Joined
·
12,071 Posts
* This is by NO means a comprehensive list, or the only acceptable foods to feed. This is merely a list of some common, easily-found (in most or some areas, not all) brands that have foods that fit within the guidelines stated above. You should scout out any pet stores in your area and see what selections you have available to you - there may be something within guidelines that we haven't listed.
** Some of these brands have experienced recent recalls, or have had recalls in the past. If you're concerned about whether a brand you'd like to check out having numerous recalls or any recent ones, Google search the brand name along with "recalls". A sticky for food recalls is hopefully coming soon!
US Brands
Blue Buffalo - Has a wide range of foods, many of which fall under the guidelines for hedgehogs, including a grain-free line. It is also widely found, and is available at Petco and Petsmart, as well as Tractor Supply Company. However, there have recently been many complaints regarding dogs and cats becoming sick while eating BB foods - so research may be a good idea, if you're concerned.
Innova - Has a few different foods that can be used in mixes and is another popular brand. It is also found in Petco and Petsmart.
Natural Balance - Available at Petco. Has a line of limited ingredient foods for allergic pets, as well as a couple foods with more unusual protein sources, such as duck - useful if you're trying to vary protein sources in your mix.
Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul - Not a lot of different kinds of food, but seems to be pretty popular with hedgehogs. Not found at Petco, Petsmart, or TSC - use the store locator on the site to search for stores near you that carry it.
Solid Gold - A good food if you're looking for an alternate protein, with lamb as the main meat. Available at Petco.
Wellness - Several different foods in the line, many fit the guidelines. However, this food seems to be too rich for some hedgehogs, and numerous people have found that their hedgehogs have loose, grainy poops when eating Wellness. Still not a bad food to try, but be prepared to switch out, just in case. Found at Petco, Petsmart, and Tractor Supply Company.
Taste of the Wild - Canyon River formula fits guidelines and it's a grain-free food, which some people prefer. Found at Tractor Supply Company.
Halo Spots Stew - Has several different flavors, all fit protein recommendations. Fat is slightly high, but might be used in a mix with lower fat foods. Kibble is small, good for hedgie mouths. Found at Petco.
Castor & Pollux - Organix foods uses organic ingredients. Regular adult & adult indoor both fit guidelines though regular adult formula is a bit higher in fat. Organix found at both Petco & Petsmart. Natural Ultramix formula is also found at Petco & fits guidelines.
Simply Nourish - Found at Petsmart. The main foods fit guidelines, the High Protein ones have (unsurprisingly) protein that's too high.
***Sections coming soon for Canada and non-UK Europe***
UK Brands
I found many of the brands listed below on this website: http://www.petplanet.co.uk/ Even if you don't have a store near you, the website mentions delivery, so that could be an option as well.
http://www.canagan.co.uk/ - The cat foods are a bit high in protein and fat, but could be used in a mix, especially for runners or babies. The dog foods have some small breed options, and a couple of the regular & the senior/light option could all be used as well, if you crush the kibble. There's a store locator on the site.
http://www.orijen.ca/ - The cat foods are again a bit high, but not as high as Canagan. The dog foods are a little bit lower, mostly around 38%, and could be used if broken up. They could be used in a mix with 32% or lower foods to average out to 35% protein or lower. This is a fantastic brand that has a good reputation among dog & cat owners and is one of the few kibbles recommended by many of the people on my raw feeding group for dogs. It can be found at Pet Planet, http://www.zooplus.co.uk/, and there's also a store locator on the website, as well as a locator for online retailers.
http://www.acana.com/ - The cat foods are all low enough for hedgehogs, at 35%! The fat is a bit high, but can be used for runners or mixed with a lower fat food. The dog foods are appropriate as well, if broken up. This brand is owned by the same company as Orijen and is just as high recommended. This brand can be found at Pet Planet, http://www.zooplus.co.uk/, and there's also a store locator on the website.
http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/products/cats/dry_food/canyon_river_feline_formula/ - This flavor cat food from this brand is appropriate, with a low enough protein. The other cat food from TOTW is too high in protein, unfortunately. All of the puppy & dog formulas are quite low in protein though, and could be used if broken up. This brand is also found at Pet Planet, http://www.zooplus.co.uk/ and there's a store locator on the website.
http://www.barkingheads.co.uk/ - One of the cat foods is low enough in protein, and the others aren't too high. The dog foods are all quite low and the grain-free ones especially look decent. There's also a small breed variety which could be more appropriate size-wise for hedgehogs. Found at Pet Planet, http://www.zooplus.co.uk/, and there's a store locator on the site (scroll to the bottom).
http://www.lilyskitchen.co.uk/ - Cat & dog foods are both appropriate. Food is found at http://www.zooplus.co.uk/ and they have a store locator, and also do delivery.
http://www.nutram.com/ - Avoid the regular foods (they have corn), but the grain-free foods for dogs and cats are good. Cat foods are a bit high in protein, but not by much, and dog foods are fine if broken up. It can be found at http://www.zooplus.co.uk/ and when you visit the website, you choose a country in which the food is distributed. They also have a store locator once you've chosen a country, down at the bottom of the page.
http://www.new-instinct.com/homepage - All of the dog and cat foods are high on protein (~40%), but could potentially be used with other, low protein foods (30% or below). The ingredients are pretty good, and the foods can be found at http://www.zooplus.co.uk/ or there's a store locator on the site.
http://visan-petfood.com/visan_pet_food.html - The website doesn't include ingredients (at least, not that I can find), but the foods can be found on http://www.zooplus.co.uk/ and the ingredients are listed on there when you click on a type. The dog foods I looked at looked appropriate in ingredients & protein percentage. Unfortunately, the cat foods all seem to have maize (corn) included.
http://www.simpsonspremium.com/ - The 80/20 foods are good, just a bit high in protein. The other foods all have maize (corn) in them. This brand is found at Pet Planet, http://www.zooplus.co.uk/, and they have a store/stockists locator on the site.
"I don't have any pet stores near me…Now what?"
Walmart: Purina One Beyond, & Newman's Own
Tractor Supply Company: Blue Buffalo, Taste of the Wild, Wellness
Websites you can order food from:
www.amazon.com
http://www.petfooddirect.com/
www.petco.com
www.petsmart.com
http://www.petflow.com/
http://www.chewy.com/
You can also find the websites for the specific brand you want - they often have store locators on their sites to see if any stores near you sell them.
If you're curious about how big the kibble is for a food you're interested in, check this thread to see if it's been posted: http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/forums/12-diet-nutrition/10403-kibble-sizes.html Likewise, if you have a camera and a penny, please contribute pictures of your kibble size if you don't see it on the thread!
** Some of these brands have experienced recent recalls, or have had recalls in the past. If you're concerned about whether a brand you'd like to check out having numerous recalls or any recent ones, Google search the brand name along with "recalls". A sticky for food recalls is hopefully coming soon!
US Brands
Blue Buffalo - Has a wide range of foods, many of which fall under the guidelines for hedgehogs, including a grain-free line. It is also widely found, and is available at Petco and Petsmart, as well as Tractor Supply Company. However, there have recently been many complaints regarding dogs and cats becoming sick while eating BB foods - so research may be a good idea, if you're concerned.
Innova - Has a few different foods that can be used in mixes and is another popular brand. It is also found in Petco and Petsmart.
Natural Balance - Available at Petco. Has a line of limited ingredient foods for allergic pets, as well as a couple foods with more unusual protein sources, such as duck - useful if you're trying to vary protein sources in your mix.
Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul - Not a lot of different kinds of food, but seems to be pretty popular with hedgehogs. Not found at Petco, Petsmart, or TSC - use the store locator on the site to search for stores near you that carry it.
Solid Gold - A good food if you're looking for an alternate protein, with lamb as the main meat. Available at Petco.
Wellness - Several different foods in the line, many fit the guidelines. However, this food seems to be too rich for some hedgehogs, and numerous people have found that their hedgehogs have loose, grainy poops when eating Wellness. Still not a bad food to try, but be prepared to switch out, just in case. Found at Petco, Petsmart, and Tractor Supply Company.
Taste of the Wild - Canyon River formula fits guidelines and it's a grain-free food, which some people prefer. Found at Tractor Supply Company.
Halo Spots Stew - Has several different flavors, all fit protein recommendations. Fat is slightly high, but might be used in a mix with lower fat foods. Kibble is small, good for hedgie mouths. Found at Petco.
Castor & Pollux - Organix foods uses organic ingredients. Regular adult & adult indoor both fit guidelines though regular adult formula is a bit higher in fat. Organix found at both Petco & Petsmart. Natural Ultramix formula is also found at Petco & fits guidelines.
Simply Nourish - Found at Petsmart. The main foods fit guidelines, the High Protein ones have (unsurprisingly) protein that's too high.
***Sections coming soon for Canada and non-UK Europe***
UK Brands
I found many of the brands listed below on this website: http://www.petplanet.co.uk/ Even if you don't have a store near you, the website mentions delivery, so that could be an option as well.
http://www.canagan.co.uk/ - The cat foods are a bit high in protein and fat, but could be used in a mix, especially for runners or babies. The dog foods have some small breed options, and a couple of the regular & the senior/light option could all be used as well, if you crush the kibble. There's a store locator on the site.
http://www.orijen.ca/ - The cat foods are again a bit high, but not as high as Canagan. The dog foods are a little bit lower, mostly around 38%, and could be used if broken up. They could be used in a mix with 32% or lower foods to average out to 35% protein or lower. This is a fantastic brand that has a good reputation among dog & cat owners and is one of the few kibbles recommended by many of the people on my raw feeding group for dogs. It can be found at Pet Planet, http://www.zooplus.co.uk/, and there's also a store locator on the website, as well as a locator for online retailers.
http://www.acana.com/ - The cat foods are all low enough for hedgehogs, at 35%! The fat is a bit high, but can be used for runners or mixed with a lower fat food. The dog foods are appropriate as well, if broken up. This brand is owned by the same company as Orijen and is just as high recommended. This brand can be found at Pet Planet, http://www.zooplus.co.uk/, and there's also a store locator on the website.
http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/products/cats/dry_food/canyon_river_feline_formula/ - This flavor cat food from this brand is appropriate, with a low enough protein. The other cat food from TOTW is too high in protein, unfortunately. All of the puppy & dog formulas are quite low in protein though, and could be used if broken up. This brand is also found at Pet Planet, http://www.zooplus.co.uk/ and there's a store locator on the website.
http://www.barkingheads.co.uk/ - One of the cat foods is low enough in protein, and the others aren't too high. The dog foods are all quite low and the grain-free ones especially look decent. There's also a small breed variety which could be more appropriate size-wise for hedgehogs. Found at Pet Planet, http://www.zooplus.co.uk/, and there's a store locator on the site (scroll to the bottom).
http://www.lilyskitchen.co.uk/ - Cat & dog foods are both appropriate. Food is found at http://www.zooplus.co.uk/ and they have a store locator, and also do delivery.
http://www.nutram.com/ - Avoid the regular foods (they have corn), but the grain-free foods for dogs and cats are good. Cat foods are a bit high in protein, but not by much, and dog foods are fine if broken up. It can be found at http://www.zooplus.co.uk/ and when you visit the website, you choose a country in which the food is distributed. They also have a store locator once you've chosen a country, down at the bottom of the page.
http://www.new-instinct.com/homepage - All of the dog and cat foods are high on protein (~40%), but could potentially be used with other, low protein foods (30% or below). The ingredients are pretty good, and the foods can be found at http://www.zooplus.co.uk/ or there's a store locator on the site.
http://visan-petfood.com/visan_pet_food.html - The website doesn't include ingredients (at least, not that I can find), but the foods can be found on http://www.zooplus.co.uk/ and the ingredients are listed on there when you click on a type. The dog foods I looked at looked appropriate in ingredients & protein percentage. Unfortunately, the cat foods all seem to have maize (corn) included.
http://www.simpsonspremium.com/ - The 80/20 foods are good, just a bit high in protein. The other foods all have maize (corn) in them. This brand is found at Pet Planet, http://www.zooplus.co.uk/, and they have a store/stockists locator on the site.
"I don't have any pet stores near me…Now what?"
Walmart: Purina One Beyond, & Newman's Own
Tractor Supply Company: Blue Buffalo, Taste of the Wild, Wellness
Websites you can order food from:
www.amazon.com
http://www.petfooddirect.com/
www.petco.com
www.petsmart.com
http://www.petflow.com/
http://www.chewy.com/
You can also find the websites for the specific brand you want - they often have store locators on their sites to see if any stores near you sell them.
If you're curious about how big the kibble is for a food you're interested in, check this thread to see if it's been posted: http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/forums/12-diet-nutrition/10403-kibble-sizes.html Likewise, if you have a camera and a penny, please contribute pictures of your kibble size if you don't see it on the thread!
