Issues?

[harvey n harrison]

My female hedgehog (1 year old) is not eating much, and not drinking much. She is losing weight. Her activity level seems the same though? She isn't pooping much and her urine is dark. When I cleaned her wheel today, it looked like her urine was green. She had an issue with not eating about 6 months ago, but when I took her to the vet they said nothing was wrong. I gave her canned food for a while then she kind of went back to normal. She's always been a picky eater. She does like dubia and still eats those. Only eating a little kibble though. I'm making an appointment for the vet again. But I was wondering if anyone else has had issues like this before with such a young hedgehog.

[OddDarkMatter91]

What kibble are you feeding her?

[harvey n harrison]

Spike's ultra. It's the only kind she will eat. I've tried several. Even hedgehog precision. She won't touch it. When I first got her, she starved herself into a hibernation attempt. Even though I was offering the exact food I was sent home with her. (Chicken soup) She has a CHE on a thermostat and she likes it around 80. Nothing in her setup has changed.

[Ria]

Pooping less could indicate a blockage many things can cause this and a vet should be able to help find a cause to stop it happening. Though pumpkin is a good way to help.
Darker urine can be caused by drinking less. And drinking less can be because of many things a vet will be able to solve that more than any of us can.

Spikes food isnt really the best food for them, its pretty rubbish but I don't really want to send your hog off on a hunger strike! Maybe you could find a biscuit thats high meat? Would she be likely to accept that? Might help a little with her overall health.
Other than roaches what other insects does she eat? And how many does she get?

[harvey n harrison]

She has a vet appointment for tomorrow. Hoping to get some answers this time.
I'm really scared to try new kibble again. She will literally starve herself if she doesn't like it. But I am open to the idea because I know spikes isn't very good. Just not sure what she will eat.
She gets just dubia right now as her insects. I've given her superworms and mealworms before and she ate them. but not recently.

[OddDarkMatter91]

The best way to make sure she doesn’t starve herself, is to slowly introduce the new kibble. If you only give her the new ones with no sign of the old ones, she is bound to refuse it.

Ria knows a little bit more about the exact feeding percentage kibble changeovers should be.

[harvey n harrison]

That's what I did. Just a few of the new pieces of kibble, and she stops eating.

[harvey n harrison]

A few pieces mixed in with the old I mean. She immediately stops eating and goes on a hunger strike.

[Ria]

Glad you got a vet soon!

Have you tried introducing new biscuits as a treat before adding into her food?
If so what has she done then?

Insects are super important especially for fibre. Regardless of if its small fibre amounts or not try locusts, crickets and calciworms I'm sure they will go down well with your hog!

Just remember not to try changing the biscuits while trying new insects and remember to try new insects for 30 days before deciding they dont like them.

Change over of foods should go a bit like this
Week 1 75%old 25% new
Week 2 50% old 50% new
Week 3 25% old 75% new
Week 4 100% new
Obviously this scale is very hog depending and it can take 4 weeks of trying before they accept trying a new food, which means week 1 can take 4 weeks to get past.

[harvey n harrison]

I have tried that too she will just stop eating if I give her something new. I've also tried crushing the kibble into a powder, she still won't touch food if it has anything different on it.
I can get her some Phoenix worms. Crickets can carry parasites which is why I avoid them with her and my reptiles.
I got a urine sample from her last night to take to the vet today