The Best Food

[Q-Bert's Mom]

I know this has probably been covered extensively before, but my hedgehog just died and I'm hoping to get another one soon, and I want to make sure I am feeding the best food I can. I've read a lot about how Royal Canin Slim 38 is great, and Chicken Soup as well. Of course, it needs to be supplemented with meat, mealworms, etc. What have you guys seemed to have the best luck with in terms of palatibilty, health, and longevity? Thanks for the input. I hope I make the right decision.

[Sarah+Sonic]

I feed:

kibble mix of Cat: Innova Lite, Blue Buffalo Lite, Felidae, Chicken Soup Adult & Lite. Dog: Royal Canin Minis


Moist food-fresh chicken, turkey, duck, lamb, sometimes beef/pork. canned salmon(wild alaskan,low salt, water)'/tuna/albacore, ground meats or shredded or chunks. Eggs, peas, liver/kidneys (offal meat) bits of other veggies/greens (they laugh at me for that) they do like some bits of fruit, mealworms, mealie beeties, waxworms, crickets

supplement- Pet Botanics Skin/Fur Supplement (Very similar to Missing Link)

Thats basically it...this is what works for me. I buy new kibbles to try so thats why ive got a bunch in the mix. It is easier to feed many hedgies because you use things up quicker and you've got a better chance of somebody liking the food. Er..thats at least what I tell myself to justify more hedgies ;)

[CoquiMom]

I feed a mix of cat foods as well. I followed Sarah with cat foods: Chicken Soup Aduilt & Lite, Royal Canin 38, and Buffalo Blue Light. I also feed mealies and meat baby food. These are the things my guys will eat. They are very good at turning their noses up at wet cat food (still looking for the right brand/texture) and veggies.

[paris26]

I also like to feed all natural foods like the ones that Sarah mentioned. It's hard to say what the "perfect" or "ideal" mix is because everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Annabelle likes the mix of textures and sizes and I can tell what she likes the best based on the order of what she eats.
As far as longevity, it's hard to tell. There are a lot of health issues that we deal with as hedgehog enthusiasts, and I know their is a link between nutrition and health, so I buy and feed the best that I can afford to.

[razzle]

Do you guys feed some "supplements" every day (babyfood, meat, wormies, etc.) and if so, how much?

I feed Razzle a mix of Chicken Soup Light and Royal Canin Slim (and finishing up some 8 in 1). I also give him a couple crickets or worms and some babyfood veggies/fruit or meat every night. I notice that he will always go for the "treat" before his kibble - and he never finishes his bowl of kibble (maybe I put too much in his bowl!) but he usually finishes up the treat (especially crickets! :slurp: )

But have been wondering about adding in a "Hedgehog" food, like Spike's Delite maybe. I just wonder, if Hedgehogs are supposed to be primarily insectivores, shouldn't the bulk of their diet be worms, crickets, etc.? Are Hedgehog foods, like Spike's, made of mostly insects? :confused:

[Sarah+Sonic]

I give moist food probably 5-7 days a week. Anywhere from 1tsp-1tbs seems to be about how much theyll eat. I dont have a problem with them ignoring kibble and eating just 'treat' food

[soft-n-pokey]

Do you think it would be a good enough mix of just Chicken Soup for the Cat Lovers soul (adult light) and Royal Canin Light-38? As I have never seen most of the foods listed above (like Innova Lite, Blue Buffalo Lite or Felidae) because all I have in my area is a Petsmart that doesn't have much to choose from. I used to feed Chicken soup.. and 8-1 but I recently found out that all Petsmarts in my area don't carry 8-1 anymore and only have Brown's Hedgehog food (which doesn't look like a good enough food).
Thanks=)

[Sarah+Sonic]

That should be fine.

[~Chelsey~]

I feed my crew a mix of Chicken soup for the cat lover's soul adult formula and Royal canin 38. Most of my hedgies are younger, so they do well with the extra fat and protein of the adult CS food. As they get older I will switch the adults over to the lite formula and Royal Canin 38. They also get mealies (those that aren't scared of them:p) and lots of playtime to stay fit. Each hedgie has a wheel in its cage and gets exercise in addition to that though, so if your hedgies don't get as much exercise you may wanna just stick with the CS lite and Royal Canin 38 :)

[cayjazz]

My nearby PetSmart never heard of CSFTCLS. My hedgie pretty much ignores any treats and only eats the catfood and some Cheerios. I heard that the insects they get in the wild are different than what we have available, and the chiatin (sp) isn't the same. That's why the crickets, mealies and wax worms are given sparingly and only as a treat and not as a major part of their diet.