[Free2Dream]

Let me begin by saying that I am a complete dunce when it comes to nutrition... I barely passed Nutrition 101 freshman year. But I realize how important diet is in keeping my hedgehog happy and healthy, so I'm doing my best to research the nutrition issue, no matter how baffling I find it!

I currently am feeding Annabelle the mix I received from her breeder - it's a combination of about 6 different Purina cat foods and a Blue Buffalo food. I would go get the sheet she gave me with the exact names, but Annabelle is sleeping on my lap right now, and I would hate to disturb her.

Anyway, I was hesitant to continue feeding the Purina because many people I know who have hedgies regard it as nutritionally insufficient "junk" food. When I asked the breeder about this, she said that her hedgies have done well on it for years, and that she has never lost a hedgie to fatty liver disease like other breeders she knows who feed the more expensive, "higher quality" foods. She told me that once the starter bag runs out, a mix of two or three Purinas with another food, like the Blue Buffalo, would be sufficient for her. What do you think? I am happy to feed whatever Annabelle needs to live a long, healthful life, and she seems to like the Purina mix... but I'm still iffy about it. Please help!

 

[Free2Dream]

Yeah, I know Purina isn't the best... that's why I'm a bit skeptical. I am more than willing to buy her a higher quality food, but she seems to like the Purina mix... I talked to the vet about it today (she had a check-up since she just got her) and she said that she wasn't sure what the best way to go is, but that should would read up on the literature and get back to me. I am mainly worried about the link between feeding "high quality" foods and hedgies developing fatty liver disease.