# Can I give Cocoa Tuna?



## CocoaTheHedgehog (Jul 24, 2013)

Can I give cocoa Chucky light tuna? Or would it harm her, And if I can, What do I mix it with?


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## CocoaTheHedgehog (Jul 24, 2013)

I need to know. I'll be running out of the kibble soon..


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## sklock65 (Jan 9, 2013)

I feel like I've seen discussions on tuna before...perhaps you can search the forums? If I remember correctly there was some mention of possibly worrying about mercury levels in tuna and that not being great for hedgie. I've given my hedgie little bits of salmon whenever I happen to make that for dinner but I'm not sure using tuna as the only food for an extended period of time would be recommended. There are lots of threads with information on food and brands of cat food that are safe and recommended for hedgehogs...definitely worth looking into!

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## JulieAnne (Sep 3, 2012)

You definitely can't use it to replace cat food. You need to pick up more food. A sudden change in food will upset her stomach and she would not be getting everything she needs just from tuna.


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## CocoaTheHedgehog (Jul 24, 2013)

Reasons why I can't pick up food in a hurry: 1- Only 13yrs old. 2:-No job./No money. She has a little bit left in a bag.----- But besides that. Shes eating less then what she was in the nighttime, Should I be concerned?


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## JulieAnne (Sep 3, 2012)

Well you should have thought of that before you got a hedgehog. You have to feed your hedgehog and it is your responsibility to provide a proper diet.

How much less is she eating?


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

At 13 years old, you have a parent, parents, or guardian that allowed you to get the hedgehog in the first place. Tell them you need more food for her. 

If they are not willing, you need to give her up to a rescue where she'll be provided with proper care.


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## CocoaTheHedgehog (Jul 24, 2013)

I don't wanna give her up, We love her to death, But she had the same food about 2 days, and the look of it hasnt changed, I don't know what kinda cat food to get her. her old owner never told us anything.


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## CocoaTheHedgehog (Jul 24, 2013)

And I might be getting a job soon. I have to get a reply back.


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## JulieAnne (Sep 3, 2012)

there are tons of posts on here about cat food. you need to call the breeder and ask what they fed her so you don't do a sudden change but not feeding her is, obviously, not an option. If you can't afford to get her proper food and your parents aren't helping you pay for supplies/vet bills you are not helping her by keeping her.

Here is a list of cat foods.
http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/forums/12-diet-nutrition/12-dry-cat-food-list.html


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## CocoaTheHedgehog (Jul 24, 2013)

If you keep talking ruley you might just make me cry. This is my first hedgie. I dont know the breeder, As I said before, The old owner never told us, What temp to keep her at, The kinda food she eats, How to bath her (Which obviously was rarely done.) Never told me when to clean the cage. Nothing was told.


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## JulieAnne (Sep 3, 2012)

I am not being rude. I am stating facts. It is not fair to her to not be given a proper diet. It is not rude, it's true. 

Do some research on foods, if you have questions about it start a thread and ask but don't get all worked up when people tell you the truth. 

You should not only feed your hedgehog tuna. They have to have a mix of good quality cat foods for a healthy diet.


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## CocoaTheHedgehog (Jul 24, 2013)

Hey, Least I try unlike some other people who just forget about them and let them die, y'know.. i'm only getting worked up because I don't want her to starve WHEN I do run out.


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## JulieAnne (Sep 3, 2012)

You shouldn't run out you begin with. You need to get more food.


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

So, to answer your original question: no, a can of tuna will not work as a food-subsitute.

A bag of catfood costs about $15-$30. Take the list from the forum that JulieAnne linked and go to the petstore, and pick out any of those that are on sale. You can even check the manufacturer websites to get discount coupons (Buffalo Blue gives you a $3-off coupon if you fill out a survey). It's best to provide a mix of foods, but if money is that tight right now you can just buy one. You need to save enough money to buy Cocoa another bag of catfood every few months.

It's very good that you rescued Cocoa from a situation where she was being neglected, and it's very good that you care about her a lot, but sometimes caring isn't enough. You need help -- reading the forums to learn more that the previous owners didn't tell you (which you've been doing!), money to buy her the food she needs, and at the moment possibly a hug!

If your parents will not help you pay for Cocoa's food and pet bills, you're going to need to earn and save at least $100/year for her food, and more than that for vet bills in case she gets mites, gets sick, or has an injury. If you cannot do that, even though you love her, you'll need to find someone who can.


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## JulieAnne (Sep 3, 2012)

Thank you Annie&Tibbers 

I do apologize if I was harsh. My intentions were not to hurt your feelings, rather to stress to you that loving something isn't always enough and you need to be financially prepared when you decide to take in pets . 

Again, if you have any more questions about food feel free to ask!


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