Innova Evo opinions

[Tampaquillowner]

Okay so I feed Innova Evo to my puppy and I thought it was great. Her coat is so glossy and her poops are small and dark. Well they came out with a cat formula of this food. The company likes to say its as close to feeding a raw diet as one can get from kibble.

So anyway.

I decided to try Evo cat food in the hedgies food. Its has a lot of protien and its a high quality food anyway. I mixed it into their food awhile ago and I am pleased with the results. They seem to like it and I like how much protein.

So I just wanted to ask those more fluent in hedgie nutrition and make sure this food looks okay. Here is the nutrition information:

Moisture (http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=ingredient-facts&pxsl=//ingredient[@id='728'])10.00 (http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=ingredient-facts&pxsl=//ingredient[@id='728'])%
Protein (http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=ingredient-facts&pxsl=//ingredient[@id='725'])50.00 (http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=ingredient-facts&pxsl=//ingredient[@id='725']) %
Fat (http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=ingredient-facts&pxsl=//ingredient[@id='727'])22.00 % (http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=ingredient-facts&pxsl=//ingredient[@id='727'])
Fiber (http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=ingredient-facts&pxsl=//ingredient[@id='720'])2.00 % (http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=ingredient-facts&pxsl=//ingredient[@id='720'])
Calories (http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=ingredient-facts&pxsl=//ingredient[@id='729'])1807 Kcal/lb (http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=ingredient-facts&pxsl=//ingredient[@id='729'])
Calories (http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=ingredient-facts&pxsl=//ingredient[@id='730'])3985 Kcal/Kg (http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=ingredient-facts&pxsl=//ingredient[@id='730'])
Calories (http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=ingredient-facts&pxsl=//ingredient[@id='731'])542 KCals/Cup (http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=ingredient-facts&pxsl=//ingredient[@id='731'])

Here is the link for the homepage
http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=product-detail&pxsl=%2F%2Fproduct%5B@id%3D%271255%27%5D

"] ("http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=nutrition-facts&pxsl=//product[@id='1255')

http://www.naturapet.com/dot.gifhttp://www.naturapet.com/dot.gif

[PrettyHate]

The ingredients look awsome- like you said, there is a boat load of protien in there.

Not too sure about the fat content- it may be a little high if that is the only food you are giving them- mind you, Im just paranoid. In a mix with other low fat kibbles Im sure it would be fine :)

Over all it looks like a good food to me! Infact, I wouldnt mind getting my hands on some of it if I could find it in a lite version- Bosco is getting a little porky.

[Tampaquillowner]

I dont think they will be making a light version but I could be wrong. My boys are all BIG runners and will run all night long. I have never worried about there weight. Although price now outweighs Nemo and Tico and he is almost half their ages. But he comes from big parents.

[Kerrie]

This is the Innova Light Dry cat food I have been using for years on my hedgehogs. It is not the "evo" brand though.
http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=product-detail&pxsl=%2F%2Fproduct%5B@id%3D%2773%27%5D
I am not very good at understanding ingredients and all that stuff, so is this ok??
A little late if it is not.:laugh:

[Tampaquillowner]

The reason I really like the EVO is the high protien content. The EVO has 50% while the Innova Light only has 26%.

[Kerrie]

Wow...that is a big difference.
Thanks..I may have to try that next time I pick up food.:)

[Kalandra]

That is a very high amount, and it has me worrying about a few things. The Bronx zoo did a little research on nutrition many years ago and reported that their findings were that hedgehogs need something more around the 23% range for protein, 5% fat and 15% fiber (I thnk I still remember those right.). 50% is a huge increase from that recommendation. Granted we still don't know much about hedgehog nutritional requirements, but at least this is something to consider.

Also, I have always been told that in dogs and cats that if you feed too much protein it will be either excreted in their urine or stored as fat. Could feeding too much protein be as bad as feeding too much fat. With this one already having 22% fat (extremely HIGH!!) I would be very concerned about obesity, looks like a double whammy.

Tampa: How long have you been feeding this food? To what type of hedgehogs (Baby, breeder, aging adult (age range))? Have you noticed weight gain? I have a male who runs all night as well. However, he does gain weight now that he is closer to 2.5 yrs much easier than he did when I got him at 1.5 yr.

[Tampaquillowner]

Ive been feeding it for a couple of weeks now. My mix of food was pretty high in fat anyway, I mix in Kitten formula as well as Royal Canin slim and CSFTCLS adult. I dont worry about weight gain because it has never been a problem before. Ive had Tico for a year and he is the smallest hedgie I have, he is my most obsessive runner. He will run ALL night long. Nemo is bigger than Tico but by no means overweight. I thought he was big until I went to see Jeanne's (pickyhedgies) hogs and realized that Tico is very small and Nemo is really close to the small end of the spectrum. Price is pretty big but he comes from large parents so I think its more hereditary than anything. Tico is about a year and a half, Nemo is about a year, and Price is probably around seven or eight months now.

I have actually heard the same argument as you have with too much protein being bad for them. I may try and shoot the makers an email and ask them about it. But im just not sure. It seems that since they eat insects in the wild that they would be able to handle a lot of protien in their systems. Another thing to note with the Evo I have noticed that they eat less food. The same thing should happen with a dog, they eat less food because they are getting more nutrition from less food. But it is an interesting point that you have, and one that I have actually heard before.

[reddevil]

Hi everyone,

I too just purchased a bag of the new Innova EVO in Ottawa, Ontario at a new place called Global Pet Foods. This shop caters to natural & holistic pet food & remedies.....it beats any pet food place in Montreal.....I was so impressed at the service by Judy and Richard that I will return to this store every chance I can...its a 2 hour drive but well worth the trip....it stocks the natural brands I can't get here. There prices are even cheaper than what I pay in Montreal. The address 1675 Tenth Line Road, Unit 2B
Ottawa, Ontario K1E 3P6 # 613-837-3594. What a great place!!!!!!!!!!!

RED

[jules_77]

Hi everyone,

I too just purchased a bag of the new Innova EVO in Ottawa, Ontario at a new place called Global Pet Foods. This shop caters to natural & holistic pet food & remedies.....it beats any pet food place in Montreal.....I was so impressed at the service by Judy and Richard that I will return to this store every chance I can...its a 2 hour drive but well worth the trip....it stocks the natural brands I can't get here. There prices are even cheaper than what I pay in Montreal. The address 1675 Tenth Line Road, Unit 2B
Ottawa, Ontario K1E 3P6 # 613-837-3594. What a great place!!!!!!!!!!!

RED
we have a global pet foods in halifax too !! thats where i get my csftcls!!