TCSKelly
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Differnet Kinds of Proteins - 2006/12/28 02:58
Hey all
I was talking to one of the guys I work with (a huge animal freak), and I was describing hedgehog's diet in captivity. We ended up getting into a discussion on the different kinds of protein. His question was "If hedgehogs are insectivores, how does it work that they eat cat chow (along with other food items of course, but a mix of cat chow's for a staple)? Basically, there's ton's of animal protein in cat chow, and the protein in their wild diet would be insect protein, so how does that work? (Sorry about the long post  )
Kelly B.
The Critter Shack
-Kelly
The Critter Shack
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CThogs
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Re:Differnet Kinds of Proteins - 2006/12/28 12:54
In the wild they eat insects and also plants and eggs and things like that which also have protein. Different plant and animal proteins all have different amino acids in them. By feeding a mix of foods, you are trying to get all these different amino acids into their diet.
Ann
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TCSKelly
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Re:Differnet Kinds of Proteins - 2006/12/28 13:29
Yeah, but they eat virtually no animals. We were discussing the fact that a lot of animals will have health problems if they have too much animal protein, and that would seem to be magnified by the fact that hedgehogs are insectivores.
Kelly B.
The Critter Shack
-Kelly
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www.tcshedgehogs.blogspot.com |
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CThogs
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Re:Differnet Kinds of Proteins - 2006/12/28 13:39
I guess in my mind insects are animals. And insectivores are carnivores.
As far as nutritional breakdowns between say a chicken and some sort of african insect-well, good luck with that!
Ann
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CThogs
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Re:Differnet Kinds of Proteins - 2006/12/28 13:59
As far as nutritional breakdowns between say a chicken and some sort of african insect-well, good luck with that!
OK-I take that back-search on Entomophagy which is humans eating insects and you will find all sorts of yummy bug recipes and ingredient breakdowns as well as insect contents of everyday foods. Way more information than I wanted to know
Post edited by: amscpa, at: 2006/12/28 14:15
Ann
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TCSKelly
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Re:Differnet Kinds of Proteins - 2006/12/28 14:54
I printed off that info, I'll have to read it. This sounds very interesting!  As far as I know, insect and animal proteins are quite different. But, that's about all I know.
Kelly B.
The Critter Shack
-Kelly
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HamorHollow
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Re:Differnet Kinds of Proteins - 2006/12/28 17:12
Hedgehogs are also scavengers. The origional hedgehogs that were brought over to the states were found in garbage dumps. So really, they were eating scraps of everything.
I also know that hedgehogs can kill and eat small animals like mice and moles. I've also heard that they will attack and eat snakes, but I don't know if that is true.
-K
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:Differnet Kinds of Proteins - 2006/12/28 17:37
Hedgehogs are classified as Insectivores, but diet wise - they are omnivores - eating whatever they come across....Bugs, carrion, vegetable matter, small mammals, eggs, snakes, toads, etc.
Kindof like bears being classified as carnivores - when their primary diet is berries and other plant matter.
Stasi
Terrapin Hedgehogs
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HamorHollow
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Re:Differnet Kinds of Proteins - 2006/12/28 20:45
Stasi wrote:
Hedgehogs are classified as Insectivores, but diet wise - they are omnivores - eating whatever they come across....Bugs, carrion, vegetable matter, small mammals, eggs, snakes, toads, dead bodies.........
Dead bodies???
Post edited by: HamorHollow, at: 2006/12/28 20:48
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. |
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Stasi
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Re:Differnet Kinds of Proteins - 2006/12/28 21:32
HamorHollow wrote:
Stasi wrote:
Hedgehogs are classified as Insectivores, but diet wise - they are omnivores - eating whatever they come across....Bugs, carrion, vegetable matter, small mammals, eggs, snakes, toads, dead bodies.........
Dead bodies???<br><br>Post edited by: HamorHollow, at: 2006/12/28 20:48
carrion
noun
the dead and rotting body of an animal; unfit for human food
quit putting words in my fingers Kelly.... 
Stasi
Terrapin Hedgehogs
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TCSKelly
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Re:Differnet Kinds of Proteins - 2006/12/29 03:24
Stasi wrote:
Hedgehogs are classified as Insectivores, but diet wise - they are omnivores - eating whatever they come across....Bugs, carrion, vegetable matter, small mammals, eggs, snakes, toads, etc.
Kindof like bears being classified as carnivores - when their primary diet is berries and other plant matter.
So if we give them a VARIED diet, they will be just fine, as their stomach is designed to take a large variety of items. These include animal proteins AND insect proteins. Although hedgehogs do seem to do just fine on a diet of only cat chow. (Heaven forbid  ) Thanks everybody for all the info! I had never really thought of this before, I guess that's what the forum was designed for .
Kelly B.
The Critter Shack
-Kelly
The Critter Shack
www.tcshedgehogs.blogspot.com |
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