# New owner looking for help



## Voodoo (Feb 2, 2010)

Hello. I just got my first hedgehog last week and I would like to say this site has been a GIANT help. However I am having 1 problem.

I read the 'dry cat food list' thread and I got some Wellness Indoor Health before I got Mello home. When I picked him up the breeder game me a couple bags of food that he was eating. One food was Iams ProActive Health Kitten Food and the other was a hedgehog food called Pretty Pets Hedgehog Food. I got Mello home, put him in his cage and put some of the Wellness in his bowl. He didnt touch it for a few days and I figured he was still somewhat scared so I put a some in his blanket in case he just didnt want to come out to eat. He still didnt touch it. I decided to put some of the Iams in with the wellness and he picked arround the Wellness and ate the Iams. Same thing when I put Pretty Pets in there. Just ate the Iams. My problem is that loking at the cat food list the Iams does not look like a food I should be feeding him. Iams Kitten ProActive Health=Protein %34 Fat %22 Fiber %3 Moisture%10. From what I have read thats alot of fat. So do I just need to keep giving him different food brands till I find one that he wants? I thought about crushing it all up so he cant pick it out but im worried he just wont eat it. 

Thanks in advance for the help!


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

He should only be getting the same food for the first couple of weeks, while he's still settling in. You don't want to upset his stomach by giving him new foods. However, Pretty Pets is one of the worst hedgehog foods, so I'd take that out entirely. He's a smart boy, not eating it.
Keep giving him just the Iams for now, at least for a week or so. It may be higher in fat, but as he's only a baby, the kitten food will help him grow, and the extra fat shouldn't hurt him right now. After a week or two, start mixing the Wellness in slowly. He may still eat around it, because the Iams is fattier and probably tastes better because of it. Just keep mixing it in though, and maybe get another food to mix in after the Wellness. Once he's several months old, you can slowly take out the Iams so he's not getting so much fat in his diet. 

For other foods, I'd definitely recommend Natural Balance Green Pea and Duck, if you can find it. I haven't heard of a hedgehog not liking it once they've tried it, and he may reattach onto that to eat while you're taking out the Iams.


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## Voodoo (Feb 2, 2010)

Great. Thanks for the info and I will keep a eye out for the Green Pea and Duck (sounds like something I would like :lol: )

One more question, Should I take all of the Iams out or always leave a little in. I read about people mixing "junk food" in with normal food. Did I just understand that?


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

With as much fat as the Iams has in it, I'd personally end up switching it out after he reaches 6 months or so, unless he's a runner and could use the extra fat to keep his weight steady. I would think you could still use a junk food with less fat, though. I don't actually have a junk food in Lily's mix and not sure I understand that whole thing, so I can't give any suggestions for that. :?


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