# Cat food? Kitten food?



## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

Just wondering, do you have to feed a baby hedgehog kitten food?

If so, when do you switch them to regular cat food?

Thanks


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## SilverQuill (Jan 21, 2010)

We started adding royal canin babycat 34 to our mom hedgies regular mix of wellness indoor and natural balance green pea and duck right after we found out she had the babies as the extra fat helps with milk production. Then when they get old enough, usually about 4 weeks, we were told they would start sampling moms food. We helped them along at about 3 weeks by introducing crushed up babycat. They are now a bit over 4 weeks and are eating the whole babycat kibbles easily, the other kibbles are like twice the size so it will probly be a bit before they go for those. Our mom has become spoiled and digs furiously through her bowl for the babycat flinging the other brands all over the cage in the proccess. I was a bit worried at first that the babies might try the big kibbles and choke but it seems they know what they can handle because they pretty much ignore th at the moment. We also put an extra low rim plastic lid in with just babycat in it so the babies have easier access (even tho mom cleans it out a lot of the time lol). We haven't really seen them drink water yet, but hopfully they will start to once mom weans them more as they are still getting milk from her.

Anyways, how old are the babies in question? If they are still under a couple months I'd recommend introducing some babycat not only for them but for mom as well.


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

Well, at the moment I don't have a hedgehog, but I will be acquiring one from a breeder in a couple of months when she/he is ready to go to a home (so around 2 months). I was wondering if I'd have to give her adult or kitten food, and if so for the latter, than for how long?

Thanks


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

You should feed your new hedgie what the breeder was feeding. Make sure you either get sample bags from the breeder, or get the brand name and buy the exact brand at the pet store for the hedgie. So if your breeder was feeding kitten food, then feed kitten food. 

Keep your hedgie on that food for at least 2-3 weeks with no changes, and then you can consider adding a second brand of food, introducing it slowly. (At this point, adult cat food will be fine)


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

that helped a lot, thanks!


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

Kitten food for a young hedgie or an adult needing a lot of fat is perfectly fine. Babies need extra fat to grow, and many adults run too much to keep weight on. 

I think it'd be perfectly fine to keep a hedgie on kitten food up to 6 months, so long as they aren't gaining too much weight. Kitten food is geared towards growing animals and that is what baby hedgies are doing.


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