We just got our baby on Saturday and she is settling in slowly. No quills but lots of hissy huffing and puffing when we disturb her. But she chowed the first night and she had never had meal worms so we gave her some and she chowed them down so fast and kept smelling the same area over and over for more. We gave her 5 the first night and then today she had about 7, 5 in the morning and then 2 small ones later. She is a bit on the small side and could use some fatting up. The breeder gave me the Spike food and some baby food to mix in it to help her fatten up. She just loves those mealworms and I want to offer them but just don't want to give her too many. So, how many is too many? I guess we need a balance where she eats her food and then has them as snacks. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!!
Our new little girl LOVES mealworms. How many a day?
- Thread starter FairyGirl
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smhufflepuff
super-duper hedgiepig
I'd say you're on the right track with the idea that you'll want to make sure her main food is the kibble and mealies are just as a treat. My other thought is that, since she's new to your home, try and keep her food pretty similar to how she had it before you brought her home (unless there was something dangerous in her diet before)... at least over this first week or two.
Over time, you'll figure out how many mealies are good amount for her. For example, I learned with Satin, that she'd eat as many as you'd give her, but more than 4 or 5 would turn her poop messy. She was also a touch chubby, so we'd go with 3-4 every 2-3 days. Tex, on the other hand, ran away from mealies as if in fear for his life, so he got 0.
For now though, I'd give her a few days off the mealies so you can see her "regular" poo & behavior vs her "mealies added" poo & behavior. And, over time, you'll figure out the right amount. Maybe start 3 or 4-ish and go from there.
On the topic of her regular diet, I'd also recommend adding in another kibble to the Spike's -- not this week, but maybe starting next week. Many hedgies feel stressed out making the transition into their new homes and have green, mushy, or sticky poo -- so we try and keep things similar to how it used to be for awhile.
In general, it's good to have more than one kibble to try and even out anything that's missed by one nutritionally-speaking. Also, if one kibble changes formulation (ingredients or shape) and hedgie decides "I don't like this anymore" or you run out, then you have the other one to fall back on until you can figure out how to replace the other half of the mix. Depending on who you talk to, you'll find varying numbers of kibble in the mixes - some people choose two kibbles, some choose 3, others have more.
Over time, you'll figure out how many mealies are good amount for her. For example, I learned with Satin, that she'd eat as many as you'd give her, but more than 4 or 5 would turn her poop messy. She was also a touch chubby, so we'd go with 3-4 every 2-3 days. Tex, on the other hand, ran away from mealies as if in fear for his life, so he got 0.
For now though, I'd give her a few days off the mealies so you can see her "regular" poo & behavior vs her "mealies added" poo & behavior. And, over time, you'll figure out the right amount. Maybe start 3 or 4-ish and go from there.
On the topic of her regular diet, I'd also recommend adding in another kibble to the Spike's -- not this week, but maybe starting next week. Many hedgies feel stressed out making the transition into their new homes and have green, mushy, or sticky poo -- so we try and keep things similar to how it used to be for awhile.
In general, it's good to have more than one kibble to try and even out anything that's missed by one nutritionally-speaking. Also, if one kibble changes formulation (ingredients or shape) and hedgie decides "I don't like this anymore" or you run out, then you have the other one to fall back on until you can figure out how to replace the other half of the mix. Depending on who you talk to, you'll find varying numbers of kibble in the mixes - some people choose two kibbles, some choose 3, others have more.
Thank you for the great info! We kept her on Spike's since the breeder had her on that. It is mixed with the baby food the breeder game me as well. So I will have to add another food choice to mix in, great idea!!!! Thanks!!
I don't think she had ever seen fleece before so she is very excited about the fleece and has been biting and frothing a bit when she is in her pouch on me .lol. I just did not want to start with anything but fleece but was worried about this change for her. She loves the fleece strips I have in her cage. She loves to play tug a war with me. It is soo cute. She grabs a bit and drags it into her igloo and then I pull it out and she grabs it! Soo funny! I bought her a tiny igloo at Pet Smart and she loves it! It is perfect size. I have it inside her thick fleece pouch so that it keeps it nice and warm.
She only had one small green poop on the way home and then everything has been solid and dark. She had 7 mealies yesterday and this morning when I woke her up she had the longest poop yet. It was about 2 inches. And she has been pooping and peeing in one corner of her cage--yay--so I put the corner liter pan in there and put her in it and she went right away. i am happy about that because as much as I want to change her fleece I am trying to go slowly with changes to help her adjust and since it has her smell and my shirt in there I wanted it to get a bit ripe to make her feel comfy and then change it after a while once she is more comfy with us. Does that make sense? It is like her smell is all over and then when I change it it will be all new again. Also even though I used tide free and clear to wash it she seemed so itchy at first but that is better. I even double rinsed. I might try washing a second time without detergent to make sure she is not allergic to my detergent. Anyway, wow, sorry to ramble so much!! Thank you for taking the time to give me some great info. I will have to try to spread out the mealies and not make her think it is her main food source. She sure loves em! Soo cute!!
I don't think she had ever seen fleece before so she is very excited about the fleece and has been biting and frothing a bit when she is in her pouch on me .lol. I just did not want to start with anything but fleece but was worried about this change for her. She loves the fleece strips I have in her cage. She loves to play tug a war with me. It is soo cute. She grabs a bit and drags it into her igloo and then I pull it out and she grabs it! Soo funny! I bought her a tiny igloo at Pet Smart and she loves it! It is perfect size. I have it inside her thick fleece pouch so that it keeps it nice and warm.
She only had one small green poop on the way home and then everything has been solid and dark. She had 7 mealies yesterday and this morning when I woke her up she had the longest poop yet. It was about 2 inches. And she has been pooping and peeing in one corner of her cage--yay--so I put the corner liter pan in there and put her in it and she went right away. i am happy about that because as much as I want to change her fleece I am trying to go slowly with changes to help her adjust and since it has her smell and my shirt in there I wanted it to get a bit ripe to make her feel comfy and then change it after a while once she is more comfy with us. Does that make sense? It is like her smell is all over and then when I change it it will be all new again. Also even though I used tide free and clear to wash it she seemed so itchy at first but that is better. I even double rinsed. I might try washing a second time without detergent to make sure she is not allergic to my detergent. Anyway, wow, sorry to ramble so much!! Thank you for taking the time to give me some great info. I will have to try to spread out the mealies and not make her think it is her main food source. She sure loves em! Soo cute!!
