# How to get a hedgie to gain weight after illness?



## Pfeffernuss (Nov 17, 2010)

So Pfeffer is about 5 months old now, she had a bad bout of losing her quills, I took her in and she had intestinal parasites. The vet treated her with dewormer and the quill loss stopped. She weighs under half a pound and she still looks very skiny, doesn't quite have that round hedgehog shape. She's already the runt of the litter and besides being quite skinny not very big. She's never had a problem with turning away her food, she eats about 5 mealworms 5 crickets and a little under a tablespoon of food each night (blue buffalo indoor cat), any more than a tablespoon offered and she won't touch it. She is also a very avid runner, an average of about 5 miles a night.

Anything I can do to make my little girl gain weight so she doesn't look like a rat with quills?


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

You can up her mealworms per day, or try some waxworms which are really high in fat. You can also add a higher fat food to her mix.


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

My little boy Cholla hasn't been sick at all, but is an avid runner (about 8 miles a night) & keeping weight on him has been a struggle. I agree with Nikki. I have added more mealworms and waxwoms (which are really high in fat) to his diet every day. He has stopped losing weight & is maintaining right now, at about 270 grams. He loves the waxworms just as much as the mealies. 

I usually buy mine at the local Petco. 

I hope it works out & Pfeffer gains a bit of weight!


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## RalphsMum (Oct 14, 2010)

Ralph is about 6 months old and still only weighs 170g (he got down to 125g when he was sick a few weeks ago) - it appears to be a slow battle to get him to gain weight again. I do think that now he is just never going to be a big guy. He doesn't eat mealies or anything like that. So we fed him Hills A/D for a while and now we feed him just his high fat kibble - Nutrience kitten and Buffalo Spa kitten. He seems to be doing ok but he does fluctuate, like gain a few grams, poop, wheel, and lose a few grams but he seems overall to be going in the right direction, it's just taking time, which is a little frustrating as when we first got him he added weight like crazy for a few days - up to 209g - but has never done that again since! 
Basically we just take every day as it comes with him and weigh him every night, certainly for Ralph I don't think there's a magic mealie formula.....just patience and perserverance. He still seems like a happy little chappy in his grumpy hedgie way 
Good luck!


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## fracturedcircle (May 31, 2010)

+ for waxworms


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