# food consumption...how much is too much?



## douglam (Feb 11, 2011)

i have what i believe is about a 10 week old hedgie that i got from a pet store about 2 weeks ago. ive noticed she is growing quite rapidly, what seems almost too rapidly. i got a scale on the 9th and she weighed in at 222 grams. she now weighs about 267 grams only 5 days later, and is eating about 20-25 grams of food per day, which is about 2.5 or 3 tablespoons... is this normal?


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## mel2626 (Sep 28, 2009)

Hi there,
At 10 weeks old, she is still a baby and will have a very healthy appetite. Babies should not have their food limited so it's suggested that you free feed. This means, keep food available for her at all times because she's a growing girl and needs all her nutrients.  Sometimes they even go through growth spurts where you can physically see a change in size (not much unlike a human child). 
Best of luck with your new hedgie!  
~Melissa


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## smhufflepuff (Aug 28, 2008)

267 for a ~10 week hedgie makes sense to me. I don't have Satin's records with me at the moment... but I'm recalling her numbers were a bit like that. And, yep, the did go up, up, up!!! She's ~650g these days. My big girl 

It's also possible that if your hedgie was a pet store hedgie (which aren't always given the best food and can live under stressful conditions) and now she lives with you (assuming you have a more hedgie-friendly/stable environment for her & better food), this might also contribute to her growth in a good way.

As long as she's on a good food/mix of good foods and has the opportunity to run and play, those numbers sound pretty good to me.


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## douglam (Feb 11, 2011)

Thanks you for the input. I am not totally sure on her age but 10 weeks is my guess cuz she is quilling and she does have some but not too many baby quills left, so I'm thinking shes got to be in her last Riis of quilling. The pet store said she was 4 weeks which to me was absurd especially with how well she eats and drinks, and her size. More opinions are welcome though


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## Nebular (Dec 28, 2010)

Norman is a little more than 13 weeks old and has gained 30 grams in the past two weeks, so it doesn't sound like what you're experiencing with your little one is anything unusual. He usually stays even for a little while, then spurts up another 20 - 30 grams over a couple of days. There's no "usual" growth rate for a hedgehog, but all babies grow in spurts.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

Be sure you are weighing her at the same time. As pre-poop and post-poop can vary by ~25g.


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## douglam (Feb 11, 2011)

Immortalia said:


> Be sure you are weighing her at the same time. As pre-poop and post-poop can vary by ~25g.


i have now realized this and will now weigh her after ive had her out for a while and she has relieved herself all over me and the towel shes on. who knew they could hold that much. it truly amazes me a bit.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

Ya, it's caused me quite a scare back when I first got my boy. As one day, he'd be well up his way to 300, then the next day, he was down to low 200's, then he'd be back mid-high 200's, etc etc. And then I started weighing at the same time every day for twice a day while he was growing. Once I got stable weights and his own weight plateaued, did I reduce to weighing down to once every 3 days, and then now we're down to once per week.


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## Kenzi (Aug 29, 2010)

What kind of food is she eating?

My Ebba is 12 weeks old and weighs a little more than 300 g. Mila had a similar growth rate. 

Please keep in mind that different kibble varies in size and nutrition. My girls are on a mix of about 5 different foods. One kibble is super tiny little spheres and a tablespoon of it is way more than a tablespoon of a different kibble that is shaped like Xs. (just because the spheres fit more compactly than the Xs do). 

Some foods are higher in fat and could yield faster growth/heavier weight. It is recommended that unless your hedgie is showing signs of obesity, than it should be free fed, or provided food at all times. Signs of obesity include- not being able to ball up, double chin, excess fat/wrinkles under and around the limbs, etc.


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