pooka dotted said:


> Well first thing I do is get out a bowl and said veggies/ fruits and chop them so so sooooo fine, I would probably reccomend using a food processor till it's a mush. Then I put a can of wet cat food in the bowl (Not the whole can and contents just the contents  ) THENNN I mix in said veggies, A capsule of flaxseed oil gets squeezed onto the mix too, then I measure out dry food. I add about a cup and a half of cat food in with it but it doesn't make up the bulk of the mixture, the veggies and fruits do. but the wet cat food is the glue that hold it together.
> 
> then I mix that all up and spoon out daily (nightly) meal sized dollops on a cookie pan with wax paper on it. Then I freeze the dollops and when they are completely solid I put them all in a container. Then at about 5 o'clock I put a frozen dollop into each of their bowls and it thaws by the time 11 o'clock rolls around.
> 
> I also put in mealies at this time so the mealies can eat the mixture and get gut loaded because everything I want them to eat is in the mixture. for a pickier hog probably more dry food at once, and a lil bit of veggies. Mine wont touch veggies when i handle them, or fruits, but if it is in the food bowl they eat it.


thanks pooka dotted! i will definitely be trying this once she is off her food medication!


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## kat (May 11, 2011)

susanaproenca said:


> I might agree on a temporary switch... :lol: Pete is my fatso (almost 700g) so you guys are gonna have to buy a lot of food to keep her happy. :lol: :lol:


700g?? wow. i wonder what it feels like to carry such a big hedgie :shock: mustrad is just 350g. half of what pete weighs :lol:


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## pooka dotted (Jan 5, 2011)

Napoleon when I got her weighed at the vets office was exactly one pound


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