sarahjane
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how much? - 2004/12/27 07:19
im feeding my new baby hedgehog George Purina Kitten Chow, is that good enough? do i have to mix? i also would like to know how MUCH food should i give my hedgehog, i mean like, George will eat EVERYTHING in his bowl. My boyfriend thinks i should limit it, but how much...im really new at this..and i just want George to be happy, although he is a cranky lil dork. =] but i love him. 
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rosewoodhhs
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Re:how much? - 2004/12/27 21:53
http://www.pogstarhedgehogs.com/nutrition/
has a great hedgehog food review chart, that rates each food by one hedgie being bad/worse and five hedgie being best.
Since he's growing (Im guessing he isn't that old...) I would free feed him, he needs a lot of food to grow up right. Just fill his bowl every night, if he starts getting too fat (where he cant roll into a ball anymore) then I would cut down a little bit. But until then, free feed is my opinion. 
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dzmeadows
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Re:how much? - 2004/12/31 02:25
I don't really like Purina Kitten Chow for a single food. I use it as part of my mix, but it is too fatty IMO to use all by itself. pogstarhedgehogs.com has many great foods listed in it's nutrition section that might help you find something to at least add to the kitten chow to even out the nutrition to a preferred level.
I agree with Lauren, as a youngster, he needs access to pretty much all of the food that he is interested in. Takes lots of nutrition and calories to support a growing body.
Becca
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Proud
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Re:how much? - 2005/02/08 09:25
Ever since I brought my baby home she's had free reign to her food I just make sure she always has food. My philosophy on feeding, all pets, is that if they only get fed at certain times they will eat EVERYTHING they are given as their insticnt tells them they don't know when or where their next meal will be. If they have food available to them always they will eat when they are hungry and only enough to fill themselves. I have been using this philosophy with pets (other than with the snakes we used to have cuz we fed them live prey) and it works out pretty well.
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MrToffee
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Re:how much? - 2005/11/07 22:14
I'm a bit worried as my 8 week old isn't eating his dry kitten food at all. He'll happily eat worms and chicken or turkey and he likes corn. But I'm only giving him a tiny amount of wet food as I was told by the breeder (and read in all the books/forums) that the dry food is supposed to make up the bulk of the day's food. Is there anything else I can try, can I up his intake of wet food or should I try changing the brand of dry food?
I've had him a week and need to get a scale so I can weigh him. I don't notice any weight loss but I don't think I really would as they look so pudgey anyway.
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illinidairychic
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Re:how much? - 2005/11/08 00:57
Do you have him on what the breeder had him on? Changing their food too quickly can upset their bellies. I would maybe give him a couple kibbles of a different type of food, but make sure you progress slowly. Wet food isn't recommended as the bulk because they can develop teeth problems, I believe. If you just got him though, it could be him trying to adjust to moving to a new place. I've had a few here that took a bit to adjust to the new environment and settle down. I even had a male go on a hunger strike for about a week when he was already on the thin side. Just see what he likes and give him some time to adjust....I hope some of that helps 
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MrToffee
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Re:how much? - 2005/11/08 11:14
Hi. Yes, she left me with a full set up including half a bag of the kitten food she'd been feeding him. She did say that he wasn't overly keen on it. He did eat a bit of it the first 2 days but I can't see any evidence now that it's being eaten at all. I do change it daily so it is fresh.
He is eating wet food so he's not on a hunger strike but I am concerned that he get a balanced diet. Maybe I'll try mixing in a new brand or flavour of dry kitten food with the remainder of what the breeder left and if he eats any of it?
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HamorHollow
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Re:how much? - 2005/11/08 22:46
My hedgehogs seem to like and do well with Purina kitten chow in my mix. I do have some kids that will eat around certain brands, but the Purina generally isn't one of them. Try adding some Walmart Special Kitty. It is a cheeper brand, but they really seem to like it and do well with it. I believe it has some garlic in it and that is why they like it. I recommend either the Blue bag or kitten. Chicken Soup For The Cat Lover's Soul is another good brand.
Also, I've noticed that the appetites in my herd seem to go in waves. There will be some days that it seems like the hedgehogs have barely touched their food, and then some days when they really chow down.
Don't give him too much wet food, it is bad for his teeth. Once in awhile is fine, but if you give it daily it can lead to plaque build up and rot.
Kelly Sosik-Hamor
Hamor Hollow Hedgehogs - a New Hampshire breeder, serving Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and any where else hedgehogs are legal. |
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Stasi
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Re:how much? - 2005/11/09 19:19
The Fancy Feast dry is one that I have YET to see a hedgehog turn down.
Stasi
Terrapin Hedgehogs
Joppa, MD
www.terrapinhedgehogs.com
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MrToffee
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Re:how much? - 2005/11/14 10:44
Ok, slightly confused. The book I have says they can have wet food (up to a teaspoon) daily. So I've been alternating between cooked turkey, cooked chicken, hard boiled egg and cottage cheese with a tiny bit of veg/fruit and a few worms. How often is wet food recommended? Maybe the little guy's just full and that's why he's not eating his dry food.
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dzmeadows
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Re:how much? - 2005/11/14 13:54
My diet is based on dry food alone. Wet foods, and people foods are used as treats, sometimes a couple of times per week. If he is just a youngster, getting a tablespoon of non-kibble every day is going to fill up quite a bit of his stomach, which would keep him from eating much of his kibble.
Becca
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MrToffee
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Re:how much? - 2005/11/15 12:04
Thanks, you're probably right then. I'll change to wet every other day and see how he does.
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MrToffee
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Re:how much? - 2005/11/21 11:32
OK, tried the wet/dry alternation at the same time as introducing a new dry food brand (not the best idea but I ran out of what the breeder gave me and could not find the same brand so had to get something). I put his dry food in the same dish as I use for the wet and after a day of not eating he ate the lot. Problem is I don't think it was a good brand or didn't go with him as his poohs were smelly and everywhere. Needless to say we threw that one away.
Yesterday I managed to get to a bigger supermarket and bought Purina One kitten food. Again, he ate the lot but then tonight he appeared to have a tummy ache. He did not want to play in his cage or out, he just laid there. I'm not sure if it's changing the food too often, or too much food or what. I felt awful and was so worried as he normally a very active little guy. He went pooh tons last night but it didn't smell and it wasn't runny or discoloured. I haven't seen him this morning and didn't want to wake him up so I can only hope he's feeling better.
The Purino One does have wheat gluten in it although it's far down the list of ingredients. Could he be having a problem with this or did he just have a tummy ache from being greedy? I had been "free feeding" the dry but today I've only left the tinyest amount in his dish as I'm worried he'll overeat and feel ill again.
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HamorHollow
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Re:how much? - 2005/11/21 16:51
Any food change can cause a color and scent change in your hedgehog's poo. It's nothing to worry about and it should clear up in a few days. (If it doesn't clear up, it's a sign that something else is wrong and you should go to the vet).
I imagine he has a stomach ache from too many food changes too quickly. He may have also over eaten. Give him a few days and he should be back to normal.
I like Puriana One. It's generally part of my mix.
Kelly Sosik-Hamor
Hamor Hollow Hedgehogs - a New Hampshire breeder, serving Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and any where else hedgehogs are legal. |
Do you want to buy a baby Hedgehog? Please fill out out questionnaire. |
Hedgehog World - A Community for African Pygmy Hedgehog Owners and Breeders
Join us for Hedgehog Fest 2008
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vahedgies
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Re:how much? - 2005/11/28 02:06
Most of my guys get a little canned cat food every night along with the kibble mix. There are a couple that just don't want it and that's fine with me. I would love to get mine off the canned food--it's hard to find and it's expensive. But, how do you go about it? Can I just stop feeding them the canned food? I worry that they won't eat at all and will starve! Okay Kelly, STOP LAUGHING!! I'm serious--
Amy
Virginia Hedgehogs
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HamorHollow
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Re:how much? - 2005/11/28 18:34
vahedgies wrote:
Okay Kelly, STOP LAUGHING!! I'm serious--
Amy
Virginia Hedgehogs
ROFL! No, and you can't make me!
If you give them canned food daily, it will promote tooth decay and the eventual rotting away of their teeth. How can you stop? Well, just don't give it to them. They will eat the dry if they don't have any other options. But, if you break out the good stuff, of course they will choose that.
Remember that the original hedgehogs brought over here were collected from a garbage dump. They will eat the dry.
Kelly Sosik-Hamor
Hamor Hollow Hedgehogs - a New Hampshire breeder, serving Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and any where else hedgehogs are legal. |
Do you want to buy a baby Hedgehog? Please fill out out questionnaire. |
Hedgehog World - A Community for African Pygmy Hedgehog Owners and Breeders
Join us for Hedgehog Fest 2008
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vahedgies
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Re:how much? - 2005/11/28 22:19
So, you're saying that I'm just a softy? Well, I'm on the last can of food so maybe this is a good time to try it? Keep telling me to be tough!
Amy
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HamorHollow
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Re:how much? - 2005/11/29 03:21
Be tough Amy! If you try hard, you can be a cold hearted hedgehog breeder like the rest of us [yes, that was sarcasm]!
Kelly Sosik-Hamor
Hamor Hollow Hedgehogs - a New Hampshire breeder, serving Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and any where else hedgehogs are legal. |
Do you want to buy a baby Hedgehog? Please fill out out questionnaire. |
Hedgehog World - A Community for African Pygmy Hedgehog Owners and Breeders
Join us for Hedgehog Fest 2008
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vahedgies
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Re:how much? - 2005/11/29 20:08
*RASPBERRIES* to Kelly But, I will try...I'm just finishing up my last can.
Amy
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vahedgies
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Re:how much? - 2005/12/13 00:48
Okay, so I stopped the soft food--I was out of it anyway. I also picked up some Chicken Soup and added that to my mix. I've noticed that across the board, all my hedgies have eaten AROUND the Chicken Soup. I don't think they like it! Tonight I added some more of the Fancy Feast dry to the mix and hopefully they will eat a little more.
Amy
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