What Can Pet Pygmy Hedgehogs Eat
Their staple diet should be composed of high-quality poultry-based cat food with a ratio of proteins to fats as close to 34% to 15% as possible.
Pygmy hedgehogs can eat:
Pet pygmy hedgehogs should digest between 28% to 35% proteins and 12% to 15% fats.
A protein-based diet with a low-fat intake does not mean no fat. Maintain the necessary amount of fat in your hedgies diet between 12% to 15%.
Pet hedgehogs are prone to obesity as they are not as active as wild hedgehogs who have to hunt their food, so insects, fruit and veg should only be given as treats.Obese hedgies are not very fond of exercise. Weight gain can cause diabetes and liver issues.
Owners need to monitor their hedghie’s weight carefully and regulate their food accordingly.
Poultry-based cat biscuits are pygmy hedgehog owners’ favourite
What Human Food Can Hedgehogs Eat
Some commonly enjoyed human food treats to offer include cooked chicken, scrambled or boiled egg, other cooked meats, melons, strawberries, peaches, other soft fruits, peas, cooked carrots, green beans, cooked sweet potato, tomato, cottage cheese, yogurt, small pieces of cheese, baby foods, baby turkey sticks, and more …
Halo Spots Stew Our Final Contender
Our final offering in our search for the best cat food for hedgehogs comes from Halo. Although a less known brand, they have quickly grown a dedicated following who swear by their products. This particular product has over 375 positive reviews on amazon.com with an average score of four stars.
This product comes in with around 32% protein and 13% fat meaning it falls well within the guidelines for hedgehogs. Packed with all the vitamins and minerals your pet hedgehog could every need, this is an excellent option.
Although a little higher in price per serving than the other products on the list. Every ingredient has been sourced from organic free ranged sources. Although this may not be the best option if you are on a budget, it can be the best ethical choice.
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Choose Cat Food With No Multiple Recalls
Make sure the cat food hasnt had multiple products recalls in the last 5 years, as this may indicate the manufacturing process used by the manufacturer of dry cat food biscuits isnt good enough and needs to be changed many times.
Well established big brands can provide a consistently good source of cat biscuits compared to smaller companies, as the larger ones are geared up to deal with demand fluctuations, have processes that are well established and are good at sourcing ingredients based on their buying power, so theres no need to compromise on quality.
Watch out for cheaper brands and some imported brands, like those from the far east where quality control processes used by these companies may be poor or even non-existent. With the ingredients, they use is substandard or not listed in the correct combinations.
Its vitally important we know exactly how much nutrients our hedgehog is getting to ensure his well being isnt being compromised. Cross-contamination in production can also be a problem, just like how nuts can enter the production line of foods for humans where multiple foods are processed on the same line, the same can happen with cat biscuits.
Use twodifferent brands
We tendto use two different brands of dry cat biscuits as this helps minimize anyimpact of food recalls, as the only half is contaminated and we can carry ongiving our hedgehog more of the other cat food biscuits which arent subject toa product recall.
Blue Buffalo Blue Indoor Hairball & Weight Control Chicken & Brown Rice
The primary ingredient of the Blue Buffalo chicken and brown rice flavor is real meat. Due to the presence of real protein, your hedgehog will develop stronger muscles.
The food also contains whole grains, fruit, and garden veggies. This is a great cat food if you have a greedy hedgehog that is prone to gaining weight. The exceptional blend of calories and protein helps maintain body weight.
Blue Buffalo also has omega 3 and 6 fatty acids that help enhance the skin and coat of your hedgehog. The cat food contains LifeSource Bits® that are antioxidants filled mineral and vitamin nuggets.
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Should Hedgehogs Eat Cat Food
Hedgehogs do not need to eat cat food but can do so as a means of meeting their nutritional needs. It should, however, be fed alongside live insects, protein sources such as cooked chicken, vegetables, and fruits.
That would ensure a hedgehog meets their nutritional needs, and then some.
Now whether or not you would want to feed cat food altogether is another question.
It depends mostly on your personal circumstances.
What can you get access to? What products are available to you, and whats your budget?
In reality, cat food ticks a lot of boxes.
Its high-protein, small enough for hedgehogs to easily chew and eat, and its widely available.
Its also typically very well-formulated.
Nutritionally balanced and providing a range of vitamins and minerals that can prevent skeletal deformities, tooth decay, or spine and fur loss in hedgehogs.
All of which can arise from an insufficient diet.
These are just some of the reasons why cat food became so popular, to begin with.
That being said, there are certainly better cat food options than others.
Not all can, nor should be fed.
But more on that in the following section.
What you need to know is this:
Nowadays, specialist hedgehog food can be offered instead, assuming that it is a good reputable brand and product.
Best Hedgehog Cat Food: Our Top Picks
If you own a hedgehog, you might already know that cat food needs to make up at least 80% of its diet. It is full of nutrients, vitamins, and protein that they need to stay healthy and maintain a strong immune system.
Hedgehog food usually lacks the amount of nutrition they need and uses low-quality ingredients. For example, some manufacturers use meat derivatives and cheap fillers in their commercial hedgehog food. What hedgehogs need is food that is easy to digest and more natural to support their muscle and heart health.
Cat food is also easier to find compared to hedgehog food in pet stores and on the internet. If youre searching for the best cat foods for hedgehogs, our article below covers everything you need to know.
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Chicken Soup For The Soul Kitten Canned Food
Each can of this kitten food is slowly cooked and packed full of necessary nutrients, so you can feed this to your pet as a stand-alone meal or as a supplement. This cat food also has bits of vegetables in it, which hedgehogs love in the right amounts.
Chicken Soup for the Soul kitten edition has chicken liver, chicken meal, cracked pearled barley, and chicken fat preserved with mixed tocopherols. In addition, its ingredients also provide a good source of Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, and as well as Vitamin E and Zinc for your hedgie.
Now Fresh Grain Free Food The Second Best Food For Hedgehogs
Next up in our search for the best cat food for hedgehogswe have a product from NOW! Again it is a grain free product so theres no risk to your hedgehogs digestive system. Its macronutrient breakdown is around 30% protein and around 14% fat falling well within acceptable limits. Packed with vitamins and minerals as well as omega oils this can help promote a healthy lifestyle for your hedgehog.
The protein sources come from premium cuts of either turkey, duck or salmon with minimal low-quality cuts. The omega oils are sourced from organic coconuts or canola with no artificial sources to promote health.
If your pet hedgehog is old or has any jaw problems then it is a good idea to mix the food mix with warm water. This will help soften the food mix to allow your pet to eat a little easier without any problems. Although its not essential, people often mix fresh vegetables or fruit in with the mix before serving. A particular favorite seems to be fresh raisins and sultanas but again, this is not essential.
Although a relative newcomer to the market it is quickly building a solid reputation with cat owners. Its nutritional breakdown is also perfect for hedgehogs making it a good cat food for hedgehogs. It currently retails at around the $40 mark for an 8-pound bag. To date, it has managed to gain a bunch of positive reviews from cat owners raving about it.
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Best Cat Foods For Hedgehogs + Feeding Guide
Today we are here to look at the topic of cat food for hedgehogs. You may have many questions about this subject, such as:
- Why isnt hedgehog food recommended?
- What kind of cat food do hedgehogs eat?
- What is the best dry cat food for hedgehogs?
We will be answering all these questions and more, plus giving you independent reviews of some of the best foods available. Well also consider how needs change over a lifetime and which food suits which life-stage.
Blue Buffalo Healthy Living Cat Food For Hedgehogs:
The Blue Buffalo Healthy Living cat food is our choice for best overall because of its high protein content, an essential supply of vitamins and antioxidants, and high-quality ingredients. It is also the best dry cat food for hedgehogs.
Hedgehogs need a lot of protein in their diet, and the Blue Buffalo Healthy Living cat food provides 34% of crude protein. The first three ingredients listed are deboned chicken, chicken meal, and brown rice.
There are many types of fruits and vegetables included in this dry adult cat food that provide essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. All those essential vitamins and minerals are in the LifeSource Bits, exclusive to Blue Buffalo cat foods.
There are very few cheap fillers and artificial flavors included. Compared to other types of cat food, there are no chicken by-product meals, meaning it is more natural. It also comes at an affordable price for a 15-pound bag. However, be aware of its higher fat content, which may cause your hedgehog to gain weight if not monitored.
Young hedgehogs need a lot of nutrition and vitamins to help them grow and develop a strong immune system.
The Chicken Soup for the Soul is the best choice for them because it contains rich nutrients, DHA for eye and brain development, and high-quality ingredients.
It also comes at a great price value for a 13.5-pound bag compared to other brands.
However, it has a fishy smell which may be unappealing compared to other cat food brands.
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Does It Matter Whether I Choose Wet Or Dry Cat Food
Yes, it does. Good quality wet cat food will contain up to 80% water, but the dry matter is often very high in protein and fat. For instance, if the product contains 10% protein and 80% moisture, then the protein is actually 50% of the dry matter.
If this were a kibble it would be 45% protein! The same applies to the fat content, so feeding mainly good quality wet food will lead to a very fat hedgehog with potential kidney issues later in life. Wet meals should be kept for regular treats.
Wet food can also be less tooth-friendly as dry kibble cleans the teeth during the process of crunching, whereas wet food tends to stick to the teeth, with a greater potential for decay over time.
Dont forget that dry food has very little moisture, so, hedgehogs need a constant supply of clean drinking water alongside their food. This is best provided in a heavy shallow crock on the habitat floor. Some hedgehogs can learn to use a gravity-fed bottle, but many wont.
Cat Food Or Dry Hedgehog Food
If you spot one of these prickly pigs in your garden, high-quality cat food is recommended as its rich protein source can provide the hedgehogs with all the vitamins and minerals they need in harsh outside conditions.
Requiring low-fat diets, meat sources such as chicken and fish are recommended proteins to feed a hedgehog. These can be found in most high-quality cat foods on the market.
With your hedgehogs food, it is important to put out a small bowl of fresh water as hydration is just as significant in a hedgehogs diet. It is vital that you never give a hedgehog any milk-based products as they are highly lactose intolerant leaving them with severe stomach upsets that can often be fatal.
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Rachael Ray Nutrish Indoor Complete Chicken Lentils And Salmon
The brand provides three flavors for this product Chicken, Lentils, and Salmon Turkey, Chickpeas, and Salmon Chicken, Chickpeas, and Salmon.
Each of the ingredients present in the product is of high quality. You will find not added preservatives, colors, and flavors in the cat food. They contain added vegetables, roots, and fruits that are a source of minerals and vitamins.
The cat food has Omega 3 content from the salmon and flaxseeds. You will also find high fiber content which is essential for your hedgehog. The cat food contains cornmeal which is GMO-free.
In this product, the fat content is low, but the calorie content is high.
Best Cat Food For Hedgehogs Reviews
- Energy: 454 kcal/cup
Purina Beyond Grain Free might be a good choice if you have a young or very active hedgehog as it delivers many calories. All chicken and egg components make 25 % of all ingredients, so the plant sources make a relatively large part.
The meat is generally of very good quality. The chickens are raised without steroids and there are no by-products to find. Apart from that, you wonât find any corn, wheat, soy and artificial preservatives, colors and flavors.
All ingredients can be traced back to their original sources.
The kibbles themselves are fairly large, because of that it can be that you have to break them into smaller pieces.
Pros:
- Contains probiotics for digestive health
- No corn, wheat, soy and artificial products
- Ingredients can be traced back
Cons:
- Energy: 313 kcal/cup
We really like that this product contains cage-free chicken. Apart from that important vitamins and minerals are added. Fruits and vegetables round up the profile of ingredients.
The proteins support the growth of lean and strong muscles. Apart from that, there are only a few calories compared to most other foods. This probably makes it a good choice for older hedgehogs as it is hard to gain fat with this product.
To be honest we could not find any cat food that contains more fiber than this one. This is a big key point for our recommendation.
As this is a branded quality product, there are no corn, wheat and other fillers to find. The same is for any artificial products.
Pros:
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Purina Muse Charmed With Chicken
Chicken, Chicken Meal, Cassava Root Flour, Pea Starch, Natural Flavor
- Protein 32.0% min
It also contains eggs, pumpkin, and spinach, plus vitamins and minerals. The recipe uses beef fat but does state no artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors. Also grain-free and no corn, wheat, or soy.
No omega 3 .
The fiber content is low, which could be problematic for hedgehogs. Care would be needed to add more fiber to the diet in other ways.
The 422 Kcals per cup are partly from the higher fat content of this feed and this may make it a less healthy option that the Wellness formula above.
How Can I Stop Cats And Foxes Eating It All
Be aware that putting any food out will attract all sorts of wildlife and not just hedgehogs, this includes predators.
To avoid the food you put out being eaten by pets or foxes you could make a feeding station that is difficult for anything larger than a hedgehog to access.
You could use a piece of piping, or build a shelter out of bricks and paving stones or get some inspriation from a nifty solution by Hedgehog Champions below.
Placing a shallow dish of water at the entrance, and/or a brick maze inside a feeding station should also prevent cats getting to the food, as below.
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How Dry Vs Wet Cat Hedgehog Food Differs
We picked all dry cat foods for our list because of their higher protein and fat content, but wet cat food provides water to keep hedgehogs hydrated. High-quality wet cat food has about 80% water. Since hedgehogs typically drink water on their own, dry kibble works well for them so they can receive more protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Wet cat food typically has about 80% water and 10% protein, while dry food contains about 10% water and 45% protein. Wet meals are also higher in fat content, which can lead to an obese hedgehog with kidney issues. Dry food is typically better for hedgehogs of all ages especially if they have a water bowl they can consistently drink from in their living space.
Dry cat food is also known to help clean their teeth and keep them sharp as hedgehogs crunch on the kibble. Wet food, due to its consistency, tends to stick to the teeth and potentially cause tooth decay in the long run.
Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain Chicken & Potato Recipe
Chicken, Chicken Meal, Dried Peas, Pea Flour, Turkey Meal
- Protein 32.0% min
Good quality ingredients, with no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. Good amounts of chicken and also contains a small amount of fish meal, peas, and pumpkin along with a range of vitamins and minerals.
Omega 3 from flax seeds. Moderate fiber levels.
This product achieves a high-calorie level while keeping the protein and fat levels moderate, which is really useful when trying to increase weight, whilst maintaining good health.
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